Help: ISP issues, what to do?

[LambeauXLIV]

So, the apartment complex I live in forces the renters to use them as an ISP (they have a slew of T1 lines). The complex doesn't have enough bandwidth to sufficiently support all the residents, and they're trying to blame it on people downloading torrents. They sent out a newsletter saying "torrent downloads are illegal" and something along the lines of they're monitoring our use, and if they find us using them they will cut off our service.

Regardless of how stupid that is, the fact is the connection drops consistently every night, and I need a steady signal for computing remotely.

What steps can I take to remedy the situation?

Thanks

[rforsythe]

If you can't get alternative service, move. That's about it.

[stitch]

Get an aircard from one of the local cell companies. You'll be limited on bandwidth though but have a steady connection for email.

You can also see if there are any local wireless companies in your area. They are usually line of sight radios but you can get pretty high bandwidth. You share the tower with other users but the good companies plan for no more than 80% capacity.

[TurboGizzmo]

Ummm torrents arent illegal, I use them at work to download ISO's for linux and other legit things, i dont think they can blanket block those based on that, they can QoS the service, they need to have a company properly manage their network.

[stitch]

Here are a few companies in your area.

http://www.millect.com/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx

http://www.lonetree.com/

http://www.wyomingnetwork.com/internet.aspx

[LambeauXLIV]

If you can't get alternative service, move. That's about it.

1 year lease :cussing:


Get an aircard from one of the local cell companies. You'll be limited on bandwidth though but have a steady connection for email.

You can also see if there are any local wireless companies in your area. They are usually line of sight radios but you can get pretty high bandwidth. You share the tower with other users but the good companies plan for no more than 80% capacity.

I could use the tethering on my phone if need be, but I would rather have a better solution as I do enjoy streaming movies, xbox live and the like.

[LambeauXLIV]

Ummm torrents arent illegal, I use them at work to download ISO's for linux and other legit things, i dont think they can blanket block those based on that, they can QoS the service, they need to have a company properly manage their network.

I know, because I use them for the same thing. I've run several diagnostics, and right now they aren't throttling the torrents at all.

I'm pretty sure Qwest manages it.

[TurboGizzmo]

I know, because I use them for the same thing. I've run several diagnostics, and right now they aren't throttling the torrents at all.

I'm pretty sure Qwest manages it.

I've debated getting OpenRange Internet as just a backup for my company, not sure if thats something you could look into....?

[stitch]

Ummm torrents arent illegal, I use them at work to download ISO's for linux and other legit things, i dont think they can blanket block those based on that, they can QoS the service, they need to have a company properly manage their network.

That and the new Net Neutrality laws were recently passed that I believe do not allow Internet providers to discriminate based on the type of content. I could be wrong on this as the law or proposed laws went back and forth a bit. But I agree the complex certainly doesn't sound like they know what they are doing and have not planned for capacity.

[stitch]

I'm pretty sure Qwest manages it.

"Well there's your problem!" Quest SUX

[LambeauXLIV]

"Well there's your problem!" Quest SUX

In this case I think it's the property not buying enough lines that "SUX"

Even though they charge us an exuberant amount...

[TurboGizzmo]

Ohhh how i wish i had access to apartment networks again....:bat:

[kevplus2]

is the connection dropping because of low signal strength? are you far away from the router?

i can imagine there are a bunch of phones and other types of emitters between you and the router that are playing havoc with your connection.

might be time for a cantenna (http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html)

[LambeauXLIV]

is the connection dropping because of low signal strength? are you far away from the router?

i can imagine there are a bunch of phones and other types of emitters between you and the router that are playing havoc with your connection.

might be time for a cantenna (http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html)

wired connection ;)

[Ricky]

That and the new Net Neutrality laws were recently passed that I believe do not allow Internet providers to discriminate based on the type of content. I could be wrong on this as the law or proposed laws went back and forth a bit. But I agree the complex certainly doesn't sound like they know what they are doing and have not planned for capacity.

While they passed regulations, there's no precedent set yet. Someone will fight it, and things will probably change. There's still that argument that the FCC can't set laws.

Even then, your apartment is not an ISP. They provide a service to you that you use. They can technically do whatever they want with it, just like the connection at work. When YOU pay Comcast/Qwest for internet, then you can complain.

Go to your apartment complex and ask them to show you the legal documentation supporting their claim that "torrent downloads are illegal", because it's a load of horse shit. If you use torrents to download illegal content, that's a different story. But that's the CONTENT. They have to tell you that downloading "illegal" content via torrents is illegal.

[birchyboy]

What's the name of the complex? This is intriguing...

You say "force" you. Is there wording in the lease to that extent? What's the penalty if you get service through your cable or landline company? Do they charge you any extra for it? Are they also forcing you to use their cable/dish signal as well?

Is the dropout time the same every night or random?

[modette99]

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[salsashark]

^^ Common practice for large residential property management companies.

Tenant is not allowed to modify the units... like install cable outlets, hang dishes on balconies, etc... Cable providers and ISPs contract to maintain needed equipment provide service. PMs don't have to worry about tenants stringing cable all over and wrecking their buildings.

Sorry man, if you don't like the policy, you need to move. It sucks, but it's not your property. Maybe read your lease agreement or ISP agreement and see if there are any guarantees of service. If so, you may be able to break your lease due to breech. If not, you're SOL.

[modette99]

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[salsashark]

^^ I'm not specifically saying that it would, or that it's even the issue.

It's simple. property owners contract with a tv/internet provider. They install and maintain the equipment thus removing the need for the PM to do it. You know as well as I do that when there is no pride in ownership, tenants will do the damnedist things. When you give a bad tenant an inch, they will take a mile.

Tell a tenant that they are free to have whoever they want as a ISP, then multiply it by 200 or more for large communities and suddenly you have all kinds of people screwing with your property that don't care about it.

I recently switched from Comcast to Dish but wasn't home when they did the install. When I inspected their work, I found cut lines and new ones strewn across the back of my house. There were cut lines in the basement as well. They didn't have to do this. But they did. Now take that and multiply it out by however many units are in the complex, then multiply it again by tenant turnover. Now imagine the kind of damage that these commission based installers can do to a multi-unit dwelling in extremely short order.

Simply stated, it's cheaper and safer for the property owner to manage the ISP. It's about protection, not about customer service.

[rforsythe]

They can also bring in their own service and charge a premium (read: get profit) from their tenants, by preventing you from obtaining your own outside service. It's bullshit, but totally their option.

Now if they guarantee service reliability you may have something to fight back with, also nothing is preventing you from shit talking this place to everyone you know so none of your contacts ever rent there.

[salsashark]

^^ When I was in college we rented a place that had a deal like this. You still paid the cable company, not the property for the cable service.

Now, whether or not they provided a kick back to the property? who knows...


My townhouse is like this now. The HOA has contracts w/ DirecTV to handle satellite tv for the neighborhood. If you want Satellite, you have to go through them. It's against the covenants to have a dish on the deck. All of the units are prewired to every room and the dish maintenance is the responsibility of the company... I can't remember who it is. The nice this is that you don't have every other deck w/ some ghetto engineered dish hanging off of it. Bad thing... It's a couple of bucks to the company a month to use their equipment.

NOW... yes it is illegal to prevent an owner from obtaining their own services for cable and internet, but it is not illegal to restrict dish mounting through covenants. I figured I'd mention this to head off any armchair lawyers... So yes, my rental unit is restricted until Dish can figure out a way to make equipment that can hang out inside the unit. However, it also is prewired for Qwest and Comcast so that all my tenants' bases are covered (well... except for Dish).

[LambeauXLIV]

Sorry, I've been at school all day.

It's Sundance Apartments, and they have a mandatory tv/phone/internet package for $75/month. You get Dish Network's top 200 package, a local phone line, and the internet.

The only real quote in the lease is:

"Tenant also agrees to pay $75/month for internet, phone, and television."

In accompanying paperwork regarding the internet it says, "Sundance Apartments is only responsible for providing an Internet connection. We are not responsible for programming your router or wireless access point to share that connection."

I've been running this fairly consistently for the past several days. You can only run it for 1 day at a time, so most of the breaks are from me not getting to it; however, there was a service outage for about a half hour in the middle of the day once:

http://www.dslreports.com/r3/smokeping.cgi?target=network.d548de5e02f228e39ae3f 1cf13b1c725.KS

[modette99]

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[LambeauXLIV]

There are about 300 units. I think it costs them around $1000 for the setup from Qwest for data. I'll guess $10/room for phone, and they have some package deal from Dish Network. (From what I can tell, it costs them $17.25 / resident)

So, they're making approximately $35 profit / month.

[salsashark]

^^ And from a property owners/managers POV, they have every right to protect their buildings and make a profit. If they disclosed this to you before you moved in and you signed it under no duress then you're kind of boned.

From a tenant POV, if this were me and I was paying for a service that I was not receiving, I would call the property manager and register a complaint every time that the service was unavailable.

Comcast was upgrading their lines near a place I rented a while back. Every time cable was out, call and complain and get a credit off the bill. In the end, it probably didn't speed them up, but at least they were aware of the problem and it saved me a few bucks.

I'd say go this route. demand a credit every time you can not utilize the service you pay for.

(75*12)/365=$2.40 per day...

[Ricky]

I agree. Just become a pain in their ass, and make them wish they had never shared the internet connection in the first place. They are a pain in your ass, so you should become a pain in theirs.

[modette99]

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[rforsythe]

^^^

Nothing to add here, but everyone else is ^^^ in this thread so I thought I would to.

^^^ on, ^^^'as.

[salsashark]

^ ^
L
\__/

[LambeauXLIV]

As of now, the internet's been out for over 2 hours forcing me to remote in using my phone's tethering (which isn't exactly as fast as lightning).
:rant:

[laspariahs]

.I guess they don't want older tenants that could careless about internet.


I'm pretty sure all their tenants are college students, every.last.one.


As for the issue, don't like the policy don't move there. Sounds like a mistake you'll only make once.

[LambeauXLIV]

Actually, most of the tenants are military...and it's hard to know how reliable the internet will be before moving in.

[modette99]

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