Alex's Journal

Bloody Telstra
My father recently got himself a laptop with a 3G wireless internet connection, via one of those USB dongles. Of course he got the internet service through telstra, as for some insane reason he's loyal to them. Still they get all that setup, and discover that the tinted windows of the house block the signal. So they call telstra and get an antenna installed, and it all works fine.

Till my brothers get hold of it.

Now they are both WOW addicts, and they realised that my fathers 3g internet had lower latency than the satellite net, which lead them to jury-rigging a network between the net and their computer using my dads laptop as a bridge. This irritates my dad, as he wants to be able to turn his laptop off and doesn't want cables running through the house. So they call me.

My solution is to setup a wireless network, that way my brothers can play WOW and my dad can use his laptop where he wants. So I poke around on the net and discover that Billion have released a router with wireless n and support for a USB 3G modem (the 7402nx). So I order it.

Of course, setting up the system proves to be a pain in the arse. First my dad's laptop won't connect to router, any attempt to get to the router login screen via a browser results in the computer trying to dial telstra via the 3G modem. Fortunately I brought my laptop, which works perfectly. 30 seconds later and we are bathed in the sweet glow of unencrypted wireless N (no one can see my parents house, let alone get a signal from it, and if I encrypted the network I would get calls asking what the password is) and I move to a comfy seat. So, from my comfy seat, I order my brother to connect the 3G modem while I enter the details for the internet account and configure the router. A quick reset and, nothing. I double check that everything is plugged in, double check the details, reset, and nothing. I call my father and ask for the protocols for the connection, which in hindsight I should have known wouldn't work. Having run out of options I call telstra, and settle in for a wait. After only 5 minutes of robots and being on hold (5 min? did I call the right number? I thought I called telstra) I get the network info. I re-enter the info, reset the modem, and...

Nothing.

There is no error message, the router sees the modem, but it won't let me get a net connection. I have no idea what is going on, but my guess is that telstra have tinkered with the firmware for the modem, thus stopping the router from easily communicating with it (this is based on the fact that the telstra ones are harder to get working with Linux that other providers ones, and that you have to install special software on the computer to use the modem).
Anyone else have any suggestions? I can't find new official firmware (there is some beta stuff, but I would rather steer clear of that for my parents network). Personally I think they should just give up on the net or move, it's always going to be a pain getting net out there, but that view isn't very popular.

Current Mood: infuriated
Current Music: Urthboy - Distant Sense Of Random Menace

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