Choosing broadband supplier UK

[chris100]

Been with sky for a while. Not running many accounts at same time so rather then use a VPN I rely on simple router reset to get a new ip address.

I find that a 5 min shutdown is enough to get a new IP. Less than this and you could get same IP address.

When sky broadband went down (problem in exchange box) I fell back on a relatives BT broadband. This was also good to reset with 5 min shutdown.

From what I have read virgin media have much more sticky IP addresses. You'd have to shutdown for a real long time to get a new IP. For that reason I am writing them off.

Although sky broadband is slightly cheaper then BT....if there is a problem outside the home BT are the ones who can fix it quickly. Sky will send out their engineers (eventually) only to pass it on to BT when it's a problem they can't resolve.

[JamesNorth101]

With virgin you can also log into the router and force an IP change

Static IPs, usually on fiber optics, are harder to reset with just a shut down, but can still be done

Just go for whichever suits you best.

[degsey69]

You can use 3E internet tower, every time you reboot you get a new IP address immediately and its quite fast and cheap as well.

[Hank]

Originally Posted by chris100

Although sky broadband is slightly cheaper then BT....if there is a problem outside the home BT are the ones who can fix it quickly. Sky will send out their engineers (eventually) only to pass it on to BT when it's a problem they can't resolve.

To be a little more accurate, they all pass it to Openreach. Do BT customers get preferential treatment, I cannot say.

That said, for regular broadband customers they're all supplying us down the same piece of copper wire, I'd simply choose on service/speed/price.

[chris100]

Originally Posted by Hank

To be a little more accurate, they all pass it to Openreach. Do BT customers get preferential treatment, I cannot say.

That said, for regular broadband customers they're all supplying us down the same piece of copper wire, I'd simply choose on service/speed/price.

Openreach is a subsidiary of BT so I would expect they are integrated.

With Sky I had to wait 7 days for them to send an engineer out. When they confirmed the problem was with outside the home they passed it in to openreach who had some round the next morning. He quickly found the problem in the local engineering box and fixed it.

I suspect had I been with BT the problem would have been fixed in 24 hrs.

[Hank]

Originally Posted by chris100

Openreach is a subsidiary of BT so I would expect they are integrated.

They were forced to hive it off as a separate company because of the growth in telecommunications providers. I'm old enough to remember when BT had a monopoly.

I suspect that the break between the two has been long enough now that they no longer see themselves as bedpartners albeit under the same financial umbrella.

Last two visits I've has to the office weren't even Openreach staff, both were subcontractors and came pretty quickly. I'm with Plusnet who I went back to after a pretty grim 2 year experience with Vodafone because I foolishly wanted to save a few quid per month. Never Again. - for me they've been pretty much faultless. (Yes, I know, Plusnets parent company are BT )

Weird because I have broadband in Tenerife too and Vodafone are the go-to provider and are as solid as a rock.

[degsey69]

I do not think that BT would fare any better as they and SKY use contractors for install and outside underground repairs

Originally Posted by chris100

Openreach is a subsidiary of BT so I would expect they are integrated.

With Sky I had to wait 7 days for them to send an engineer out. When they confirmed the problem was with outside the home they passed it in to openreach who had some round the next morning. He quickly found the problem in the local engineering box and fixed it.

I suspect had I been with BT the problem would have been fixed in 24 hrs.

[Vincedorm]

I am on plusnet. When I need a new IP address I turn off the router for 30 seconds then reboot and have a new IP.

[gnettuno]

EE mobile dongle on PAYG will work as well.
Any restart will give you new IP.
For £50 you can get a 120GB sim that lasts for 12 months or £89.99 same deal including the mobile dongle.

[chris100]

Originally Posted by gnettuno

EE mobile dongle on PAYG will work as well.
Any restart will give you new IP.
For £50 you can get a 120GB sim that lasts for 12 months or £89.99 same deal including the mobile dongle.

I use vmplayer (virtual machine) so I can run different stealth accounts on my laptop without being linked. How do you prevent being linked on your phone?

[degsey69]

Originally Posted by chris100

I use vmplayer (virtual machine) so I can run different stealth accounts on my laptop without being linked. How do you prevent being linked on your phone?

If you tether your phone as a hotspot every time you turn off and switch back on you get a new ip address

[rsot]

Originally Posted by degsey69

If you tether your phone as a hotspot every time you turn off and switch back on you get a new ip address

this is correct and confirmed

[gnettuno]

Originally Posted by chris100

I use vmplayer (virtual machine) so I can run different stealth accounts on my laptop without being linked. How do you prevent being linked on your phone?

I use VM as well and works fine for me. I do save every single IP in a spreadsheet along with the machine name used so I can make sure I won't use the same IP on a different machine but this is just me being overcautious I believe.

[chris100]

Originally Posted by degsey69

If you tether your phone as a hotspot every time you turn off and switch back on you get a new ip address

But we use vmplayer to stop Amazon detecting that we are using the same laptop. They are looking to link accounts with digital fingerprinting. The same cookies , browser, operating system, screen resolution, fonts are all used to recognise us as users.

Too many matches and accounts can get linked. How do you prevent this on a phone? Changing ip address is just one aspect of stealth.

[gnettuno]

Originally Posted by chris100

But we use vmplayer to stop Amazon detecting that we are using the same laptop. They are looking to link accounts with digital fingerprinting. The same cookies , browser, operating system, screen resolution, fonts are all used to recognise us as users.

Too many matches and accounts can get linked. How do you prevent this on a phone? Changing ip address is just one aspect of stealth.

Using a phone or mobile dongle for getting your internet/IP or using your home router to get the internet/IP does the same isn't it?
You got your point with digital fingerprints but that is why you are using different machines. There is something that I am missing?

[degsey69]

The point is that you need to use a trusted internet provider which eBay accepts, then when using that provider you need to be able to change IP address easily, so a mobile phone tether is the easiest. V P N is costly and increasingly untrusted by eBay and they also know the Residential IP providers so they are not so safe. This solution is flexible if you are running a number of stealth accounts on the same PC wether virtual or sub accounts in windows.

Originally Posted by gnettuno

Using a phone or mobile dongle for getting your internet/IP or using your home router to get the internet/IP does the same isn't it?
You got your point with digital fingerprints but that is why you are using different machines. There is something that I am missing?

[e2free]

Originally Posted by gnettuno

I use VM as well and works fine for me. I do save every single IP in a spreadsheet along with the machine name used so I can make sure I won't use the same IP on a different machine but this is just me being overcautious I believe.

Does not make sense to record the ip address I know some forum members use to recommend this but they never proved what’s a point

[Hank]

Originally Posted by e2free

Does not make sense to record the ip address I know some forum members use to recommend this but they never proved what’s a point

Agreed, the chances of getting a repeat IP allocated to you are slim, even then I'm not convinced it matters.

If I played the "turn it off and on" game (which I simply couldn't, it would drive me insane) I'd simply look for a change in IP and crack on.

[gnettuno]

Originally Posted by Hank

Agreed, the chances of getting a repeat IP allocated to you are slim, even then I'm not convinced it matters.

100% agree with you but still doing it as a habit I believe

If I played the "turn it off and on" game (which I simply couldn't, it would drive me insane) I'd simply look for a change in IP and crack on.

In my opinion, using the mobile dongle I've mentioned above will be easier than any other thing. You just press a button twice with no holding time in between.

[Nimble]

I use mobile tethering, with both Vodafone and O2, have been able to create new accounts. It's the cheapest option and ebay accept it, even on chat with agents to reactivate accounts didn't cause any issues. £10 per month for 100gb allowance is plenty for multiple accounts and changing IP address is as simple as toggling airplane mode on and off.

[chris100]

Originally Posted by gnettuno

Using a phone or mobile dongle for getting your internet/IP or using your home router to get the internet/IP does the same isn't it?
You got your point with digital fingerprints but that is why you are using different machines. There is something that I am missing?

Ok, I think I misunderstood. I don't use hotspots or Dongles. You are simply using your phone to get a connection which you share with your laptop?

You then use your laptop to access different stealth accounts and not your phone?

[gnettuno]

Originally Posted by chris100

Ok, I think I misunderstood. I don't use hotspots or Dongles. You are simply using your phone to get a connection which you share with your laptop?

You then use your laptop to access different stealth accounts and not your phone?

I am using a laptop running multiple VM connected to a mobile dongle via a wireless internet connection.