Afrihost Uncapped ADSL Feedback

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HapticSimian said:
So... you give an entire account of how exactly you, I would assume, went against the Terms and Conditions you agreed to when you signed up for the service?

Odd course of action, but OK...
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My thoughts exactly, I am also wondering if the uncapped package we are discussing is a business oor home package. Too lazy to look.
 
@Pete_A Thanks for your post, but I would strongly advise against using any methods to circumvent our Shaping/QOS policy, as this is clearly violates our Acceptable Usage Policy. This may not have been the intention here, but please understand that bypassing our policies means that other users are then more heavily shaped due to demand, and it also means that our network integrity could be compromised. We'd really hate to have to suspend or disconnect anyone's service should we catch onto this type of activity. So please guys, use the products as they are intended.

Our IPC goes live in less than a week, so there is really no need be looking at ways to beat the system :(
 
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AfriMan said:
Thanks for this post, but I would strongly advise against using any methods to circumvent our Shaping/QOS policy, as this is clearly violates our Acceptable Usage Policy. This may not have been the intention here, but please understand that bypassing our policies means that other users are then more heavily shaped due to demand, and it also means that our network integrity could be compromised. We'd really hate to have to suspend or disconnect anyone's service should we catch onto this type of activity. So please guys, use the products as they are intended.

Our IPC goes live in less than a week, so there is really no need be looking at ways to beat the system :(
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Hi there,

If this is against the TOC, does that mean that creating any type of VPN is against Afrihosts TOC? That would be strange on a business line to be the case. The only difference here is I have specified a port rather than using the default to use a VPN over, but other technologies such as Microsoft Directaccess (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/network/dd420463.aspx) make use of other ports also such as 443 (configurable). Had I used a technology built into windows server such as direct access, it would also be doing the same thing, so is creating a vpn then against TOC since it is encrypted and you cannot read the data? Therefore is all encrypted data against your TOC? The TOC is not clear on that at all. Any encrypted data could be seen as circumventing the qos shaping since you cannot read it.

In my defense, I have subsequently read the TOC and dont find anything that actually specifies that creating a vpn is against them or an abuse of the service. It just so happens to be one of the methods you chose to shape traffic on, and is co-incidental. If the network functioned as advertised anyway, I would not have bothered, so I hardly feel some sort of moral obligation - especially when most users are concerned about their torrents which I imagine is in violation of the DCMA anyway. Presumably since torrenting illegal media doesnt worry you, I dont see why someone trying to get a vpn to function properly over a business line would. As more companies deploy directaccess based technologies, you would be forced to accept them as part of what people do anyway, especially with cloud based protocols being developed as the next gen of internet.

Lastly, I assume the TOC is only enforced against abusers of the network anyway, so I would imagine that nothing would happen unless I suddenly start doing five times more traffic like around 500GB of traffic a month.

Hope that makes sense :) - seems reasonable to me.

Pete
 
Pete_A said:
Hi there,

If this is against the TOC, does that mean that creating any type of VPN is against Afrihosts TOC? That would be strange on a business line to be the case. The only difference here is I have specified a port rather than using the default to use a VPN over, but other technologies such as Microsoft Directaccess (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/network/dd420463.aspx) make use of other ports also such as 443 (configurable). Had I used a technology built into windows server such as direct access, it would also be doing the same thing, so is creating a vpn then against TOC since it is encrypted and you cannot read the data? Therefore is all encrypted data against your TOC? The TOC is not clear on that at all. Any encrypted data could be seen as circumventing the qos shaping since you cannot read it.

In my defense, I have subsequently read the TOC and dont find anything that actually specifies that creating a vpn is against them or an abuse of the service. It just so happens to be one of the methods you chose to shape traffic on, and is co-incidental. If the network functioned as advertised anyway, I would not have bothered, so I hardly feel some sort of moral obligation - especially when most users are concerned about their torrents which I imagine is in violation of the DCMA anyway. Presumably since torrenting illegal media doesnt worry you, I dont see why someone trying to get a vpn to function properly over a business line would. As more companies deploy directaccess based technologies, you would be forced to accept them as part of what people do anyway, especially with cloud based protocols being developed as the next gen of internet.

Lastly, I assume the TOC is only enforced against abusers of the network anyway, so I would imagine that nothing would happen unless I suddenly start doing five times more traffic like around 500GB of traffic a month.

Hope that makes sense :) - seems reasonable to me.

Pete
Click to expand...

We don't have any issues morally or otherwise with clients using their bandwidth for whatever they want - that is strictly speaking their business (within ISPA regulations of course). What we do need to be wary of is methods and means of bypassing shaping by using VPN's or sandboxes. We are definitely aware that there is legitimate traffic over VPN, but generally this is very small amounts of bandwidth, hence it is never shaped.

We're simply saying that shaping is there for a reason. It protects the integrity of the network and ensures that everyone gets fair distribution of the resources available. If that's bypassed, it's your fellow Uncapped users who will be more heavily shaped, as the network management will simply adjust according to the available capacity.

Anyway, as I said, our new IPCs are due within a week's time, and there's no need for such drastic measures. One we have 60% more capacity running on the network, there should be plenty of bandwidth for everyone, shaped or unshaped. We really appreciate everyone's patience, and the wait is nearly over :)
 
World English Dictionary
donut (ˈdəʊnʌt)
— n
a variant spelling (esp US) of doughnut
 
Bufamotis said:
World English Dictionary
donut (ˈdəʊnʌt)
— n
a variant spelling (esp US) of doughnut
Click to expand...

Wow, who would have thought that talk of donuts / doughnuts would dominate this thread?! If only we could do more confectionary conversation, my job would be super easy. And I could write off my coffee desserts as field research.

*drafts proposal to Gian*
 
AfriMan said:
Wow, who would have thought that talk of donuts / doughnuts would dominate this thread?! If only we could do more confectionary conversation, my job would be super easy. And I could write off my coffee desserts as field research.

*drafts proposal to Gian*
Click to expand...

Just watch out, no-one likes to see a boep in spandex....
 
Sinbad said:
Just watch out, no-one likes to see a boep in spandex....
Click to expand...

Boeps in spandex, not so much, boebs is spandex, maybe.. Unless they're moebs, then no thanks.

Looking forward to seeing if the CPT ICP is going to have a noticeable pact.

5 more sleeps
 
Update

AfriMan said:
That's very strange. I'd need to have a look but we seem to be getting a lot of cases of dropped sync rates or margins not being reached. Hard to say what the cause is, but most likely cause is DSLAM congestion :(
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I'm going to brake the chitchat for an update on #7191/2

I had my finger on the trigger for a new account with OpenWeb
when (finally) I get a call from Afrihost SpecialOps support. (finger itching but let go)

Couple of emails and chats on the phone later...and I get my recently upgraded from 1Mbps to 2Mbps line
downgraded back to 1Mbps...and magic happens...the line is perfect again.

All fingers seems to point to the Telkom's exchange and I hope the problem gets resolved timely.
I was of coarse offered a pay back for the temporary line downgrade.

Thanks go to AfriMan and Aldo for the help so far.
I'll keep you updated.
 
I was of coarse offered a pay back for the temporary line downgrade.
Click to expand...
Lucky you! I wasn't! but then again I did mine through the user panel.
 
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