Free WiFi through MWEB and Fon - national and international

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jes

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Free WiFi through MWEB on national, international network

MWEB has partnered with Fon, the world’s largest WiFi network, to give all its participating subscribers free global WiFi services

MWEB Fon FAQs:

How is Fon available on the MWEB network?

MWEB will be providing eligible ADSL Customers with a free Fon -enabled ADSL / VDSL router which will activate the Fon service. The MWEB Fon - enabled router will use existing connections and send out a public and private wireless signal. It is the public signal that makes your broadband connection a Fon Spot. The private signal is for you, your family, and friends that live in your residence since it is encrypted and secure.

Can I join Fon without having the Fon enabled router?

No. In order for you to join the Fon community and enjoy access to the Global Fon Community, you would need to share some of your unused broadband connection. The MWEB Fon- enabled router has special software which enables the Fon Service.

What will happen to my connection if I opt in to the Fon Service?

Your home connection will not be affected by the Fon Service as all your home traffic will always be prioritised. The public hotspot that is created will only utilise the unused capacity on your connection. This means that your ADSL connection speed and reliability will not be affected by Fon.
Will a roaming Fon user consume my data and potentially cause me to be throttled by MWEB?
No. The public Fon hotspot you create from your broadband connection is operated as a completely separate WiFi channel. This means that the roaming user of your hotspot will not have the ability to affect your residential connection.

Will my WiFi signal be affected in the home?

No. Your private WiFi signal is separate to the Public Fon WiFi signal and will therefore not impact your in-home WiFi experience. The MWEB Fon – enabled router is able to manage both signals as separate WiFi networks, which runs independently and securely together.
 
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This is really cool. I hope the Fon network grows really quickly in SA!
 
That is an amazing way to create a large internet enabled grid in SA. I'm in for sure!
 
Will a roaming Fon user consume my data and potentially cause me to be throttled by MWEB?

No. The public Fon hotspot you create from your broadband connection is operated as a completely separate WiFi channel. This means that the roaming user of your hotspot will not have the ability to affect your residential connection.
Click to expand...
I don't know, that answer doesn't really technically explain to me how Fon users won't cause me to be throttled. How exactly does M-Web know the data is seperate? I understand the WiFi part, but from the ADSL router to the M-Web network...? Does the Fon make a seperate PPPoE dial-up session for public Fon users, or how does it work?
 
well it will work if mweb install these in restaurants and malls. having it in houses wont help me much
 
Tinuva said:
I don't know, that answer doesn't really technically explain to me how Fon users won't cause me to be throttled. How exactly does M-Web know the data is seperate? I understand the WiFi part, but from the ADSL router to the M-Web network...? Does the Fon make a seperate PPPoE dial-up session for public Fon users, or how does it work?
Click to expand...

Evening, the FON router will have two wireless signals. One for FON data and the other for your own personal wireless set-up.

The FON usage will not impact on the individuals data in any way and will impact on the speeds either. The home users usage will be prioritised.
 
MWEB Guy said:
Evening, the FON router will have two wireless signals. One for FON data and the other for your own personal wireless set-up.

The FON usage will not impact on the individuals data in any way and will impact on the speeds either. The home users usage will be prioritised.
Click to expand...
Yes thats the part I understand, it still doesn't explain how it will not cause the user account to be throttled if Fon uses a large amount of traffic, over and above the limits that M-Web like?

Does the Fon public wifi usage go over the user's Mweb adsl account or a separate account that is programmed into the router that the user doesn't know about?
 
Tinuva said:
Yes thats the part I understand, it still doesn't explain how it will not cause the user account to be throttled if Fon uses a large amount of traffic, over and above the limits that M-Web like?

Does the Fon public wifi usage go over the user's Mweb adsl account or a separate account that is programmed into the router that the user doesn't know about?
Click to expand...

The FON usage will not go over the MWEB ADSL clients usage and will therefore not impact on throttling.
 
_Mikie_ said:
On this page - http://www.mweb.co.za/MwebWifi/FreeRouter.aspx

"And Uncapped WiFi in MWEB WiFi Zones, MWEB Fon hotspots, International Fon hotspots and Always On hotspots
"

Note its Uncapped WiFi.

On this page - http://www.mweb.co.za/productspricing/FullSpec/7844/853/2_Mbps_Uncapped_ADSL.aspx

"300 MB WiFi pm at more than 750 approved hotspots"

Note its 300MB


Please clarify if its uncapped at all locations or limited to 300 MB. If you want me to switch to Mweb it needs to be uncapped.
Click to expand...

Good Day Mike, the uncapped wifi is for the FON registered clients.

FON Sign up is free at the moment ;)

You do require an ADSL account with MWEB though (excluding 1gig or 2gig capped accounts)
 
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So i pay and the rest of the neighbors can get free internet...... Considering that there is no such thing as true uncapped in sa.
And mweb sends out bad news letter to clients for misusing
 
Beri said:
So i pay and the rest of the neighbors can get free internet...... Considering that there is no such thing as true uncapped in sa.
And mweb sends out bad news letter to clients for misusing
Click to expand...

FON will only be able to be accessed by clients who have registered for this service.

Either with MWEB or FON directly (day pass).
 
Whose backhaul will be used?

Will the data be transmitted via Telkom ADSL network or wirelessly?

How will this impact on Telkom's already congested network?
 
MickeyD said:
Whose backhaul will be used?

Will the data be transmitted via Telkom ADSL network or wirelessly?

How will this impact on Telkom's already congested network?
Click to expand...

Evening, the unused bandwidth on the clients lines will be utilised.

If the client has a 2MB line and is only using 1MB of the available capacity. The rest can be utilised via FON.

Ultimately it will be using the ADSL connection and the Telkom infrastructure.
 
rico112 said:
well it will work if mweb install these in restaurants and malls. having it in houses wont help me much
Click to expand...

Evening, therefore we have the uncapped wifi within malls exclusive to FON registered clients.

Setting it up in homes will allow for a broader coverage area.
 
MWEB Guy said:
Evening, the unused bandwidth on the clients lines will be utilised.

If the client has a 2MB line and is only using 1MB of the available capacity. The rest can be utilised via FON.

Ultimately it will be using the ADSL connection and the Telkom infrastructure.
Click to expand...
Thanks, that's how I understood it as well... so even worse congestion to follow. :crying:
 
its a nice move from the perspective of getting wifi coverage expanded. The hitch I have - and MWEB are in part to blame - is that in SA the maximum line speed and the uncapped speed tend to be tied. Get rid of this silliness and you have a situation where things like VDSL uptake with a secondary connection for public wifi is using the difference between line speed and account speed.
 
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