I need a new ISP.Here's what I know...

[NarcoticJ]

As the title suggests...

ISP's that are out in my opinion

Afrihost- Been with them for years; no complaints until I started running part of my business from home and I had to use a VPN provider for security reasons. I have zero issues 20 hours a day but between 18:00 and 23:00 give or take an hour VPN traffic is throttled to 1mbps. I don't mind but my family wants to watch Netflix and that's simply not an option if I need to work. The issue was escalated to critical care but after they couldn't fix it they simply stopped responding (Thanx Pranav in critical care) So Afrihost is out. Unsure how legal it is to throttle encrypted data regardless of what it is. Throttle P2P; NNTP and even HTTP downloads is fine if they use deep packet inspection to see what they are throttling but they don't.

Axxess- Afrihost's parent company out by association But joking aside their even worse then Afrihost. Though their capped packages are well priced and I don't have issues behind my VPN on the pre-paid Axxess account. 3month rollover; Unshaped I might think about it though the Uncapped account throttles VPN traffic all the time not just peak evening times.

ISP's I'm considering. Again just opinion from reading

Crystalweb- Seems to be everyone's favorite on myBB. The website seems a bit uninformative. Premium uncapped applies dynamic shaping (Second tier as I understand); fair enough. But my interest's in the the 250GB xTREME Home Capped account. The vague part is I can't find out if the package is shaped or not and it's the same price as the premium uncapped...why? Extreme capped has rollover (If you know the period of rollover please let me know) 18hours free data. Only time I use data is 18:00 to Midnight. If that's unshaped my family can stream Netflix and I can get some work done during that time.

Vox Fat Pipe- Unshaped unlimited rollover(T&C APPLY) but still... sounds perfect on paper... I don't know how the real thing would compare.

So those are the ones I'm considering. If someone can give me any advise that would be great. It seems like I'm going capped because not using my VPN isn't an option. I like my privacy and my business needs it. ISP's should use deep packet inspection to shape relevant protocols and not throttle VPN traffic blindly when their networks are strained.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Why do you need to run Netflix through the VPN "for security" ?

What happens if you forget about "security" and just connect directly?

The Capped 250gb package should be unshaped and should only ever be throttled during the free time.

It probably costs the same relevant to a lower line speed.

On a 20MB line it's most certainly not the same price as the uncapped alternative.

The reality is you want to run a business from home. Therefore you should accept the additional cost and then get a business account if you expect a business quality service.

 

[NarcoticJ]

Why do you need to run Netflix through the VPN "for security" ?

What happens if you forget about "security" and just connect directly?

The Capped 250gb package should be unshaped and should only ever be throttled during the free time.

It probably costs the same relevant to a lower line speed.

On a 20MB line it's most certainly not the same price as the uncapped alternative.

The reality is you want to run a business from home. Therefore you should accept the additional cost and then get a business account if you expect a business quality service.

Not very helpful but thanks for your feedback.

"...my family wants to watch Netflix while I'm working" It said that in the post you must of missed it. It's connected through the router so everything runs through the VPN. Computers; Mobiles; TV and Laptops.

"What happens if you forget about "security" and just connect directly?" - My VPN auto connects through my router so not connecting isn't a issue and I can't "forget" it. If you were wondering what the effects are without the VPN then the issue goes away. Before you ask... if I switch to a capped account on VPN the issue also goes away. So no it's not the VPN provider. Only constant is the package I'm using Capped vs Uncapped.

"The Capped 250gb package "should" be unshaped" - Should be...helpful

"It probably costs the same relevant to a lower line speed." No your wrong I'm considering 4mb 250GB xTREME Home Capped compared to a 4mb Premium Uncapped both are R628.00 including the 4mb line inc vat.

"The reality is you want to run a business from home. Therefore you should accept the additional cost and then get a business account if you expect a business quality service."

Sorry I forgot to mention I have a Uncapped Business Account with Afrihost same issues 19:00 to 23:00 (Afrihost claims these aren't business hours so technically they could shape me if needed) Most ISP's say this in their T&Cs. So the; get a business account advice doesn't help me and is also very incorrect.

In sort this isn't a price issue; this isn't a entitlement issue; this isn't a "I'm trying to cheat the system" issue. ISP's wants to apply deep packet inspection to stop me from using P2P;NNTP or torrents during peak times GO AHEAD. I understand that I even support it. As the post says I'd like to avoid throttling VPN traffic only because it's VPN traffic and then claim they care about privacy. "If we can't inspect it we block it" by your response that doesn't seem to bother you and that's fine. But it does me.

 

[Genisys]

Considering your need, what package are you currently using? If you are not using a business account, have you considered using a business account?

 

[SauRoNZA]

Not very helpful but thanks for your feedback.

"...my family wants to watch Netflix while I'm working" It said that in the post you must of missed it. It's connected through the router so everything runs through the VPN. Computers; Mobiles; TV and Laptops.

"What happens if you forget about "security" and just connect directly?" - My VPN auto connects through my router so not connecting isn't a issue and I can't "forget" it. If you were wondering what the effects are without the VPN then the issue goes away. Before you ask... if I switch to a capped account on VPN the issue also goes away. So no it's not the VPN provider. Only constant is the package I'm using Capped vs Uncapped.

"The Capped 250gb package "should" be unshaped" - Should be...helpful

Forgive me that your username doesn't exactly inspire confidence in your need for "security".

It's no surprise that your entire line is being throttle if all of it is going through a VPN because then the ISP have no means to apply dynamic shaping/throttling to your account as they are unable to distinguish the traffic.

So you are simply thrown into the heavy use (abuse) pool and that's that.

Easy answer is turn off the router based VPN and only connect through it when you need to.

"It probably costs the same relevant to a lower line speed." No your wrong I'm considering 4mb 250GB xTREME Home Capped compared to a 4mb Premium Uncapped both are R628.00 including the 4mb line inc vat.

No I'm not wrong. It's exactly as I said due to the relatively low line speed.

The 250GB account is statically priced for any given speed. The Uncapped is linked to the line speed and so they just happen to be the same.

Increase the line speed for the uncapped option and you will see it goes up.

In sort this isn't a price issue; this isn't a entitlement issue; this isn't a "I'm trying to cheat the system" issue. ISP's wants to apply deep packet inspection to stop me from using P2P;NNTP or torrents during peak times GO AHEAD. I understand that I even support it. As the post says I'd like to avoid throttling VPN traffic only because it's VPN traffic and then claim they care about privacy. "If we can't inspect it we block it" by your response that doesn't seem to bother you and that's fine. But it does me.

You say go ahead deep packet inspect me...But they can't do that because you are blocking their ability to do so by applying a VPN to all your traffic.

You claim to support it...But are actively avoiding it and then want to complain when you can't have your way.

So stop avoiding the deep packet inspection (as you state you are willing to do) and your problems will go away.

It doesn't matter whether it bothers me or not. It's the reality of how things work.

So either you accept that (it is the solution you seem unwilling to accept) or deal with it and suffer.

Ultimately it's all your choice.

I also make regular use of VPN when working from home and have none of these problems because I only route the necessary reasonable traffic through there.

****

Capped packages generally are less full of crap and you've already said switching to one solved the problem.

So just do that then.

 

[NarcoticJ]

Considering your need, what package are you currently using? If you are not using a business account, have you considered using a business account?

Hi I have few packages between my office and home. 4mb Uncapped Business Afrihost. 4mb Premium Uncapped Afrihost. I also use a capped Axxess account now and then. I don't need more. I have no idea what ppl with 20mb VDSL packages do with all that speed ;P

Business accounts are tricky I have one but ISP's in SA have moved away from calling them truly unshaped and instead say they are "Priority Optimized" that doesn't mean Unshaped only unshaped during business hours. So when Afrihost shapes encrypted data during evening peak times they don't "technically" lie... they do give me unshaped priority bandwidth during business hours but 19:00 to 23:00 isn't considered "business hours" ....

 

[NarcoticJ]

Capped packages generally are less full of crap and you've already said switching to one solved the problem.
So just do that then.

All I heard was "blah blah blah your username is stupid blah" then the last part. I'm considering going capped that's why I posted here to consider my options and get advice but being attacked for using a VPN service is so much better. VPN's don't hide your traffic completely; DPI can infer as to the data type by looking at the QoS/DSCP markings on the packet. If the communication is voice or video, it will likely be marked with the appropriate QoS tags that suggest to the network infrastructure that the traffic be given a higher priority or lower if it's P2P; NNTP or torrent. This doesn't compromise my encrypted data and shouldn't prevent ANY ISP from inspecting it.

Your assuming I'm a heavy user based on what? Monthly usage is 250-350 gig a month. In extreme cases it would be 350gig. It's never been more.

 

[SauRoNZA]

All I heard was "blah blah blah your username is stupid blah" then the last part. I'm considering going capped that's why I posted here to consider my options and get advice but being attacked for using a VPN service is so much better. VPN's don't hide your traffic completely; DPI can infer as to the data type by looking at the QoS/DSCP markings on the packet. If the communication is voice or video, it will likely be marked with the appropriate QoS tags that suggest to the network infrastructure that the traffic be given a higher priority or lower if it's P2P; NNTP or torrent. This doesn't compromise my encrypted data and shouldn't prevent ANY ISP from inspecting it.

Your assuming I'm a heavy user based on what? Monthly usage is 250-350 gig a month. In extreme cases it would be 350gig. It's never been more.

Jesus relax your buttocks. Nobody was attacking you.

See it from the ISP's point of view.

You've gone from a normal user using multiple protocols to one that uses a single protocol over night which contains all your traffic.

This will raise a red flag at any ISP on any Uncapped account which has terms and conditions specifically protecting it from this kind of thing.

I doubt ISP's do deep packet inspection by default as it would be a huge waste of resources for them and even less so the level of inspection to check for QOS markings unless specially flagged to start monitoring a given username/origin.

I do believe you already have the answers to your problem, but for some reason you want to fight the man or something instead.

Get a capped account. The CW 250gb will do you just fine, but even Afrihost will have the same result.