Is this Fibre?

[JibbersCrabst]

Hey guys

Just moved into an estate end of July. The developer installed fibre with a provider who, from what I can see and tell, hasn't done a lot of these types of projects before. In fact, I think this might be the first. At the inaugural AGM this evening, the developer tried to sell it to the trustees that the decision was based on said provider having control both the hardware and infrastructure. I get that to an extent, but I'm not completely sold on the idea of using the small guy. I just don't enjoy the limitations involved when it's been shoved down my throat.

Anyway, noticed that when I do a speedtest on MYBB, the ISP says that the provider is rain. I've had a lot of high latency / downtime / packet loss on the connection since I've moved in, pretty much every evening.

Provider brushes it off as it only being an isolated complaint, or that they were busy "with tests", hence the downtime. Last time I complained a technician came out and mentioned that they were going onto their "own link" in a few days and that they were currently using a dish with line of site connection to their office.

Question is, is this then fibre? I'm paying for fibre, and it just seems that I'm being resold a Rain connection of some sort with a fibre end.

Not too clued up on these things, but any input will be appreciated.

TL;DR

Paying for "fibre" by small / unheard of provider. Have downtime / packet loss / 2000 ping almost every evening from around 20:00 to 22:00. When I do a speed test it shows my ISP as Rain. Is this actually fibre? I have a fibre ONT and no Rain hardware.

Thanks!

 

[thehuman]

Hey guys

Just moved into an estate end of July. The developer installed fibre with a provider who, from what I can see and tell, hasn't done a lot of these types of projects before. In fact, I think this might be the first. At the inaugural AGM this evening, the developer tried to sell it to the trustees that the decision was based on said provider having control both the hardware and infrastructure. I get that to an extent, but I'm not completely sold on the idea of using the small guy. I just don't enjoy the limitations involved when it's been shoved down my throat.

Anyway, noticed that when I do a speedtest on MYBB, the ISP says that the provider is rain. I've had a lot of high latency / downtime / packet loss on the connection since I've moved in, pretty much every evening.

Provider brushes it off as it only being an isolated complaint, or that they were busy "with tests", hence the downtime. Last time I complained a technician came out and mentioned that they were going onto their "own link" in a few days and that they were currently using a dish with line of site connection to their office.

Question is, is this then fibre? I'm paying for fibre, and it just seems that I'm being resold a Rain connection of some sort with a fibre end.

Not too clued up on these things, but any input will be appreciated.

TL;DR

Paying for "fibre" by small / unheard of provider. Have downtime / packet loss / 2000 ping almost every evening from around 20:00 to 22:00. When I do a speed test it shows my ISP as Rain. Is this actually fibre? I have a fibre ONT and no Rain hardware.

Thanks!

Post photos of your internet setup, don't sound like fibre.

 

[Quintrix]

Hey guys

Just moved into an estate

Question is, is this then fibre? I'm paying for fibre, and it just seems that I'm being resold a Rain connection of some sort with a fibre end.

Thanks!

I would say no. FTTX implies fibre from the exchange/central point to the termination point. In your case you are severely limited by your backhaul - in this case a MW link - and depending on setup this may be part of your link and not backhaul.

 

[JibbersCrabst]

Post photos of your internet setup, don't sound like fibre.

 

[Leno]

That is a Ubiquity fibre ONT so they are at the least running fibre from the central node in the complex to your unit.

From your description it sounds like the fibre backbone line is not complete and they are using microwave / wifi for backhaul. The company that Rain used to be before 4G used to offer enterprise microwave links etc afaik so it could be similar ip range, hence speed test naming it rain

I am trying to not believe someone is so silly to resell a RAIN 4/5G connection lol, giving them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[JibbersCrabst]

Thanks for the replies. Feel a bit bummed that I'm not getting what I expected to get. Had Afrihost on vuma before and it just doesn't compare. Hopefully this "link" they speak of will sort it out. Was supposed to happen by Wednesday but no change so far.

 

[Leno]

I hope you are renting and not an owner
I dont think I will ever move into a place that has internet managed by the owner or not open access

PS where are you based? just looking at the latency

 

[Y'all Qaeda]

Is this a Balwin estate? I've heard of them doing this. Putting in fibre to the units and running a wifi link to the actual internet provider.

EDIT: Specifically, the one I heard about was in randburg.

 

[AfriNatic]

Is this a Balwin estate? I've heard of them doing this. Putting in fibre to the units and running a wifi link to the actual internet provider.

EDIT: Specifically, the one I heard about was in randburg.

Balwin runs their own FNO with their own DFA links.

 

[Y'all Qaeda]

Balwin runs their own FNO with their own DFA links.

Ahhh. So no wifi links? TIL.

 

[AfriNatic]

Ahhh. So no wifi links? TIL.

For Balwin fibre not that I'm aware of. They might have some microwave systems but I'm not aware of any if there is.

 

[HartsockZA]

Hey guys

Just moved into an estate end of July. The developer installed fibre with a provider who, from what I can see and tell, hasn't done a lot of these types of projects before. In fact, I think this might be the first. At the inaugural AGM this evening, the developer tried to sell it to the trustees that the decision was based on said provider having control both the hardware and infrastructure. I get that to an extent, but I'm not completely sold on the idea of using the small guy. I just don't enjoy the limitations involved when it's been shoved down my throat.

Anyway, noticed that when I do a speedtest on MYBB, the ISP says that the provider is rain. I've had a lot of high latency / downtime / packet loss on the connection since I've moved in, pretty much every evening.

Provider brushes it off as it only being an isolated complaint, or that they were busy "with tests", hence the downtime. Last time I complained a technician came out and mentioned that they were going onto their "own link" in a few days and that they were currently using a dish with line of site connection to their office.

Question is, is this then fibre? I'm paying for fibre, and it just seems that I'm being resold a Rain connection of some sort with a fibre end.

Not too clued up on these things, but any input will be appreciated.

TL;DR

Paying for "fibre" by small / unheard of provider. Have downtime / packet loss / 2000 ping almost every evening from around 20:00 to 22:00. When I do a speed test it shows my ISP as Rain. Is this actually fibre? I have a fibre ONT and no Rain hardware.

Thanks!

Man don't go bashing us little guys, some of us actually know that when you go past a certain point you really need to invest into some hardcore bandwidth for a complex or an estate of a certain size. Not all of us are cheapies.

Whoever else is either a primary bandwidth provider or could even be a secondary link. Whatever the case sounds just like a massive congestion issue, would be interesting to hear if anyone else in the estate has your specific issue cause if they are then there is cause for concern.

That is a Ubiquity fibre ONT so they are at the least running fibre from the central node in the complex to your unit.

From your description it sounds like the fibre backbone line is not complete and they are using microwave / wifi for backhaul. The company that Rain used to be before 4G used to offer enterprise microwave links etc afaik so it could be similar ip range, hence speed test naming it rain

I am trying to not believe someone is so silly to resell a RAIN 4/5G connection lol, giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Yea you'd be surprised I have seen these fly-by-night guys running backhaul over rain with a Mikrotik LTE dish pointing to the furthest tower. It's rather sickening cause they just give a bad name to the honest people actually investing time and effort to make this a life-long career.

 

[JibbersCrabst]

Man don't go bashing us little guys, some of us actually know that when you go past a certain point you really need to invest into some hardcore bandwidth for a complex or an estate of a certain size. Not all of us are cheapies.

Whoever else is either a primary bandwidth provider or could even be a secondary link. Whatever the case sounds just like a massive congestion issue, would be interesting to hear if anyone else in the estate has your specific issue cause if they are then there is cause for concern.

Yea you'd be surprised I have seen these fly-by-night guys running backhaul over rain with a Mikrotik LTE dish pointing to the furthest tower. It's rather sickening cause they just give a bad name to the honest people actually investing time and effort to make this a life-long career.

It's not really a bash. I bought a Porsche. They gave me a Beetle. Fing / speedtests show as Rain.

Neighbours say they have issues in the evenings as well. Rain's congestion? I'll give them a chance, but the excuses are getting thin.

 

[JibbersCrabst]

I hope you are renting and not an owner
I dont think I will ever move into a place that has internet managed by the owner or not open access

PS where are you based? just looking at the latency

Bought the place off plan. Actually love the place. Hoping the problem will be sorted soon.

Is this a Balwin estate? I've heard of them doing this. Putting in fibre to the units and running a wifi link to the actual internet provider.

EDIT: Specifically, the one I heard about was in randburg.

Not a Balwin. Much smaller scale. Guy spared no expense on the security and tech* in the place, which is awesome. Can watch my kids playing in the park on cameras**.

Don't want to mention any names / areas.

*if they sort this out
**when the line is up

 

[HartsockZA]

It's not really a bash. I bought a Porsche. They gave me a Beetle. Fing / speedtests show as Rain.

Neighbours say they have issues in the evenings as well. Rain's congestion? I'll give them a chance, but the excuses are getting thin.

You'd be amazed, not going to name companies but it's not uncommon for places to skimp on it they call it air fiber but they do poorly designed network and over sell certain speeds

 

[charlieharper]

What packages are they offering (min speed / max speed) and what are you paying if I may ask?

 

[JibbersCrabst]

What packages are they offering (min speed / max speed) and what are you paying if I may ask?

They offer 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100.

I noticed a change yesterday (on the stability side, for the better). Fing says that my ISP is now ECHO-SP. Their website is pretty bad. Other than that, the line is better than it was with Rain, so can't really complain.

 

[Zaque]

@JibbersCrabst The Smaller FNO, was probably running a temp link as said by the guys above and was waiting for the fibre backbone to be installed, this can be a difficult task on new developments as timelines continually shift.

@GhostSixFour that Balwin Development is under Herotel/Bronberg, I think they moved over to a fibre backbone and offer EPON/GPON to the end users now