Moving ISPs and having existing fiber?

[Kosmik]

So my ISP appears to be unable to solve or deal with their routing issues between Dbn and Jhb. My fiber was installed years ago ( Vuma ) so there should be no claw back on installation etc. as its beyond the two years. Can someone explain the process for shifting ISP's? Ideally for a month to month basis? I don't want a router as I have my own that is used to connect to the ONT and merely load the credentials into it and have full control over my link locally. Literally just looking for a "dumb" internet breakout, ideally 100/100 or 100/50 depending.

- No shaping/throttling. We use lots of online services: Netflix, Youtube, Prime etc. with multiple devices some 4k
- Solid connectivity between Dbn and Jhb, in particular to the Geforce Now run datacenter. Currently pinging between 9ms - 20ms but getting horrendous packet loss in peak periods on existing isps network.
- Month to Month vs long contract but also no expectation of hardware or setup . Literally, give me the creds and I'll connect.
- Trial or test? Would love to be able to test the Geforce Now on a ISP before shifting as that is my primary motive for moving and is quite latency and packet sensitive.
- VUMA FSP

Most ISP websites still talk about installation and what not so any guidance on how to acquire or get packages in the vein above, would be appreciated.

 

[Mzezman]

@websquadza / @CoolEscalator

 

[PBCool]

Hi, part of our signup process manages all those challenges. IE is a line installed, do you want a router etc.

The process is to give notice of cancellation with the current ISP. You then communicate that to us (or your chosen new ISP). They will then effectively activate said line on that date with Vumatel.

 

[Kosmik]

Hi, part of our signup process manages all those challenges. IE is a line installed, do you want a router etc.

The process is to give notice of cancellation with the current ISP. You then communicate that to us (or your chosen new ISP). They will then effectively activate said line on that date with Vumatel.

Downtime if any?

Is there a need to activate if I can just use the credentials and connect anyway?

 

[PBCool]

Downtime if any?

Is there a need to activate if I can just use the credentials and connect anyway?

Downtime is in theory based between the line leaving one ISP and the new activating the line (this is in a perfect world)

If there are complications with Vumatel they can typically sort it out quite quickly.

Lines are allocated to specific ISPs, so yes that process needs to be followed.

It's only Openserve that you can switch ISP networks based on realms. But even so the line would still be allocated to an ISP specifically.

 

[cavedog]

So my ISP appears to be unable to solve or deal with their routing issues between Dbn and Jhb. My fiber was installed years ago ( Vuma ) so there should be no claw back on installation etc. as its beyond the two years. Can someone explain the process for shifting ISP's? Ideally for a month to month basis? I don't want a router as I have my own that is used to connect to the ONT and merely load the credentials into it and have full control over my link locally. Literally just looking for a "dumb" internet breakout, ideally 100/100 or 100/50 depending.

- No shaping/throttling. We use lots of online services: Netflix, Youtube, Prime etc. with multiple devices some 4k
- Solid connectivity between Dbn and Jhb, in particular to the Geforce Now run datacenter. Currently pinging between 9ms - 20ms but getting horrendous packet loss in peak periods on existing isps network.
- Month to Month vs long contract but also no expectation of hardware or setup . Literally, give me the creds and I'll connect.
- Trial or test? Would love to be able to test the Geforce Now on a ISP before shifting as that is my primary motive for moving and is quite latency and packet sensitive.
- VUMA FSP

Most ISP websites still talk about installation and what not so any guidance on how to acquire or get packages in the vein above, would be appreciated.

Curious who the current ISP is and what exactly the issue is?

Rain's transit provider Vodacom is announcing their prefixes at NAP CPT and DUR so changing ISP's might not even make a difference.

 

[Kosmik]

Curious who the current ISP is and what exactly the issue is?

Vox and connectivity between Dbn and Jhb and the Geforce Now service. Major packet loss and degradation between 5pm and 10pm weekdays and from 10am Sundays. Nearly a month of them not solving it and I've had enough. Started around 10th October, dealt with NOC engineers and others but now going pillar to post with a poor support scripting asking this morning for a google ping test , I assume because the other techs are away for Diwali and they trying to pick it up.



Internet connectivity and speed are fine ( 71mbps at the time if the screen of which GeforceNow was using 12Mbps ) but you can see the packetloss. I suspect, from what I was told, they use a failover or split route during congestion and my packets are getting split as well. If I leverage CloudFlare warp, the problem disappears or is substantially less, even though the latency may increase to 50ms or higher.

 

[cavedog]

Vox and connectivity between Dbn and Jhb and the Geforce Now service. Major packet loss and degradation between 5pm and 10pm weekdays and from 10am Sundays. Nearly a month of them not solving it and I've had enough. Started around 10th October, dealt with NOC engineers and others but now going pillar to post with a poor support scripting asking this morning for a google ping test , I assume because the other techs are away for Diwali and they trying to pick it up.

What does a trace route to 196.46.65.72 show?

 

[Kosmik]

Rain's transit provider Vodacom is announcing their prefixes at NAP CPT and DUR so changing ISP's might not even make a difference.

The routing does. As I mentioned above, with WARPs routing, issue is gone and that's same ISP and same FSP.

 

[cavedog]

The routing does. As I mentioned above, with WARPs routing, issue is gone and that's same ISP and same FSP.

yeah but it's possible that Cloudflare does not peer with Vodacom or does not accept the route from route servers that is why they use their own transit to JHB and the issue is gone.

 

[Kosmik]

What does a trace route to 196.46.65.72 show?

Not at home at the moment but this was from previous logs. Was fixed before but came back with a vengeance around the 10th. And having it on a Sunday morning or late Saturday is killing me.

 

[Kosmik]

yeah but it's possible that Cloudflare does not peer with Vodacom or does not accept the route from route servers that is why they use their own transit to JHB and the issue is gone.

Also why'd I love to be able to test it somehow.

 

[PBCool]

Not at home at the moment but this was from previous logs. Was fixed before but came back with a vengeance around the 10th. And having it on a Sunday morning or late Saturday is killing me.

View attachment 1769296
View attachment 1769297

The trace doesn't actually show any loss, but if the real world isn't working and is based on certain times, it could be related to the ISP.

It's a case of only knowing once you switch which is tricky.

 

[cavedog]

Not at home at the moment but this was from previous logs. Was fixed before but came back with a vengeance around the 10th. And having it on a Sunday morning or late Saturday is killing me.

View attachment 1769296
View attachment 1769297

Yeap that is a Vox issue. Also, JINX is NOT the best peering point unless it's JINX in Teraco Isando for this. NAP JHB is because that is where GeForce Now is located.

 

[Kosmik]

The trace doesn't actually show any loss, but if the real world isn't working and is based on certain times, it could be related to the ISP.

It's a case of only knowing once you switch which is tricky.

Not sure I follow, there is 21% around hops 6+7 and that is the routing that they "fixed" previously as well, there was a change in those ips.

Problem is, I'm not sure how or where there congestion decides/kicks in because at the time you could see the routing change from prior to 5pm and after and it directly correlated with the increased packet loss on the application.

Even last night, around 6, loss got so bad it was like watching a 140p youtube video, turned on Cloudflare Warp, latency jumped to 60ms but it was playable and no frame or packet drops.

 

[PBCool]

Not sure I follow, there is 21% around hops 6+7 and that is the routing that they "fixed" previously as well, there was a change in those ips.

Problem is, I'm not sure how or where there congestion decides/kicks in because at the time you could see the routing change from prior to 5pm and after and it directly correlated with the increased packet loss on the application.

Even last night, around 6, loss got so bad it was like watching a 140p youtube video, turned on Cloudflare Warp, latency jumped to 60ms but it was playable and no frame or packet drops.

Loss along a path is normal as devices drop a % of ICMP.

You could have loss from hops 1-9 but if it clears at hop 10 that means there is no loss from source to that hop. It's a common misunderstanding when reading traces.

Are you saying the route changes depending on time?

 

[Kosmik]

Loss along a path is normal as devices drop a % of ICMP.

You could have loss from hops 1-9 but if it clears at hop 10 that means there is no loss from source to that hop. It's a common misunderstanding when reading traces.

Are you saying the route changes depending on time?

Yes and the same two hops are what changes with the impact on the Geforce Now so there is definitely packet loss on the route when going via a certain route.

 

[PaulGherkin]

VOX TELECOM SUCKS ASS!
However, let me tell you what is going on...
Octotel, to my astonishment is giving me service 100 times better than Vox ever did. They're trying to switch me over to the new ISP, and there was likely a hiccup yesterday, BUT the point is, that between them and WebSquad, stuff happened VERY QUICKLY. Not used to this level of service! Bodes well.

 

[Kosmik]

VOX TELECOM SUCKS ASS!
However, let me tell you what is going on...
Octotel, to my astonishment is giving me service 100 times better than Vox ever did. They're trying to switch me over to the new ISP, and there was likely a hiccup yesterday, BUT the point is, that between them and WebSquad, stuff happened VERY QUICKLY. Not used to this level of service! Bodes well.

Octotel is a FSP though, I am stuck with Vuma who are actually fine in this case.

 

[PaulGherkin]

Octotel is a FSP though, I am stuck with Vuma who are actually fine in this case.

Indeed