MWEB Uncapped ADSL - Official Q & A

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To the MWEB rep.

A Hint, yours is the OP of this thread which is supposed to build a FAQ, well why not use the OP to put the Question and Answers that you reply and answer to, in the OP. Then we will not repeat questions and have one place to search for answers. Yes, agreed that it should have been done that way in the first place.
 
sheesh can we get a summary here please lol... my line is being installed Wednesday !! :)
 
Hi Balstrome & herbertk,

A FAQ is in the works for MyBroadband.co.za, I think we've accumulated enough F by now. One must appreciate that this forum is far more in-depth/technically inclined that other channels such as Facebook, where more rudimentary FAQs have already been provided.

MWB.
 
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MWEB said:
Hi Balstrome & herbertk,

A FAQ is in the works for MyBroadband.co.za, I think we've accumulated enough F by now. One must appreciate that this forum is far more in-depth/technically inclined that other channels such as Facebook, where more rudimentary FAQs have already been provided.

MWB.
Click to expand...

Agreed, and thanks for not treating us like children. Look forward to the updated FAQ so I can relax with refreshing this page.
 
MWEB said:
Hi Balstrome & herbertk,

A FAQ is in the works for MyBroadband.co.za, I think we've accumulated enough F by now. One must appreciate that this forum is far more in-depth/technically inclined that other channels such as Facebook, where more rudimentary FAQs have already been provided.

MWB.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that ... i am glad i don't have to go through this thread lol, good to see active participation from you guys here...
 
I'm still pondering the beneifts of upgrading, and one of many questions is that I see no mention of caching (proxy) servers, and the new MWeb network backbone configuration, and any effects on performance.

With the recent setup (even for existing MWeb subscribers) SAIX provides proxy/caching servers, so that pages and images that have recently been accessed are immediately available, at the full speed of the line (typically 4Mbps).

If a user switches from 4Mbps (capped) to 512Kbps (uncapped) will cached content only download at 512Kbps, even if the user still physically has the same modem and DSLAM port? Or will the DSLAM port setting be downgraded to 512Kbps for the All-inclusive package?

For existing MWeb users it seems the network configuration has changed (after I rebooted my ADSL modem). The 2nd hop in tracert now goes directly onto the MWeb backbone (instead of SAIX). I also see an extra 20ms latency in that 2nd hop, which was not the case via SAIX backbone (not that most users would notice). I also suspect that all traffic from Cape Town goes via Joburg, since DNS lookups and SMTP e-mail now take fractionally longer.

I see no technical detail on the MWeb network configuration or peer-to-peer arrangements in the press release.

Previous routing configuration:
1 <10 ms <10 ms <10 ms home.gateway [192.168.1.254]
2 8 ms 8 ms 8 ms dsl-245-128-01.telkomadsl.co.za [41.245.128.1]
3 8 ms 8 ms 8 ms wblv-ip-lir-1-gig-4-0-0.telkom-ipnet.co.za [196.43.8.190]

New routing configuration:
1 1 ms <10 ms <10 ms home.gateway [192.168.1.254]
2 7 ms 7 ms 8 ms 41-132-48-1.dsl.mweb.co.za [41.132.48.1]
3 29 ms 29 ms 29 ms ap2621-1-e1-s115-hardcopy.mweb.net [196.22.163.218]
 
So, torrents and P2P networks are mainly shaped, but by exactly how much? In other words, if I have a 4mbps line, what speed (kbyte/s) should I get downloading? At the moment, downloading from a regular HTTP or FTP I get about 420kbyte/s.

Thanks!
 
plbartie said:
what is the installation charge of a telkom line? Hw long does it take?
Click to expand...

If you don't already have a voice line, it can take a while. It also depends on whether you're in a complex or a just part of the general fray. For me, things were generally sorted faster when I visited a Telkom Direct store. As far as I know new installations are R468.05 incl VAT for only a voice line. You should defiantly avoid the ADSL installation option, and either do a self install, or get it from MWEB and avoid the ADSL install fee. Search around this forum, there are loads of threads about Telkom line installations.
 
ronald911 said:
So, torrents and P2P networks are mainly shaped, but by exactly how much? In other words, if I have a 4mbps line, what speed (kbyte/s) should I get downloading? At the moment, downloading from a regular HTTP or FTP I get about 420kbyte/s.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I don't think they can ever answer that, since it will depend on network traffic, number of users, time of day, breakdowns, etc.

I see no mention international traffic, which will almost certainly be shaped more harshly than local traffic.

I assume they will try 'best-effort', with enough capacity and dynamic shaping to keep most of the people happy most of the time.

For reference, a typical 24 hour traffic graph can be seen in the CINX or JINX (CT & Jhb) peer-to-peer interchanges:
http://stats.cinx.net.za/showtotal.php
http://stats.jinx.net.za/showtotal.php
 
Gordon_R said:
I'm still pondering the beneifts of upgrading, and one of many questions is that I see no mention of caching (proxy) servers, and the new MWeb network backbone configuration, and any effects on performance.

With the recent setup (even for existing MWeb subscribers) SAIX provides proxy/caching servers, so that pages and images that have recently been accessed are immediately available, at the full speed of the line (typically 4Mbps).

If a user switches from 4Mbps (capped) to 512Kbps (uncapped) will cached content only download at 512Kbps, even if the user still physically has the same modem and DSLAM port? Or will the DSLAM port setting be downgraded to 512Kbps for the All-inclusive package?

For existing MWeb users it seems the network configuration has changed (after I rebooted my ADSL modem). The 2nd hop in tracert now goes directly onto the MWeb backbone (instead of SAIX). I also see an extra 20ms latency in that 2nd hop, which was not the case via SAIX backbone (not that most users would notice). I also suspect that all traffic from Cape Town goes via Joburg, since DNS lookups and SMTP e-mail now take fractionally longer.

I see no technical detail on the MWeb network configuration or peer-to-peer arrangements in the press release.

Previous routing configuration:
1 <10 ms <10 ms <10 ms home.gateway [192.168.1.254]
2 8 ms 8 ms 8 ms dsl-245-128-01.telkomadsl.co.za [41.245.128.1]
3 8 ms 8 ms 8 ms wblv-ip-lir-1-gig-4-0-0.telkom-ipnet.co.za [196.43.8.190]

New routing configuration:
1 1 ms <10 ms <10 ms home.gateway [192.168.1.254]
2 7 ms 7 ms 8 ms 41-132-48-1.dsl.mweb.co.za [41.132.48.1]
3 29 ms 29 ms 29 ms ap2621-1-e1-s115-hardcopy.mweb.net [196.22.163.218]
Click to expand...
Most probably because M-Web's IPC links sit in JHB and thus all your traffic first goes over Telkom's IPC network to JHB, then there enter's M-Web's network where it then follows whichever shortest path on the internet from there.

I noticed that M-Web does peer at JINX at least, not that that helps you in any way, it just helps M-Web relief their main transit links a little bit.

ronald911 said:
So, torrents and P2P networks are mainly shaped, but by exactly how much? In other words, if I have a 4mbps line, what speed (kbyte/s) should I get downloading? At the moment, downloading from a regular HTTP or FTP I get about 420kbyte/s.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
If their shaping works anything like I expect, it doesn't shape P2P to a specific speed. In stead P2P will get full speed, unless their network is running at maximum load on their transit links, at which point http/voice/vpns ect. gets preference before P2P. Thus P2P can only use any excess bandwidth they have, if they have none your P2P could slow down to 0 kbyte/sec unless they said P2P can have a certain minimum which you will then share with anyone else doing P2P. At least that is how proper shaping work. Don't think that SSL is going to save you. If they detect unknown SSL traffic, they can just shape that too. See the thing is, HTTPS-SSL has a detectable pattern and can still get priority but P2P SSL usually also encrypt the headers and so on and falls in the unknown SSL category, or just any unknown protocol for that matter.

Now I can't say for sure this is what M-Web is doing, but it is very probable they are.
 
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plbartie said:
what is the installation charge of a telkom line? Hw long does it take?
Click to expand...

I got my line in a week and a bit, you can avoid the installation charge by going for a closer package it is R10 more per month .... ADSL you can also avoid costs by doing a self install but you have to wait for the line first...
 
Gordon_R said:
I see no mention of caching (proxy) servers, and the new MWeb network backbone configuration, and any effects on performance.

With the recent setup (even for existing MWeb subscribers) SAIX provides proxy/caching servers, so that pages and images that have recently been accessed are immediately available, at the full speed of the line (typically 4Mbps).
Click to expand...
Hi Gordon_R,

MWEB employs an advanced content caching system on its new network which operates at the layer below IP, therefore it is completely transparent to the end user and requires no configuration what so ever.

Gordon_R said:
If a user switches from 4Mbps (capped) to 512Kbps (uncapped) will cached content only download at 512Kbps, even if the user still physically has the same modem and DSLAM port?
Click to expand...

MWEB also employes an advanced bandwidth management system which works independantly of the ADSL line speed used. All packages will only achieve up to their maximum specified speed whether All-Inclusive or Data Account only e.g. 512Kbps package will never achieve > 512Kbps even if used on a 4096 line.

Gordon_R said:
I see no technical detail on the MWeb network configuration or peer-to-peer arrangements in the press release.
Click to expand...
MWEB does not disallow P2P, however on the consumer (Connect) products it will be subject to our priority based shaping. The content caching system is also capable of caching P2P content (e.g. torrents) however this is is only possible if encryption is disabled.

MWB.
 
MWEB said:
Hi Gordon_R,

MWEB employs an advanced content caching system on its new network which operates at the layer below IP, therefore it is completely transparent to the end user and requires no configuration what so ever.

MWEB also employes an advanced bandwidth management system which works independantly of the ADSL line speed used. All packages will only achieve up to their maximum specified speed whether All-Inclusive or Data Account only e.g. 512Kbps package will never achieve > 512Kbps even if used on a 4096 line.

MWEB does not disallow P2P, however on the consumer (Connect) products it will be subject to our priority based shaping. The content caching system is also capable of caching P2P content (e.g. torrents) however this is is only possible if encryption is disabled.

MWB.
Click to expand...

MWB, thanks for the update. Any comment on international vs local shapin?

The next obvious question about shaping, is whether all packages are equal in a pool? Or does the 4096K package get 12 times (or less) the priority of the 384K package, or 8 times (or twice) the priority of the 512K package?

Secondly if the 512K package only gets 1.3 times better traffic than the 384K package, it seems very poor value for money IMHO. (I assume part of this is due to the underlying 'mis-pricing' of the 512K ADSL line rental in the All-inclusve packages). The best value options seem to be either 384K or 4096K, not 512K.

Sorry, I meant interconnections between ISP's (I'm not a P2P user). If I'm based in CT and for example accessing UCT the number of hops (12) seems a bit ridiculous. (Not that I suppose it matters to the end client, as long as the ping time is < 50ms, and the links aren't broken...) In any case I'm sure the network configuration can (and will) be optimised over time.
 
Hey All,

Question,

I have noticed on torrents that are well seeded, on a 384k line i cant get speeds higher that 25 to 28k, anyone else experiencing the same on mweb uncapped home package. ?

im using using utorrent client, speeds where okay on launch day of mweb uncapped.

Thanks.
 
Hi !

So can anyone tell me if i am currently with Axxess on a 384k UNCAPPED package for R999 , which means i am at my full 4Mb every weekend and week night for all my Downloading, if this is a Viable option -

PREFERABLY someone who has Purchased the 4Mb Free the Web Package ?

Access to website loading speed ?

P2P ? - 420 Kb/s

Downloading demo's and such from Gamespot or BigDownload = 450 Kb/s

Any Info Please ?

Thanks
hay
 
Hi MWEB / Forum.

I do a large amount of console gaming (both 360 and PS3, as well as both Local and International) and my IS Shaped account is surprisingly good at all the mentioned tasks.
Can I expect the same level of satisfaction from the Mweb Uncapped service?

I run a 384 line.
 
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Sorry for the double post but I've got another question.

We were on Mweb a long time ago, and with our Mweb account we had 3 email addresses (as you get 4 email addresses with an ADSL account)
Let's call them [email protected] (master account), [email protected] and [email protected] (child email addresses, but separate inbox's)

We left Mweb for an IS based ISP, but still pay Mweb Rxx per month to keep the three Email Addresses.

Can I order the 384k Uncapped account, and use the free email addresses that come with the uncapped account on my current Mweb email addresses.
To say it another way, I don't want to pay R219 + Rxx for my Mweb service, I want to merge the R219 Uncapped service with my Rxx Email Service into one service, removing the need to pay the Rxx every month for the 3 email addresses.
 
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