PLDT Upgrade

[GeoffH]

1 minute ago, hk blues said:

That certainly explains why we have much fewer disconnections since we moved to Fiber Hybrid - the only issue now is between the box and our house whilst before the issue could have been anywhere on the line. I think!

Yeah... mostly, although a tree taking out the line before the box would take you down (but not a power brown out before the box).

[Shady]

21 hours ago, GeoffH said:

I too prefer to run a cable downstairs and use a second router (with DHCP disabled) as a wifi hotspot

I'm about to try this for the first time but not sure how to proceed.

I have a PLDT Fibr account with router, and a 2nd PLDT router from an old account.

How do I access the 2nd router's settings to change the IP and DHCP, before connecting it with a cable to the primary router?

[GeoffH]

1 hour ago, Shady said:

I'm about to try this for the first time but not sure how to proceed.

I have a PLDT Fibr account with router, and a 2nd PLDT router from an old account.

How do I access the 2nd router's settings to change the IP and DHCP, before connecting it with a cable to the primary router?

Every router is different but our router had the login details on a sticker underneath.

If it doesn't then you could try googling for a default user name and password for that model of router.

Failing that you'll have to speak to PLDT for the login details.

[graham59]

One or two instructional videos on (wonderful) YouTube about this, I seem to recall. 

Worth a search. 

[hk blues]

11 hours ago, Shady said:

I'm about to try this for the first time but not sure how to proceed.

I have a PLDT Fibr account with router, and a 2nd PLDT router from an old account.

How do I access the 2nd router's settings to change the IP and DHCP, before connecting it with a cable to the primary router?

You might not be able to access certain settings - I'm with Globe and certain router settings are only accessed by the Administrator login details which they don't disclose.

[Shady]

13 hours ago, GeoffH said:

Every router is different but our router had the login details on a sticker underneath.

I know how to log in if it's connected, my question is since the primary router is already connected to Fibr, where do you connect the 2nd router to get online? I'm assuming it needs to be online in order to log in to it.

[GeoffH]

5 minutes ago, Shady said:

I know how to log in if it's connected, my question is since the primary router is already connected to Fibr, where do you connect the 2nd router to get online? I'm assuming it needs to be online in order to log in to it.

Normally you connect a standard LAN cable between the two routers, log into the control panel of the second router, disable DHCP and enable wireless (mostly with a different wifi name and password - eg downstairs)

 

[RBM]

Perhaps interesting to some whom will not or cannot access a land line.  Gomo is a quite new alternative sim which works pretty much like normal sim for data. Cost was P299 and includes 25 GB which is unlimited time wise. I brought it for use in the car as my partner takes for ever during her market visits where I prefer to wait in the car.

Was so impressed with it we bought another, far more Superior than globe or smart, recent speed test sowed 16 down and and 2 up so for what I do its fine. Would like to install a land  line how ever waiting for this Duterte shake up with 3rd teleco as reluctant to enter into a plan with 2 years fixed.

 

[Tommy T.]

@jimeve

You mentioned before that you had a Firestick. We recently bought one, installed it and are using it with good results. We do get a bit confused by all the programming options available. Tubi has had a lot of free programming and movies. Do you have suggestions for any other providers online?

Also, an update... Our wifi seems to work mostly okay now. But sometimes it gets a bit slow to the TV. After looking around at the wiring already installed in the home, I found a fairly simple way to move the modem to another, more centralized location. I think we will give this a try and see if it improves the signal strength. If not, it can be returned to its original location. Connecting things with wires now would be challenging with those hollowblock walls everywhere and, at least at this time, we are reluctant to dig up walls or moldings or add the ugly cable square tubing we see sold in most hardware stores.

[Gandang Smile]

This is interesting. They just called me today from PLDT, asking me if I wanted to test their 1 Gbps package for P299, until the end of January. Obviously I said yes and the upgrade happened in minutes. I didn't even have to restart the router. And the speed looks impressive!

Just as outrageously impressive is the price for the package, past January, if I want to continue: P20,000/month! 

I will obviously keep my finger on the phone to cancel as soon as the trial period expires!

Two takeaways:

1. the days of the Philippines having third-world Internet infrastructure are long gone - perhaps Duterte's introduction of a third carrier (Dennis Uy's Dito Telecommunity) finally scared PLDT and Globe into opening the taps and investing
2. even without Dito, it's still a virtual cartel: USD 400 for an Internet connection is an outrageous price, perhaps designed for the top 1% of customers. As usual down here, inequality is the word: they are creating a digital divide just as deep as the real one.