Internet advice please - to dongle or not to dongle

Want to know how to receive English Channels via the Internet in North Cyprus? Need to repair or buy a laptop?

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Internet advice please - to dongle or not to dongle

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Post by Marions »

help, you IT whizz kids out there. Someone needs internet. They have a lap top, live in a flat, and have no land line phone. So, what is the best option. Presumably forbroadband you need a phone or a dish???? If not, I thought a dongle would be best. But what do the experts say. I said I owuld do some homework on this for someone in need - but I am not sure of the answer. I know what works for me, but I have a landline and a dongle.

All advice appreciated, and thanks in advance.
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Re: Internet advice please - to dongle or not to dongle

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Post by dippersgirl »

I'm not an expert at all, but when we first came here on a longer term basis, we got a dongle and I was very pleased with it. I could listen to the radio, keep up with the news, emails, forums, FB etc, It is only when we decided to stay here more than in England, i.e. 10 month + of the year, I wanted the iplayer and download much more. The dongle ran out very quickly and became too expensive.
It work really well and even with power cuts, you can still check your emails unlike having the internet through a router (no phoneline needed) it just work like your mobile phone, the only thing stopping you is your laptop's battery finishing.

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Re: Internet advice please - to dongle or not to dongle

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Post by dippersgirl »

If you have a 'router' you still don't need a landline and it can be WIFI. It cost me under 300tl and I pay 45tl a month

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Post by Marions »

thanks. The other factor is cost! this perosn will need it really for e mails and a bit of searching. Nothing fancy. But if they have a router, do youneed a dish or what? As I say they live in a flat, ground floor, so how will the router work?
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Post by andrew4232 »

are they living here permanently ? if so dongles are not cheap to use long term if you can get wireless it would be better try multimax am sure he can sort something out
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Post by Marions »

Thanks Andrew. Yes they are here permanently. I pay only 25tl a month for my dongle, but it is only 1gb and is a back up to my system with a router for which I pay annually.
will investigate further. Anyone any other ideas? Is multi max the best and who runs it?
thanks so much. I need to get soemthing sorted in the next two weeks.
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Re: Internet advice please - to dongle or not to dongle

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Post by dippersgirl »

I have a box on the roof and a cable from there goes to a 'connector'( not sure what you call it), another cable then to go into the laptop. That is the cheapest, not sure how much, very little. Whoever supplies it will find a way to fix the cable. I wanted WIFI and therefore had the router as well.

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Post by Marions »

thanks Dippers girl. Thadt is what I suspected - that one needs some external something! As I say these folk live in a ground floor apartment of a block of flats. Not so easy. But for me, that could work but I don't need it as I have a phone line dedicated to internet and a router. But someone else can make the final decision when I have done all the home work for this particular couple. Thanks so much forf the info.
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Re: Internet advice please - to dongle or not to dongle

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Post by erol »

You can get internet via the mobile phone networks, what is being called a 'dongle'.

Mobile phone network based internet (dongle) will have usage limits based on the volume of data you download / upload each month. If your usage is low then a dongle can be cost effective but if your monthly data usage is high then it is not cost effective. These type of connections are sold in packages based on what the data volume limit is. So you can get a 1GB per month package or for more money a 4GB per month package and so on. This should not be confused with the connection speed, which is how most other types of internet packages are sold. The speed of a dongle based service is a theoretical 7.2Mbs but actual speed will vary depending on how close you are to the nearest mobile phone cell tower for the company you buy the service from, much like mobile phone reception and quality varies from area to area. Of course the biggest advantage of mobile phone network based internet is that it is mobile. That is you can use it anywhere where you can get recpetion.

For 'fixed location' internet, that is internet that works only in the place it is installed (your home or office) there are basically two types of service available in the TRNC. There is ADSL based services, which require a phone line and then there are wireless based services that do not.

With ADSL you have both a service provider, who you pay and also the local telephone company, who you also pay separately. So with ADSL you are effectively dealing with two parties not one and pay both. With ADSL you have a small box in your house that attaches to an existing phone line (that can still also be used simultaneously with the phone) called an ADSL modem. This box can also be a router and typically will be. It can also be a wifi access point and typically will be. It can also be a switch and typically will be. All these are separate functions typically combined into a single box.

[cont]

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Post by erol »

With wireless based internet you typically deal with a single company. You do not get monthly data limits. Packages are typically sold based on the speed of the connection, like 1Mbs or 4Mbs and so on. With wireless based internet the internet is delivered to your house via a small box on your roof. From this a cable would run down into the house to a small adapter that allows a power supply plugged into the mains at the other end to power the box on the roof and finally ends as a single Ethernet connection. This Ethernet connection can be plugged into a single machine. Or it can be plugged into a switch. A switch will just take the single connection and give you 4 or 8 or more extra connections from which more machines and devices can be plugged in with wires. Rather than a switch you could plug it into a combined switch and wifi access point. This would then allow you to connect more computers with wires (the switch bit) and more again using wifi (wifi access point bit). Typically what is plugged into the end of the connection from the roof is actually a combined router, switch and wifi access point - though really the router part is not actually needed as the box on the roof already acts as a router and whilst you can route from the box on the roof and route again from the box in the house, doing so does not provide any benefit and can cause problems in certain situations. So the functions of switch, router and wifi access point are separate functions but typically are combined in a single box.

Multimax is owned and Run by Kemal Basat.

You are now probably more confused that when you first asked the question but I have tried my best. If you want you could always email or phone me and ill try and explain as best I can.

I should also state I work for multimax part time.

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Post by andrew4232 »

i think that was a bit of an information over load there it would have been easier to put kemals contact details on here
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Post by Marions »

No problem. I understood it all. What is now apparent is that the person in question has to decide if he can have a box on the roof and wires hanging down, or whether to go for a 'dongle' . I will find out costs for him and he can decide.

Thanks so much for that Erol, and it is as I suspected . The recipient of the computer has a charity all ready to pay for a year' sinternet but of course the practicaql aswpect must be considered first.

I think Erol that your explanation has fully clarified it for me, and I will now refer back to the person who asked the question, who is based in U.K and connected with the charitable donor.
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Re: Internet advice please - to dongle or not to dongle

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Post by kbasat »

1. Dongle is good option if you are in Cyprus for a few months in a year
2. Dongle is good option if you have to be mobile (meaning you move your laptop around the island, not just in your house), and need internet whereever you go.
3. Dongle is cost effective if your download needs are very very low, such as only emails and few websites a day, minimal skype and absoulutely no downloads of movies or TV viewing.
4. It is true that dongle works during powercuts, but dongle also has a limitation of being connected to only one computer at the same time, you need special routers in order to share a dongle. On the other hand, a 50USD UPS connected to your router and antenna will provide you the same uptime during powercuts as a dongle, even with multiple laptops connected.

Just to give you an example, a 4GigaByte(this is not the speed, its the total amount of data you can download) Dongle package costs approx 60TL/month, Multimax sells 2MegaBits (this is the speed, not the the amounf of data you download, data download is unlimited) of internet for 60TL/month. With a multimax connection, you can download 4GB of data(same as allowed by dongle for the WHOLE month) in approx 4.5hours!

Wireless or ADSL is a lot more cost effective for your money if you are in Cyprus most of the time, and you want a faster, more reliable and unlimited connection.

I should also state that I am Kemal Basat, and I am Multimax

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Re: Internet advice please - to dongle or not to dongle

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Post by Marions »

Thanks so much. That is extremely helpful to me, anx possibly to other kibkom users. I have now put the whole subject over to the one who asked and await a further decision. As I say, the fact that it involves roofs and wires etc, may be unacceptable to the flat dwellers, but if they are happy with that, then I reckon Multimax is the one. So please give a phone number, just in case, or an e mail address.

Thanks so much for all the helpful advice.

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Re: Internet advice please - to dongle or not to dongle

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Post by Cypgab »

Well explained Erol, I understand it now.

Thanks

Geoff

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Post by andre514 »

I understand that multimax operates with a "virtual uk ip address"

if so, your friend will no longer be be barred from uk television shows:
the bbc in particular archives a lot of recently transmitted material
...perhaps someone could confirm this is indeed the case?

because otherwise, overseas viewing is effectively blocked

as regards wires, multimax calls itself a wireless provider as in "radio"
though this means you have to have something in line of site to them
which is in effect like a tv antenna

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Post by erol »

andre514 wrote:I understand that multimax operates with a "virtual uk ip address"
Mulitmax do a couple of things to help customers access UK restricted sites. Firstly any request to the BBC we automatically route through our VPN servers so it looks to the BBC like the request is coming from the UK. This means customers should be able to access things like BBC iPlayer just as though they are in the UK without doing anything on their machines. We only do this with BBC though not any other sites. We then also provide a free manual VPN service, which once configured on their machine allows customers to connect to it. When connected to this manual VPN all your requests to all sites will appear to come from the UK and thus using this you should be able to access things like ITV player and 4oD.

We also provide a website page where live streams of BBC1 and ITV1 can be watched by our customers without any need for VPN at all.

I should point out that these services are considered 'secondary' services to the primary service we offer which is the internet connection itself.

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Post by Marions »

another thank you to you all for the help and advice. Currently am trying to ascertain what the situation will be regarding fixing antennae or whatever to the block of flats where the recipients of the computer live. Thanks so much - and it looks as if we are on our way, as they say.
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Post by andre514 »

there is a solution for those who cannot get any roof space:
...that is "satellite internet"

you do need someplace to fix a dish, that very broadly faces
the southern quadrant of the sky (comsats circle the equator)
although it can be a sunny wall, as in "sky dish"

a friend reports excellent reliability, though the subscription,
especially for the faster packages is expensive, and so it is
mostly a business choice it seems

as stated above, an ASDL package through an exising phone
line is fairly reasonable

both the above do not offer the simple "virtual uk address"
modes as described above: for me this would be the main
reason to get multimax since I already have the use of a
very basic connection through a friend's set-up

although this is statin' the bleedin' obvious, the occasional
browse and a few e-mails use little capacity but streamed
media, and downloading etc will overwhelm a basic dongle

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Post by kbasat »

I do not understand how you can recommend people satellite internet when they cannot get any roof space? most of the 2 way satellite dishes for internet is 90cm and usually 120cm and does require considerable space to install. In comparison, Multimax wireless Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) is approx 15cm in diameter and is barely noticable, can be installed on the roof, can easily be attached on a watertank(no seperate pole or drilling needed) side of a wall or even to a balcony if suitable.

Multimax 4Mbps unlimited ADSL connection costs 250TL/year (requires a local landline, additional telekom fees are not included in Multimax Price) and it has all the extras such as auto vpn (virtual uk address), manual vpn and ability to watch some channels directly from our website.

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Post by andre514 »

thanks for your informative reply kemel

...was thinking of dishes attached to the wall not roof

we have a 90cm transparent resin dish fixed to a wall
in the uk and it is virtually invisible but most effective

what would be attractive is some form of wireless
connection for people with no landline that you can use
say for three months in every year

otherwise you have no choice but to pay for the
whole year: I suspect there is no easy answer to
this, just fork out 60 lira by debit every month

assume that budget wireless speed is fast enough
for streaming teleprogs
even if you only stay in cyprus part of the time

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Post by andre514 »

i mean kemal, obviously!

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Post by stellasstar1 »

Kemal, that was really helpful. I saw your girl at Lamboussa on Saturday, but she was busy and I didn't have time to wait. I live in Lapta, whereabouts are you?

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Post by ozonkoyboy »

One really cheap way is if you have a device that will pick up WIFi, find a coffee bar that has free WiFi, buy a coffee or 2 and enjoy limitless free internet
I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination”

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Post by kbasat »

unfortunately as we are greatly subsidizing the equipment and installation costs, it is not feasible for us or economically feasible for the customer to use our system for 3 months in a year. For that, 3G or using Cafes/Restaurants with free wifi(like ozankoyboy stated) is more economical.

we currently offer 3 months extra free on our yearly payments and option to freeze your account for up to 6 months in a year, so all of those combined, you can still get a good deal even if you stay in Cyprus for slightly less than 6 months in a year.

@stellasstar1: I personally am usually in Lefkosa Head Office, our Kyrenia office is in Karakum next to Lemar, you can call 0548 870 0226 for directions.

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Post by Keithcaley »

I do know that 'SunnyCyprus' can arrange 'Sleeper' accounts, which you 're-activate' when you are coming out (minimum of one Month, I believe) - useful for 'Swallows'.

There is a 'standing charge' for the year, plus the re-activation / actual usage charge.

I have no idea how the cost, service level, or speed/quality compare with any other supplier, you would need to contact them to find out!

I think that, if you are in their service area, and want a connection all year round, Multimax provide a good connection at a good price, and should be able to fix the small antenna outside with no problems, whether it is in an Apartment, or a Villa. That would be my choice for a full time resident.

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Post by stellasstar1 »

I can now make a reply about Multimax. I went in on Tuesday and ordered it, and they came out Wednesday. Unfortunately a slight problem after they left, but came back again in the afternoon. Still a slight problem, so they came back this mornng and now all ok. You can't ask for better service than that. While I was in the office, I did hear the other girl telling someone that you can have a sleeper account for people not living here all year, so worth checking into. So thanks Multimax. Stella

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Post by kbasat »

We at Multimax allow our customers to freeze there accounts for up to 6 months in a year, 1 month minimum at a time.

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Post by How188 »

sounds good to me, what are the set-up and monthly costs?
Minimum contract length etc?
Howard 05338875477

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Post by kbasat »

Only 50TL one time activation fee and only if you pay monthly, contract is for 12 months. 2MBits package is 60TL, 4Mbits package is 80TL/month.

If you pay upfront for 12 months (720TL for 2Mbit, and 960TL for 4Mbit) you dont pay activation and you get 3 months free (total of 15 months of service).

Howard, Kyrenia office will be calling you shortly.

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