JohnnyCool

Well-Known Member
Jan 10, 2009
1,414
88
48
Sanur
The wi-fi part spat the dummy late last week on my system. Suddenly, totally out of the blue. Zilch. I wasted time trying to figure out what happened and concluded there was a central problem at Telkom's Bali end, but wasn't 100% sure. (The main internet was OK.)

Rang the 147 number several times over a few days and each time had to go through the usual routine - made multiple "reports".
On the last two calls, was told my problem was now on "emergency status" and then kind of "super emergency status".
They sent me an sms which had instructions about what to check in the actual modem. I did and couldn't find anything obviously wrong there.

Rang again this morning - same stuff, only this time they promised to send somebody very soon. Lo and behold - late this afternoon a technician turned up in person.
I thought he'd want to check the modem settings.

Nope. He pulled out his handphone, asked me what my original settings were (wifi name and password), punched a few buttons on his phone and said try it now. Success!

I already knew that it wasn't just a "problem" at my house. Others around me have the same issue.
One reported it two days ago and nobody's turned up yet to fix it.
Just got back home and this latest email from Telkom is, well, interesting if you can actually understand it.

We inform that the Internet has been fixed number 172421801596 on 13-06-2016 at 16:51 pm and subsequently requested the willingness of Mr. / Ms to confirm the improvement of the disorder through the following website (longest day after this email is received):

I ran an internet speed test, (not the Ookla one) and it came up pretty good.
This was while I was connected to my LA VPN, using a server in Singapore.

Speedofme.jpg
 

Markit

Well-Known Member
Sep 3, 2007
9,317
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Karangasem, Bali
We here in Karangasem, we happy few, are still waiting apparently for the local head of Telekom (Indihome) to be schooled in the new method of adding users to the network as (hard to believe, not!) Indihome changed the method of putting new customer onto the fiber network and didn't bother to tell the local heads how to do it. Or it's a bloody good excuse...
 

spicyayam

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2009
3,592
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I have seen nothing but complaints in various FB groups about Indihome. To me it is surprising as it is working well here in the north. I was dubious to the support you get from calling Jakarta, but the couple of times we have had problems a technician resolved the problem pretty quickly.
[MENTION=1532]Markit[/MENTION] have you tried calling the 147 number and applying? My friend went to the Singaraja office and they said it would take 4 months but after my wife called the 147 number for them, they were able to get it connected in a few weeks.
 

JohnnyCool

Well-Known Member
Jan 10, 2009
1,414
88
48
Sanur
I was dubious to the support you get from calling Jakarta, but the couple of times we have had problems a technician resolved the problem pretty quickly.
That may well be true if a technician actually turns up "pretty quickly".

My issue with "The connection was reset" saga still hasn't been fixed. Two different technicians came to try, but all they did was change my DNS numbers in Windows - (not the modem).
Didn't work. That "problem" goes away for me when I use my VPN.

I've also read many complaints about IndiHome and many reflect my own experiences regarding inaction on Telkom's part, and the string of reports I've had to make before something actually happens.
Ironically, they sent me emails weeks ago stating that the connection reset problem was "fixed". Could I please click one of the following links to confirm that. Clicked a link and that didn't work. Huh?

Perhaps where you are in North Bali, there aren't as many IndiHome customers with complaints, unlike in the much more populated South.

My overall conclusion is that Telkom is well aware of "hiccups", and may even be creating some of them intentionally (as in the DNS hijacking/ad injection theories).
I don't know why they would do that, (if true), and what they get out of it, apart from growing numbers of unhappy customers.
Whatever the problems seem to be, they're at Telkom's end.

Reset.jpg
 

odez999

Member
Jul 4, 2011
245
0
16
Johnny what VPN service you use !?

Do you use it for netflix (have you tried, is it possible ??) ?
 

JohnnyCool

Well-Known Member
Jan 10, 2009
1,414
88
48
Sanur
Johnny what VPN service you use !?
Do you use it for netflix (have you tried, is it possible ??) ?
[MENTION=10576]odez999[/MENTION]
Netflix declared war on VPNs since at least January 2016, by trying to block various servers used by VPNs. However, it's become a game of whack-a-mole.
Each attempt by Netflix is countered by some (not all) VPNs fighting back. So, at any one time it's now hard to know which ones actually work, or for how long.

Some VPNs are better than others with this. I've been using ipVanish for nearly one year now without complaints. It's very fast (by VPN standards), has many worldwide servers and I'm paying USD 80/year (about 24 cents/day).

Personally, I have no interest in Netflix. I find it easier to just download movies, music, TV series, etc from other sources.

My current indiHome package is 10 Mbs download/1.5 Mbs upload. That's hardly real broadband speed but it's enough for me to stream programmes from BBC iPlayer, Australian ABC i-view, and many others, without stuttering/buffering.

Comparing different VPNs is both an art and a science. Different review sites come up with ever-changing "recommendations", probably based on site bias/vested interests.

The "best" VPN for you is the one that works for you, where you are, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
Most VPNs offer free trial periods (of various lengths), but if you go this way, be sure to read the fine print. Some will get you sign-up for a "free trial" with a 30 days money back guarantee.
Getting your money back by opting out, if you don't like them, can sometimes be like getting blood out of a stone.

Different VPNs have different ways to install and configure their software. Some are more difficult than others.
Setting up ipVanish is a breeze - no convoluted steps involved. It just works out-of-the-box (at least in my experience).

The following site gives a quite reasonable guide to VPNs, how to test VPN speeds, the differences between the various VPN protocols, and more.
Worth a look. Their current rating of the top 5 VPNs for Netflix should be taken with a grain of salt, but it's a good enough place to start.
(Googling similar sites will give you different results. Which one you believe is up to you. The real test comes from trial-and-error on your part.)

Hope this helps you.
https://www.bestvpn.com/best-vpn-netflix/

:cheerful:
 

ronb

Well-Known Member
Aug 14, 2007
2,241
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48
Ubud, Bali
From reading other FB pages I gather the Sanur problem was widespread and would appear to be caused by a cowboy technician centrally who cause a large number of routers to factory reset so that the network name became just "speedy" or something similar, and the password a number on the bottom of the router. So your on-site techo set it back to what you said it should be.

I agree with Spicy in that we have found the service really good at our 2 sites, and when there are problems their response time is acceptable. In this recent Sanur episode, there were probably so many out that the real live techos were over-stretched.

I agree with Johnny in finding that downloading movies and TV shows is so easy that I have not so far really needed Netflix or similar. But I think it is possible that in the future the supply of downloadables may dwindle as a result of the continued "war on piracy". We will see, I guess.
 

JohnnyCool

Well-Known Member
Jan 10, 2009
1,414
88
48
Sanur
From reading other FB pages I gather the Sanur problem was widespread and would appear to be caused by a cowboy technician centrally who cause a large number of routers to factory reset so that the network name became just "speedy" or something similar, and the password a number on the bottom of the router. So your on-site techo set it back to what you said it should be.
You may be right on the money there, ronb. I'm now wondering whether the same "cowboy" is responsible for the alleged DNS hijacking - wouldn't surprise me.

I doubt that the "war on piracy" is winnable.
Imagine what would happen with the millions of computers in Indonesia running pirated versions of Windows, including ones in government offices, police stations and all the rest.
Many ATMs are still using Windows XP. I've seen it myself when the money guys arrive to refill the machines.
 

gurlytech1

New Member
Feb 9, 2017
2
1
3
Johnny what VPN service you use !?

Do you use it for netflix (have you tried, is it possible ??) ?
Hi! I'm wondering if you found a VPN that works for you? I'm having trouble with my Netflix account and am really considering canceling it if I can't get a VPN to work for me. Does anyone have any experience with any of the services mentioned here, https://securethoughts.com/how-to-watch-netflix-outside-the-usa/? I'm not sure which direction to take. I heard Opera works as well too.
 
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JohnnyCool

Well-Known Member
Jan 10, 2009
1,414
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48
Sanur
As far as I know Netflix is still trying to block IP addresses from various VPN servers. The game of whack-a-mole continues. One VPN might work for a while then stop working. This applies equally to all VPNs. Lists of "best VPNs for Netflix" are hit and miss affairs and shouldn't be relied on (IMHO).

Before spending money on a VPN subscription, experiment with a trial version first. If it works for Netflix just remember that it may not work next week or next month. VPNs that actually own their own servers (like IPVanish) are in a better position to pump out new IP addresses as needed, but it's a constant battle for all of them.

A few points about Opera's free so-called "VPN". It's not a real VPN but an encrypted proxy in the browser. It doesn't allow P2P connections (if you want to download torrent files). And it was bought by a Chinese company (that shouldn't worry anybody unless they're in China).
 

BestofBali

Member
Nov 9, 2016
141
4
18
Kerobokan
Hi! I'm wondering if you found a VPN that works for you? I'm having trouble with my Netflix account and am really considering canceling it if I can't get a VPN to work for me. Does anyone have any experience with any of the services mentioned here, https://securethoughts.com/how-to-watch-netflix-outside-the-usa/? I'm not sure which direction to take. I heard Opera works as well too.

I have tried 3 different VPN's but they are inconsistent, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't :(
 

Markit

Well-Known Member
Sep 3, 2007
9,317
1,110
113
Karangasem, Bali
I'm reliably informed that using a torrent downloader such as BitComet is possibly illegal, although the entire DVD industry in this country depends upon it for source material to produce those wonderful 10k IDR DVDs that mostly don't work, so whatever you do don't, ever, never use anything like that to access all the movies/shows you could be watching on Netfix, except that doesn't work here either.

Nah? Admin is this one ok?
 

JohnnyCool

Well-Known Member
Jan 10, 2009
1,414
88
48
Sanur
I'm reliably informed that using a torrent downloader such as BitComet is possibly illegal
Not all torrents involve pirated content. P2P also has legitimate uses for sharing legal content so I can't see how using any particular torrent downloading software can be deemed illegal. Surely it depends on what people are actually downloading.

A good VPN makes it virtually impossible to see/know what users are up to. Your ISP might suspect that you're torrenting something ( big downloads), but don't know what it is.
 
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tcollins

Member
Sep 1, 2014
64
0
6
Has anyone had issues with ISP starting to block VPN usage?

I am on IndiHome and all was fine for about 12 months, but they now seem to be blocking my regular VPN that I use. Has anyone else had isues?
 

JohnnyCool

Well-Known Member
Jan 10, 2009
1,414
88
48
Sanur
Has anyone had issues with ISP starting to block VPN usage?

I am on IndiHome and all was fine for about 12 months, but they now seem to be blocking my regular VPN that I use. Has anyone else had isues?
What is your regular VPN? Is it a “free” one? If so, that might be your problem.
I have three devices connected to my VPN and haven’t had any difficulties for about two years.
 

spicyayam

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2009
3,592
342
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I couldn't access some blocked sites using a VPN I was using previously which someone recommended here, privatetunnel I think it was.

I use the TOR browser if I need to access something which is blocked. I still don't know why reddit is blocked and vimeo...

Our Indihome phone just stopped working for no reason, no incoming or outgoing calls are working. They came and replaced the modem, but something seems up on their end.

Otherwise Indihome is great and I wonder why there are so many complaints about it.
 
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JohnnyCool

Well-Known Member
Jan 10, 2009
1,414
88
48
Sanur
I couldn't access some blocked sites using a VPN I was using previously which someone recommended here, privatetunnel I think it was.

I use the TOR browser if I need to access something which is blocked. I still don't know why reddit is blocked and vimeo...

Our Indihome phone just stopped working for no reason, no incoming or outgoing calls are working. They came and replaced the modem, but something seems up on their end.

Otherwise Indihome is great and I wonder why there are so many complaints about it.
Some perfectly legitimate sites have links to Vimeo. Nothing to do with “porn” or pirate stuff. But, the Indonesian “cyber sheriffs” think other wise. Makes one wonder why they haven’t tried to block Youtube.
IMHO, “Private tunnel” seems more hassle than it’s worth. Might suit some people but an up-front good unlimited VPN with a specific price sounds better to me. Like, no mucking around.

The TOR browser isn’t really good for anything much (unless you’re a criminal or whistle blower). It’s often painfully slow, so what’s the point? Reddit is sort of the same (debatable).

A decent paid-for VPN can easily bypass “InternetPositif” and most geo-blocked sites, so you can access and watch programmes from the UK, Australia, USA, etc.
 

Markit

Well-Known Member
Sep 3, 2007
9,317
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Karangasem, Bali
I had 2 days where some legit websites (BBC) were not loading and my free VPN (SetupVPN) also wouldn't load.

Today all good again.
 

JohnnyCool

Well-Known Member
Jan 10, 2009
1,414
88
48
Sanur
I had 2 days where some legit websites (BBC) were not loading and my free VPN (SetupVPN) also wouldn't load.

Today all good again.
Just remind yourself what you’re getting (or not) with a “free VPN”. Answer: what you paid for.

Many that are web browser extensions are VPN-like (often proxies or “ VPNs” with severe limitations). The companies offering them have to eventually make money somehow, by getting you to upgrade to a paid version, selling your details to third parties (to advertisers), or sharing your bandwidth with others. Many also leak both your ISP DNS and address. Limited available servers is another issue.

Some may seem to work quite well for a while, then slow down and maybe become total crap. (Too many users trying to get a free lunch, all at the same time.)

The “free SetupVPN” is “free for life”? Give me a break. If you’re using the Google Chrome browser extension, it’s more like a simple proxy. And guess where Google gets most of its money from?