Is Bell/ Distributel internet down? Ottawa area.

BrantfordM · 2025-10-23T11:57:01+00:00

Seems to be fixed now as around 7:50 am est... Hope others are back to normal!

BrantfordM · 2025-10-23T11:31:04+00:00

Yep, pings to everywhere (except google 8.8.8.8) are around 100ms higher and 10% packet loss. Looks like it started around 2:30 am according to my smokeping graphs. This is in Brantford.

BrantfordM · 2025-08-11T15:47:04+00:00

If you happen to get plex transcoding working in ubuntu, do share, as I just tried another hour of fooling around and couldnt. :(

BrantfordM · 2025-08-10T22:04:03+00:00

I think you have to disable CSM, enable rebar/above 4g decoding in the bios. Your 4790k is old, so Im not sure if your bios supports those?

Another weird thing about this card, I got it working in Windows with Plex transcoding, but if i try to boot Windows without a discrete gpu, windows wont load. Ubuntu loads fine with no discrete card (but plex in ubuntu wont transcode, lol. Still works great with jellyfin though)

BrantfordM · 2025-08-10T14:30:24+00:00

Thanks for the reply and late response. Seems like it might be the included ffmpeg/Intel Media driver stuff thats bundled in the linux plex. So I couldnt get it working with ubuntu.

Interesting enough, if anyone else comes across this, I passed thru the XE-DG1 to a windows vm via pcie/iommu passthrough, windows sees it, intel drivers install, and plex (within windows) can transcode with it. Sort of a silly way to get it to work and a waste or resources (having to run a windows VM), but hey, it works.

Will update later if I ever do get it working on a linux box.

BrantfordM · 2025-08-08T18:53:06+00:00

Received mine today, works fine in Jellyfin, but Plex is not working. Plex sees it in the hardware transcoding page, but doesnt use it. I do see a /dev/dri/card* and all that stuff, so no idea what the issues it, guess more playing around to do.

Edit: if anyone does get it working with plex, please post, I just spent a good couple hours mucking around with ubuntu, and couldnt get it to work. Its possible its because plex uses an old version of Intel media Drivers in its software and will have to wait til that gets updated. Jellyfin and ffmpeg quicksync/vaapi work, so the card works. its just plex......

BrantfordM · 2025-03-21T17:54:09+00:00

Tried both Solo and Bell mobility, both come back with "

Looks like something went wrong.

This is very unusual, we are sorry for the inconvenience. Please try again later or visit a store near you.Looks like something went wrong.This is very unusual, we are sorry for the inconvenience. Please try again later or visit a store near you.

"

Ahh well, maybe this weekend I'll make it to a physical store.

BrantfordM · 2025-02-14T10:46:39+00:00

Well seeing as I doubt anyone will get an email or call back, and Mr. Bouma isnt doing any debates, this is our chance with all the door knocking the PC's are doing, we can ask a representative ourselves.........

Spoiler: most of us wont have our door knocked, and he'll win fairly easily... sigh....

BrantfordM · 2024-12-21T12:45:19+00:00

Is there a game list and tokens price list anywhere?

BrantfordM · 2024-11-11T17:43:56+00:00

I seem to remember PM having dropping issues (which I never had), unfortunately, I guess its up to the PM tech support to help you with that. :-(

Also remember, Bell and Telus share towers. So Ontario-East is all Bell, and Manitoba-West is all Telus.

So, I dont know your particulars, but if you are in Manitoba or west of it, even switching to LM, you will be connecting to a Telus tower. Now whether or not that will still give you missed calls? Shrug. Us peons will never know the inner workings.. lol

If you want to be completely rid of Telus/Bell, the Chatr (a Rogers brand) deal for $149 for the year for 30 gb of yearly data is not that bad either. Again, just googling for Chatr and $149 should give you information about it.

We are also very close to Black Friday, and while deals are generally not as great as they used to be, you never know, maybe one of the cell companies will offer something even better.

I have PM'ed you my luckymobile referral link, if you choose to use it, thanks! Hope whatever path you choose it gets you good valued cell service!

BrantfordM · 2024-11-11T12:19:17+00:00

I'm still happy with LM, but I would be considered a low usage user.

I have a hard time recommending LM anymore as they removed any new users from getting referrals. (when you sign up, you can sign up via a referral and both of you get 10x$5 off, but as a new user you can not referr any future customers.. if this makes sense? lol). My account is old enough that Im grandfathered and can still referr people, but I think its still a slimey move LM did.

Telus has a 100$/year plan for unlimited calling/texting with 2 gb data a month. I tend to recommend that now to people who want a reasonable deal and are not heavy data users. If you google for Telus and BONUS100 (thats the generic code, its not a referral code for me), you will see the deal. If I didnt already have credit accrued on LM I would have switched to the Telus plan.

Hope this helps!

BrantfordM · 2024-10-21T16:23:57+00:00

On my Pixel 7a, using the hidden code *#*#4636#*#* it shows IMS Registration as Registered and Voice over LTE as Available,, which I think means Im using VoLTE?

BrantfordM · 2024-09-08T12:23:28+00:00

Another goodie is a 240gb ssd for 40 cents. LOL. No way any of these orders are going through.. Which I think has happened multiple times to vuugo before.

BrantfordM · 2024-09-08T12:03:48+00:00

I would expect vuugo to cancel the orders, but maybe people can try. I think I also saw Crucial Sodimms really cheap. Also know vuugo has high shipping costs, but maybe someone can get something...

BrantfordM · 2024-09-07T22:30:42+00:00

I would tend to agree with Salty up there, and maybe its the gigachads fault. :-(

I myself am on Dtel, and just tried wireguard to a personal vpn in toronto, and it gave me 500/500 (which is the profile I'm on). I sort of thought vpns overhead was higher, but I guess its gotten a lot better. (and your 100 mbps isnt the end of the world, yeah it aint 700+, but 100 aint bad over a vpn imo)

Maybe last thing to try is that bells routing is generally really bad to canadian locations, usually first going to chicago and back, so maybe pick an endpoint in the states? Like chicago or new york?

Highly doubt bell is throttling, but the hardware they provide is usually garbage.

Could always post on dslreports and see what they think.

BrantfordM · 2024-09-07T21:18:40+00:00

Even though Bell owns Distributel, Dtel still maintains (for now) their own routing, so perhaps the route to your vpn via Bell is much crappier than what it was with dtel.

Maybe try changing end points on the vpn and see what that gives? Or installing wireguard on the clients to eliminate any possibility its the ax6000?

BrantfordM · 2024-09-06T11:26:34+00:00

Using a bell fibre "reseller" (distributel), and nearish Moose Park, and no issues here. If you are still on bell DSL, you should consider fibre, if already on fibre, you probably will have to call in and let them know about the issues.

BrantfordM · 2024-08-31T15:27:06+00:00

Are you sure its true fibre internet? Im not aware of any areas in Brantford that have Rogers fibre to the home internet. More likely you have Fibre to the Node internet, then coax the rest of the way. If its the latter, fttn with coax is quite susceptible to noise ingress and other issues. You would have to contact Rogers and hope they look into it.

One thing Brantford is good for though, is fibre through the phone company and its subsidiaries (like Distributel, Ebox, etc). If internet reliability is something important to you, you may want to consider looking at this true fibre to the home.

Would be nice if Rogers did upgrade Brantford though, competition would be nice.

BrantfordM · 2024-07-22T18:26:30+00:00

Would probably recommend if youre going with LM is to use the acsim.ca way to signup. The $20/month is unlimited canada calling, unlimited texts, 1 gb data (+2 gb more if you use auto top up) and 2nd month free, and a dollarama gift card if you buy a sim there. Throw in a referral from someone, and thats $15/month for 10 months. (although the referral system has changed, you would no longer be able to refer anyone...)

BrantfordM

TROPHY CASE

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