Shaw vs Telus as your ISP for a small computer network: resolving DNS / IP failure issues.
I run a small computer network and have been using both Shaw cable (Xtreme-I currently) and Telus High Speed ADSL over the past 6+ years as dual ISP (Internet Service Provider).
Both Shaw and Telus provide a good level of performance under normal conditions. With both Shaw and Telus, I've had occasional outages, primarily due to weather events and power outages, over the years. For the big outages, both Shaw and Telus provided reasonable updates on service restoration progress and service usually returned with hours or days in the worst case. Fortunately, for my connectivity needs, the Shaw and Telus failures for reasons other than local power failures, were mostly uncorrelated. Two ISPs does improve my internet availability.
In 2007, I have had to work through a new problem which I'll call the DNS (Domain Name Service) and IP issue with both Telus and Shaw. I expect that the root cause of my DNS/IP issue was CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) related. Specifically, the internet protocol versions supported by a router purchased several years ago may not match the protocol versions required by your ISP. Internet interface standards continue to evolve very quickly so equipment obsolesce / equipment upgrades are real issues.
The Problem: The DNS/IP issue looked very similar on both Shaw and Telus. Specifically, modem status lights would appear normal but the network would not assign an IP address or a DNS host IP which meant no internet access. But the modem lights all blink correctly. In affect, although I could connect to the network, the network was ignoring my computer network.
Shaw's Response to my DNS/IP Issue (Q2 2007): When I contacted Shaw technical support with a DNS/IP issue, their technician ran through modem level tests, saw some level irregularities and very quickly assigned a service call. The problem cleared 1/2 day later so I cancelled the service call. However, during an earlier and unrelated Shaw service call, the Shaw service technician suggested that I upgrade my Cisco router firmware to the latest available firmware versions-- specifically, open source firmware called Tomato was available and unofficially recommended by the Shaw technician for ensuring reliable operation. When the DNS/IP Issue reappeared 4 weeks later, I investigated the Tomato firmware further and saw that Tomato firmware upgrades were available with dates a few months old while my manufacture firmware version updates ended December 2003. To cut to the chase, I upgraded a spare router to the latest Tomato firmware version, reset my Shaw modem, connected my upgraded router and the DNS/IP issue on Shaw was cleared. No problems since -- blazing speed and rock solid connectivity. All good with Shaw.
Telus's Response to my DNS Issue (November 2007, Trouble Ticket # 101-564-xxxx): When the DNS/IP issue occurred for a prolonged period of time on Telus, I contacted Telus technical support, and I got a technician who insisted that I connect my computer directly to the ADSL modem and that I disable all anti-virus and firewalls. (The remove your router and remove your firewalls appears part of the standard Telus support team script -- the degree to which each technician sticks to this position does vary.) Based on previous support calls to Telus, for their network problems, I did have a computer directly connected to the ADSL modem -- since I had no internet service there is little risk in bypassing my router. However, on this day, this particular Telus technician was most insistent that without my disabling all anti virus and fire walls, he would not be able to do anything else for me. At that moment, my directly connected computer did get an IP address and the default Telus gateway for an unregistered devise. Since, in my normal configuration with Telus, I register my router's MAC address and then connect multiple computers to my router, I asked for a trouble ticket number in case I need to resume this Telus discussions in future and terminated the call feeling that service should be back to normal since the network was now responding. I didn't see any need to let give this technician unrestricted access to my computer.
As soon as I reconnected the Telus modem to my router, the network DNS/IP assignments stopped working (i.e. the network stopped responding) and remanded off line even when I reconnected my computer directly to the ADSL modem. After several re-configuration tries, across multiple computers and routers, I still had no DNS/IP response from the Telus network so I called technical support again and gave them my TT #. On this 2nd call, I took a don't ask and don't tell policy with respect to my firewall which I left up. Fortunately, this time, I got a different technician who asked me to reset several networking services on my computer, enquired about configuration settings, etc. without pushing my firewall button. After the technician confirmed that the Telus network was still not responding to my directly connected computer, the technician called Telus network support (probably a higher level support group at Telus). After a 10 to 20 minute wait, the technical came back and said that there was a Telus DNS service issue that was probably affecting for my area. The apparent network issue had started approximately 1 hour before I may my initial trouble report (101-564-xxxx). Nice information, but I sure wish that I was told about this outage when I first called with my problem -- I had after all told them that my problem was no DNS / IP response from their network.
This new information about the Telus network issue caused me to open a Telus package that arrived a few weeks earlier out of the blue without any explanation. The Telus package contained a new 2wire ADSL modem with a built in wireless router. Apparently Telus is providing this new ADSL modem/router free of charge to its High Speed subscribers, or so that is the story that both the technical support people and billing people at Telus have told me.
I did try use the new Telus modem to see if the Telus network problem would clear. After several tries, I was still unable to connect to the Telus network using the new Telus modem. I also noticed that Telus did NOT provide me the login password for the router portion of their modem package and that Telus required Telus software to be installed on each computer I would be connecting to the new ADSL modem/router. Given the choice between trusting Telus or trusting COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) software for the protection of the computers on my network, I quickly decided to expunge the Telus software from my computer and go back to using my own ADSL modem, router and blocking Telus access to my computers.
Given my past router experience with Shaw in resolving a DNS/IP network issue, I decided to upgrade another spare router to the latest Tomato firmware versions (the router had previously been running with Telus had original vendor firmware dating from 2004). However, I was still unable to connect my router or the new Telus 2w ADSL modem/router, to the Telus network in the late afternoon, I called technical support, gave them my TT# and asked for an update on the outage. After several minutes the Telus technician was able to confirm that their network DNS issue may not have been resolved and I would know it was resolved if my service returned. This Telus technical could not or would not provide me any further information on when their issue might be cleared.
24 hours after my initial problem report, the Telus service was back to normal -- I could register the MAC address of my router and connect multiple computers to the Telus network. Service was back to normal. I never did retry the new Telus 2W modem/router but I expect it would also have been working correctly.
Why I recommend Shaw but not Telus:
- Shaw's technical support is infinitely easier to work with to resolve access issues. Shaw always starts by testing the cable modem and then asking configuration questions. Shaw doesn't automatically ask to have routers removed and firewalls disabled.
- Telus technical support appears disorganized at best. The folks you get to talk to don't really know what is going on in the Telus network and they tend to follow a fixed my way or the highway kind of scripts when a customer calls. The network people at Telus who do appear to know what is going on don't appear to talk much with the only technicians you get to speak with when you report your problem. Telus has never given me any advance warning about network changes could impact my service and the technicians on my recent TT 101-564-xxxx report confirmed that this information was NOT available anywhere on the web for my access or even internally for their access.
- Telus's apparent attempts to flog their CPE equipment and bump my monthly bill is very offensive. Yes, Telus does insist the new modem is free of charge but I sure don't see it as free of charge when the new Telus modem arrives right after my monthly bill was hiked by $4.60. And years ago the Telus monthly modem rental fee was $5 a month if you didn't supply your own modem. It sure looks like Telus just added a modem rental charge to my bill even though I had supply my own modem and my modem continues to work without issue. Since I wasn't informed about the increase, this sure looks like a sharp business practice on Telus's part.
- Telus's strategy of trying to install some Telus supplied software on each of my computers is offensive because it turns out that Telus was charging me $5.95 a month for Internet Security (anti-virus software etc) . But, I have never installed the Telus software, so why was Telus charging me for this software in the first place? Another sharp business practise? Note: if you see this Internet Security charge on your Telus bill and you are NOT using the Telus software then do call billing and ask to have this charge removed on future bills and ask to have 3 months rebated (or more if you can get it!!).
- Telus's software strategy is also a security risk to my local network since, when I install the Telus software and give Telus access, I have to trust each and every Telus technician with my business data on my computers each and every hour of every day I'm connected to Telus. I've decided to NOT add the Telus technicians to my trust list for my business data. Also, by purchasing my own anti-virus and firewall software, I get the full benefits of COTS software -- I can pick the best of class software that is widely by many users on many different ISP from around the world as opposed to the Telus approach of eat the Telus dog food, its good for you!!
- If you need the benefits of multiple ISPs for internet connectivity, then I am confident that Shaw is a good 1st/2nd choice but I'm no longer sure Telus is a reasonable 2nd option. Note: Telus and the Canadian telecoms has had to open their copper wire pair to 3rd party ASDL service suppliers. I will definitely be looking for an alternative ADSL suppliers in the future. If you know of a good ADSL ISP in the Vancouver area, please do send me an e-mail at db@pokerpulse.com.
- Finally, although Telus have somewhat fixed their automated answering system in the past year, I still find the Telus automated phone system a horrible system. I am still having to give my phone number multiple times and listen to a chatty computer voice. Ugh!! Make it go away!!
Router conclusions:
- Neither Shaw or Telus will give you an official router requirement specification. That may be fair enough since such a specification would be a bit complex for casual reading.
- When you first purchase a router, a vendor such as Future Shop can certainly recommend a router model that is currently compatible with Shaw and Telus. I do recommend making your router purchase at Future Shop since they give you a 30 day price guarantee and you can bring the router back for a refund if the router didn't meet your needs (i.e. fix your Shaw or Telus problem). This 30 day return policy certainly keeps Future Shop in the know on what currently works with Shaw and Telus which is the main reason Future Shop get my recommendation.
- Once your router is several years old and once you start to see ISP IP and DNS network issues, it is very likely time to look into upgrading your router. As a first step always check with the router's manufacturer's support site for firmware updates. However, manufactures tend to stop supplying firmware updates after a few years (or even months), so, you are eventually left with the choice of looking for an open source firmware solution (the Tomato firmware is applicable to some of the Cisco LinkSys routers, but there are other open source firmwares available so do a deep Google search and see what is available for your router model). Other wise, you can go back to Future Shop and buy the latest and greatest router every few years to keep up with the apparent requirements of your ISP for network access.
- Upgrading your router firmware with open source firmware has its own risks (the upgrade could fail and destroy your router) but without a firmware upgrade that implements the current versions of IP networking protocols, your router will become a door-stop as it stops working with Shaw and Telus. I've never had a firmware upgrade fail and this step has extended the usable life of several of my routers.
- I Q3 2007 I did setup a small network for a friend and the Future Shop purchased router connected to the Shaw network with issue. The DNS/IP issue did not appear for my friend and I would definitely not risk moving this new router to open source firmware just yet.
- Your home router isn't an install and forget about it kind of devise like say your DVD player. Rather it is closer to a computer running Bill's software and requiring periodic updates. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any ISP that properly documents router requirements for access to their networks.
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