Hi Forum Members, my first post.

For some time now my Limewire will consistently not connect at certain times of the day. My ISP is an unlimited account with Tiscali.co.uk.
Despite the unlimited account, I am aware of their Fair Usage Policy in that between 18.00hrs and 23.00hrs, for good reasons, high downloads will be restricted. This is very clear and I accept this condition of the contract.
I do not use Limewire or other downloading software during these hours and I have never had any communication from my ISP that there is any problem in the use of my account. However I am finding that my Limewire will not connect up to two to three hours prior to and after the restricted period.
It will sometimes just sit there indication "Starting Connection" and sometimes it will show "Waiting for stable connections" in the status column of the downloads.
Before I speak to my ISP, is there anything that could be causing this other than an ISP problem.
Like I said it is so consistently colse to the restriction period, and it always works flawlessly outside of this period, that I suspect that my server / area is having extra time restrictions applied, outside the agreed contract and terms of the Fair Usage Policy.
Anybody goot any similar experiences or knowledge ?

Thanks Pommie5

Hi...

First, I am not able, now, to give you a specific and cogent 'fix' to your current problem...

But, it is so refreshing to be exposed to such a clear and intelligent post that I cannnot resist replying with the simple message to you to please be patient...
Patient re: these Gnutellaforums... Simple... It is Friday afternoon in EU and late in Asia and where the wallabees frolic and too early for many of the colonials in Americas Sur y Norte to be around !!!

PLEASE don't give up here as I assure you that you will soon encounter others who have almost certainly experienced the same problem(s)...

Normally, the very LAST thing you EVER want to do is to 'speak with your ISP' re: p2p issues !

In the interim, please try to consider any other 'things' (configuration changes, new apps installed, well- anything extraneous to your normal ops... right ?

Last, in your next post, pls provide the simple basics re: your

Comp
OS
LW version
Router or Modem type & Software version
and
er
anything else you feel may be germane...

Ooooohhhh....

And...

Welcome !

__________________
Fusion for REAL!--CDex 1.51--Wackyuses--Bitzi - Check Files Before Download !--.mp3 File Name Change Problems? Try Rename-It!--Alternate PORTS--Avast- Anti-Virus--WindowWasher--IrfanView--PC Pitstop - Test your PC !--Mac OSX Troubleshooting--GO .ape ! - For 'Lossless' Audio Compression--Port :6346 - Test If It Is 'Blocked'--Cole2k Codecs--OldVersion - Newer isn't always better !
Nod32 - Free Virus Scan: Use ESET's Online Antivirus Scanner

Tomorrow's forecast:
Sunni in places, Shi'ite in others...

Pommie5...It most definatley sounds like Tiscali are extending there hours on you...I've heard of the 5pm to 11pm and the 6pm to 12pm peak times....
Do you think you have popped up on their radar as a heavy downloader ??

I think because you can connect without a problem (aside from the times you are stating) that Tiscali are not being very fair with their Fair Use Policy...

__________________


If you dont live for something...
You die for nothing...

Just from a quick Google search, at least one other person finds they're being hit by the FUP outside of the normal hours
Tiscali Forums - Can I get fup'd outside peak hours.

Maybe if you have a look around that Tiscali forum, you'll find some more info.

Some Tiscali users have been able to connect after changing ports. In LW go tools > options > advanced > firewall config. There you can change LW's listening port. Try port 64049 (or something in the range of 49152 - 65535). No guarantees that it'll help, but it's an easy thing to try

If you have port forwarding set up for a modem/router, the port forwarded will also have to change!

Thank you Ursula for the welcome, and for all the replies from members. Much appreciated, thank you.
Yes, talking to ISP's ref to downloads etc is going to be difficult. I wanted to get all the information I could before I speak to Tiscali them. This is going to even more difficult with my broad Northern British accent and their rather different Indian English accent from the technical assistance people in New Delhi. I always seem to spend half the time asking them to repeat what they have said. They must think it strange, but I am not on my own in having difficulty understanding the spoken words with a heavy Indian accent.
Yes I am at times a heavy downloader, but Tiscali policy is clear and there is no stated problem or restrictions that will be made outside the time periods laid out in their FUP.
I will go and have a trawl through the Tiscali forums and see what I can find. Got the port change info too. Thank you Birdy.
Will come back when I get anything and post my results or otherwise.

Sent this 2nd August. Still waiting for reply

Customer02/06/2007 01.36 PM I understand and accept the terms of your Fair Usage Policy. However, I am unable to use my Limewire P2P programme up to 3 hours BEFORE or AFTER your stated period of 6pm to 11pm. It just will not transfer or receive data. Sometimes it will start working again at 11.30pm in the evening, but most often It will be two to three hours later.
I need to know if I am I being restricted more than the time stated in the contract agreement ?.
I have never had any communication from Tiscali that I am in any restricted group or catagory.
Could you please tell me if I am in any specific restricted catagory other than the normal FUP hours restriction.

I bet they don't reply to you, or if they do they will say "the problem isn't from our end"...Stand up to them, let us know how you get on...

__________________


If you dont live for something...
You die for nothing...

Well I got a reply

Dear Customer Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center. Below is a summary of your request and our response.

If this issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may reopen it within the next 7 days.




SubjectFair Usage Policy. Discussion Thread Response (Bhagyashree Gujar)07/06/2007 05.55 AMDear Mr.

Thank you for contacting Tiscali Customer Support.

I understand from your email that you wish to know whether you are restricted in Fair Usage Policy.

I understand your concern and will be glad to assist you. Well, I have checked our records and found that your account is not under restriction of Fair Usage Policy. To avoid being treated as heavy user, I recommend that you restrict the heavy usage of the Internet in the peak hours i.e. between 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tiscali's Fair Usage Policy is designed to make sure your broadband service is quick and reliable whenever you use it. A very small number of customers use Peer to Peer or file sharing software which constantly sends and receives video and other very large files, throughout the day. This type of activity uses a lot of bandwidth and can significantly reduce the speed at which other customers can access the Internet during peak hours.

Please visit the following to web site to know more about our Fair Usage Policy:

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/products/broadband/fair-usage-policy.html?code=ZZ-NL-11XY



NEXT STEP WILL BE THIS EVENING WHEN MY LIMEWIRE WILL NOT WORK AND I WILL CONTACT CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Excellent...

__________________


If you dont live for something...
You die for nothing...

Sorry to hear of yet another person unhappy with Tiscali in the UK.
Here is a link to other posts on the subject, and you can also type in '' Tiscali '' in the search window of the forum. Many Many problems with this company,and the unfair and underhand tactics with the ''Fair use policy'' if you can get a reasoned response from them please post to the forum !!
Very best of luck, when my contract is up , I shall vote with my feet.
http://www.gnutellaforums.com/downlo...tml#post207219
Newbee2
PS. Stated hours of 'Peak Times ' i.e. 6.00pm to 11.00pm,' mean nothing, recently they have been moving this later and later,sometimes you can't connect until after midnight !!!!!!

__________________
''Kindness is the hardest thing to give away,it keeps coming back''