TalkTalk 'support' - a joke, and an expensive one.

[abstibus]

I have been trying to have a fault with my wireless broadband resolved with TT for the past 3 days. My laptop says wireless network is available (Tiscali) but when I enter my key/password I am told it is invalid.
It has 12 digits/letters and I never had any problems when the company was Tiscali. Now I am supposed to have 5 or 13 characters or 10 or 26 characters using digits 0-9 and letters A-F.
Have spent over 90 minutes on the phone going over the same old routine of checking settings, etc, to no avail - except for what will probably be a huge phone bill.
A callback from the engineer was arranged for today 5 - 7 pm - nothing. Called TT again, and was cut off!
Has anyone else had problems with this company? I am just so angry and frustrated that I had to let of steam.

[ask100]

I have been in a similar position to you since the end of August when TalkTalk said they were upgrading the webmail platform. Problem after problem with the customer paying large bills for frustrating phone calls to help centres which don't seem to know a thing. I have had three engineer calls and had my router changed twice. I have internet tonight but tomorrow who knows?
TalkTalk are ALL TALK and very little effective action. I am on the brink of changing suppliers.

[alexanderd]

I was with tiscali and had lots of problems, switched to Orange and never had any trouble for last 3 years

[funnygirl]

I too was with tiscali am now with Sky and I have not had any trouble.

[ChuckFickens]

Talk talk, tiscali, or any broadband provider is responsible for providing you with broadband upto your telephone socket, your wireless network inside your house is not their responsibility.

All you need to do is log into the admin page for your router from any computer that is connected to the router and you can see what the correct wireless key is. if you post the make and model of the router I can give better directions on how to do that.

(as a side note, if your wireless key is in the format of 0-9 and A-F then you are using WEP security and WEP is next to useless as security, it can be broken in well under 1 minute.)

[denis567]

I would not touch TalkTalk with a bargepole. I signed an 18 months contract with them a couple of years ago and despite numerous letters and phone calls I never did manage to get my broadband from them.

[abstibus]

For Chuckfickens, please
Hi, Chuck
I managed to get the problem resolved for 3 days but now back to the same old ' no wireless' and calls to TT.
I see that you have offered to help - as I am almost technologically illiterate I would be very grateful indeed. I have copied your reply below and will try to answer what I can - perhaps you can help me further? I would really appreciate it .
All you need to do is log into the admin page for your router from any computer that is connected to the router and you can see what the correct wireless key is. if you post the make and model of the router I can give better directions on how to do that.

(as a side note, if your wireless key is in the format of 0-9 and A-F then you are using WEP security and WEP is next to useless as security, it can be broken in well under 1 minute.)

The router is Siemens SE587. Is the wireless key the 1 - 11? if so. they have changed it from 8 to 11 to 6 (today).
If it is not this, then the key they have given me is in the format you said could be easily broken.
Problem is, how do I repair via AB without the entire world knowing what I am doing?
Many thanks indeed.

[MrMister]

TalkTalk = nightmare!!

[ChuckFickens]

that makes life easy, I've got one of those in the cupboard :)

You have to do this with a computer that is connected to the router using an Ethernet cable, then simply click the link below (or open your browser and type the address below into the address bar and hit enter)

http://192.168.1.1

This should take you straight to the admin pages for the router. Once it's loaded click on the word wireless in the grey bar along the top.

In the first page that comes up all you need to do is change the wireless network name (SSID) to what ever you want it to be, this is the name that your network publicly broadcasts so you can find it and distinguish it from other peoples networks.

Then click on the word security in the dark grey box on the left hand side (not the light grey bar along the top)

On that page there should only be two things to change. first select WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK from the drop down menu next to security mode and then the only other option should be the WPA Shared Key, just type whatever you want in there as your wireless password/key. you can put what you want as long as it's between 8 to 63 letters/numbers

Once that's done, select save settings go to the laptop and you should now be able to find and connect to a wireless network called what you set in step one and using the key you set in step two.

[abstibus]

For Chuckfickens
Hi, Chuck
Thanks so much for your reply.
I have done what you suggested - this is also what I had been doing at great expense on the TT call line as instructed by the call centre chap(s).
My laptop icon and the screen tells me I am connected to the network but when I try IO or Tiscali broadband it will not connect. I have tried with 2 laptops - using Vista and XP.
What on earth can I do now?
Many thanks
annemollie

[abstibus]

For Chuckfickens
It worked!!!!!
I clicked the icon on the bottom menu bar and hallelujah!
I am very, very grateful to you.

[ChuckFickens]

Can you answer a question and do a couple of tests then..

are you using the Internet OK with a computer that is connected to that router using a wire? (I assume that's how you are posting here)

and for the tests, (these directions are for the XP laptop)

Click on the start button and select run and then in the run box that comes up type the 3 letters CMD and press enter, this will open up a black command prompt window, click on that window once so you can type in it and type the follow command

ping 192.168.1.1

And press enter, you should get back 4 lines in response which will all be nearly the same, post back exactly what any one line says.

Next type the following and again post back exactly what one response is

ping 64.237.61.68

An finally the following, again post any one line of the response.

ping www.theanswerbank.co.uk

[ChuckFickens]

LOL...

OK ignore my last post then, glad it's working.

[abstibus]

Chuck
I will keep your replies ... just in case!
I have another (unconnected) question for you, as you are better than an online search engine - what were liquor ladles originally used for - not that I am using them, you understand - I wouldn't be able to stand upright if I were to serve fillings of these to guests, and neither would they.
Many thanks
a-m