Ilox Status Update

Both Ilox modems are the same except for the addition of the two ethernet ports. Needed for connecting to the TV, most likely, although any port will do. Most of us need more than two ports these days.

Any WiFi router/access point pretty much is going to have four.

lammrj wrote:No, the larger modem is no better. If I held a laptop next to their modem I got 65mbs, 5 feet away I got less than 5mbs. I purchased a router at Steren (at their techs recommendation) and am getting 30 -45 in the farthest room and 45-70 in the closer rooms and in the 30's outside. I bought the model COM 845 which had a range of 40 meters for 1300 pesos, They have a model 860 with 50 meter range at $1900 but the sales guy didn't think I needed that. Works great, don't forget to turn off the radio in the modem.

So, are you using the router as the wifi access point, and just using the Ilox modem for ethernet connections?

Yes, that would be the way to do it.

Yes.

With the thick walls and floors of concrete and steel, and with steel screen, etc., it is difficult to get a strong WIFI signal in a typical Mexican home.
We solved the problem by using an ethernet cable from one end of the house to another, into a casita, etc. You can have one made in any length you wish, and can even get splitters for side routes. Ask at any computer repair shop, and they can make it for you.
Drilling a hole in walls or ceilings is pretty easy: I always drilled a 1/4 inch pilot hole, going slowly and gently to 'feel for pipes or conduit', then enlarged the hoe with a 1/2" masonry bit. If you avoid concrete 'castillos', which you will feel with the small bit, it is a large enough hole to pass a cable with a plug. It can be caulked shut when the job is done. Use cable clips to secure the cable along its route.

If you know a computer guy, you can keep the drilled holes as narrow as the cable itself, only adding the connectors after the cable has been run. Generally, RJ45 modular plugs.

Right now, I'm still on Telmex (waiting to get hooked up to ILOX, hopefully soon!) My computer sits about six feet away from the modem with no obstructions in between them.. I did a test on Speedtest.net, then immediately did one on Fast.com. Speedtest.net shows me getting 10.71 mbps, while Fast.com shows me only getting 7.16 mbps.

I'm still happy with ILOX. It never goes down qnd right now sitting outside away from the modem I'm getting 23 down and 8.7 up. My guests were thrilled with the higher speeds.

suegarn, as has been stated just because speedtest.net shows that you are getting 10.71 does not, unfortunately, mean that you really are. One can use half a dozen speed tests within a few moments of each other and get sometimes wildly varying results.

ILOX recommends fast.com for speed tests.

"At the moment, Netflix's Fast.com is the only major service-specific speed test available. It measures your download speed by testing your connection between your device and Netflix's servers. It's important to note that "Netflix's servers" refers to the servers they use in their content delivery system called Open Connect, which is a way for ISPs to more easily deliver Netflix content to their customers."

"All things considered, SpeedOf.Me is the best non-ISP internet speed test available. The best thing about this internet speed test service is that it works via HTML5, which is built-in to your browser, instead of Flash or Java, two plugins you'll need to have installed already. On most computers, this makes SpeedOf.Me faster to load and less of a burden on system resources...and almost certainly more accurate. SpeedOf.Me utilizes 80+ servers around the world and your internet speed test is run from the quickest and most reliable one at the given time."

A truly accurate speed test depends on downloading large files, which allows the testing software to average out the speed. Speedof.me does this, but I used to go to tucows.com and just download a huge file.

For serious results using various Provider tests, just pick three or four and run them two or three times, and see which ones show the most similar results. Like when you go to buy a thermometer: check several of them to see which ones match up.

My Ilox was hooked up a few days ago. Current speeds.....with Fast.com...32 Mbps.....with Speedtest.net.....38 Mbps. Much better than what I was getting through Telmex, which was usually 10 Mbps. I'm a happy camper!

I have it, and am thrilled. I got to every web site I want. Down using speedtest app is 75, up is 23.

Mostly, though is just works!!!!

My speeds are great, and even though my house is large and has thick walls it works everywhere. However. I'd still like to get an extender to make it stronger on my porch. I'm leaving soon, so prefer Steren. What's recommended?

Also,, can someone point me to a thread about TV boxes? Now that I've reliable wifi I'd like to drop Shaw.

The phone you use must be plugged into the Ilox "modem", so when the power is out, the phone is too.

IFibre guy was up the cfe pole in front of my house yesterday morning, he said service will be available in a couple of months. Saw them all over SA this morning. TelMex too! Let the internet wars begin.

Telecable was up that pole this morning and I wouldn't be surprised if they removed the IFibre lines!

Guys were working at the Racquet Club on Tuesday

Ilox was installed yesterday. I am in Ajijic centro. Near the modem, I am getting 65 down and 24 up. Farther away in another room, I get more than half that. In 3 days my existing Telmex number will be transferred to Ilox.

Tomgates, you may want to think twice about transferring the number and take notice of what Helperguy posted above.
At the current time, you can access your Telmex telephone line WITHOUT electricity if you just plug the phone jack into its outlet. You would, of course, need an idiot phone (from Walmart) to do that.
With the iLox system, the phone plugs into your modem. If the electricity is out then you will have no phone.
For the 189 pesos per month that Telmex will charge for just the phone line, I will pay it for emergency situations when the electricity is out. Worth it imho.

That's not necessarily true. The phone line jack in the modem might not require electricity and could be a direct passthrough. Is there someone else out there the with a corded phone connected to an Ilox modem that can do a test. Unplug the modem and see a if the phone still works?

Why can't you try it CBob. You're connected aren't you? Or do you only have telephones that require electricity? I will loan my idiot phone to check it out.

I'm going to guess that the phone service is Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), which means it requires the Internet. If there is no power to the Ilox modem, the phone can't work. It's not connected to a Plain Old Telephone System (POTS). Anyone with Ilox phone service can test this by turning off the modem. (I don't have Ilox; I don't need it for the speed, where I am. But I will be signing up so I can offer support in future.)

However, I've sent a question to Ilox tech support to ascertain the details.

ferret wrote:Why can't you try it CBob. You're connected aren't you? Or do you only have telephones that require electricity? I will loan my idiot phone to check it out.

Yes, I have cordless phones that require electricity. My neighbor has a corded one so maybe I'll borrow it later today and try it out.

At this point I am keeping my Telmex line so I can have two phone numbers.

ferret wrote:Tomgates, you may want to think twice about transferring the number and take notice of what Helperguy posted above.
At the current time, you can access your Telmex telephone line WITHOUT electricity if you just plug the phone jack into its outlet. You would, of course, need an idiot phone (from Walmart) to do that.
With the iLox system, the phone plugs into your modem. If the electricity is out then you will have no phone.
For the 189 pesos per month that Telmex will charge for just the phone line, I will pay it for emergency situations when the electricity is out. Worth it imho.

I'm not seeing the issue here.  Buy a cheap cellphone and "problem solved".

The issue is NO electricity. I have a cellphone too. Shit happens.