"France Free" ISP performance

[Steve Last]

I've been using the "France Free" IP for the last couple of years with no complaints until just recently when the performance seems to have gone right down: typically I can get a quick log-on but the received data rate is so slow that my email provider thinks it has dropped off - I am talking about only 350 bytes received after 30 seconds and just sitting for a minute or more with maybe 1200 bytes received.

Is anybody else having this problem and does anyone have an alternative recommendation for a free ISP (broadband not available here unfortunately).

Steve

  

 

[Dick Smith]

I assume you mean free.fr? I have also found it to be very slow recently, although the stated connection speed was OK. It was a huge relief to come back to the UK and broadband, roll on BB in Normandy.

[Steve Last]

Yes, france.fr is the one I mean.  This time it took 9 log-ons to get any reaction, sitting with 1800 bytres sent and 200 received for 30 - 40 seconds, then suddenly I get one which is normal speed. All the time it is reading "logged on at 45.6 kbps" or whatever.........

Steve 

[Dick Smith]

What I often get with free.fr is such a delay when opening a page that the modem (I think) cuts the connection with an error message 'the other side is not responding'. I also get 'page not found' and when I try again it is - that is very common. I think it's like most free services - you get what you pay for.

[Richard-R]

I have found when i use a free dail-up service it is best to disconnect and reconnect every 30min's or so to keep a good bit rate. Even with my paid for anytime service with tiscali.fr i log on and off every hour or so if i need a good download speed.

[Philipfry]

>does anyone have an alternative recommendation for a free ISP

I've been using FreeSurf.fr for around three years now - while we're over here that is. Just now I got on at 42,667 bps, which I don't think is too bad at all, its usually around 44,000 bps from my English ISP.

Just as a matter of interest: I was slightly surprised at how these speeds improved in the short period of 2/3 years between updating computers. Shows how tecknology keeps improving.

Philip

[Ianhaycox]

I think free.fr have been having some major DNS problems over the last few days. Their own web site dropped off the net over the weekend and ping times from the DNS servers have been > 1 sec (sometimes 2 or 3 secs). It's no good having a 45K connection with nowhere to go. This affects web surfing more than straight downloads because of the huge number of name resolutions you now need to perform on just a basic web site (ad's, sponsors etc.).

[Dick Smith]

I had similar problems for all of August, and they seem to be continuing still (I collect my French mail in England via webmail, and often I get an error message that a connection has not been made).

[Boghound]

Well, well. This forum does have some informative posts sometimes, that are even of interest to a bugger like me.

My friend, who has an account with Free.fr at €14.95 a month, has been driving me mad about his connection or lack of it. Even to the point of connecting a new modem.

At least now, perhaps, he will believe me when I say it's his useless ISP.

[Steve Last]

Thanks for all the comments, I see I'm not alone anyway.

By the way does anyone else have difficulty with the new appearance of the forum?  I am finding it far harder to use with the fancy graphics and have posted some messages on the LF Magazine and Website area. Basic problem is that many things are almost illegible due to tiny text size, lack of contrast and generally unnecessary formatting for such ephemeral stuff as  forum messages.  Do we really need all this MS Word formatting??? Also I wanted to post this as reply to an individual message as was done before - but it appears taht I can only respond to my own original message - unless there's another illegible button for that too!!  

Steve