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LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 20 May 2012, 16:40
by mrison
What are you experiences of using the Internet with your own machine in the LHR clubhouse?

My colleague and I had an appalling Wi-Fi connection when seated near the playground area (large latency, low throughput). It got a bit better when we sat behind the bar, but even there it wasn't great. I tried a wired (Ethernet) connection and it was no better near the playground area or in the library (where at least some of the RJ45 sockets didn't work at all -- some were marked something like "analogue" or "modem", but even some not marked so and/or marked "ethernet" or "broadband" were non-functional), though it seemed better using an RJ45 socket near the bar.

(I didn't bother reporting this, because I assumed the answer would just be "Have you tried rebooting?". Or is there a sysadmin lurking behind the concierge area at all times?)

Mark

Re: LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 20 May 2012, 17:06
by Tinuks
It's always been alright for me. Only had issues at the JFK clubhouse

Re: LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 20 May 2012, 19:24
by Jeffers555
Never had any issues at all.

Re: LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 20 May 2012, 19:32
by jodash
wife will be annoyed if she can't get her hourly fix of facebook!

Re: LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 20 May 2012, 19:37
by tontybear
well there are some laptops in the library (if you can fight your way past the 'rock stars' and their 'recording studio'!

Re: LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 20 May 2012, 20:17
by preiffer
Would have said the same - it's always been fine for me...

EXCEPT that on Friday, it dropped out continually, downloaded at around 1kbps for most of the time, and in the end I resulted to tethering my laptop through my iPhone and using my iPad instead.

Wasn't just me either - many were complaining, not sure if anything was done.

Maybe they've switched to the same provider who delivers the SFO Clubhouse connection.... ii)

Re: LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 20 May 2012, 20:17
by slinky09
I haven't been to a singel VS clubhouse that has ever had fast and efficient internet connectivity, it's simply one thing VS cannot do well.

Re: LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 20 May 2012, 20:27
by Petmadness
slinky09 wrote:I haven't been to a singel VS clubhouse that has ever had fast and efficient internet connectivity, it's simply one thing VS cannot do well.


That'll be the same awesome VS team that are responsible for this and other fine examples of IT excellence ): ):

Re: LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 20 May 2012, 20:41
by tontybear
Petmadness wrote:
That'll be the same awesome VS team that are responsible for this and other fine examples of IT excellence ): ):


Didn't Fergus have the pleasure of being button holed on a flight once by Honey Lamb on this very issue?

I'm sure Fergus would have recovered enough by now to have done something!

Re: LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 20 May 2012, 23:05
by honey lamb
tontybear wrote:
Petmadness wrote:
That'll be the same awesome VS team that are responsible for this and other fine examples of IT excellence ): ):


Didn't Fergus have the pleasure of being button holed on a flight once by Honey Lamb on this very issue?

I'm sure Fergus would have recovered enough by now to have done something!

:w

Re: LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 21 May 2012, 08:59
by mrison
preiffer wrote:Would have said the same - it's always been fine for me...

EXCEPT that on Friday, it dropped out continually, downloaded at around 1kbps for most of the time, and in the end I resulted to tethering my laptop through my iPhone and using my iPad instead.

Wasn't just me either - many were complaining, not sure if anything was done.

Maybe they've switched to the same provider who delivers the SFO Clubhouse connection.... ii)

I think, from the URL that is followed when you sign in at LHR, that the service is contracted out to someone like the people who provide the Internet terminal service (Spectrum Wireless?).

Still, I'm glad to hear it wasn't just me. Maybe I'll try an email to VS. It was clearly a combination of at least two problems: poor coverage (my colleague had an app which showed signal strengths, and the lounge one was way down, even compared to others!) and some router or similar problem (causing appalling throughput even if you did get through).

Mark

Re: LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 21 May 2012, 09:16
by ilikebluesmarties
I've never been able to connect at the LHR clubhouse with any device over the years. I don't even bother now, just use 3G.

Re: LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 21 May 2012, 09:39
by slinky09
ilikebluesmarties wrote:I've never been able to connect at the LHR clubhouse with any device over the years. I don't even bother now, just use 3G.


I'm with you in the sense that I never bother, just set up a hotspot with Mr iPhone ... fortunately in the US I have a AT&T (or not so fortunately) iPhone and 3G stick, so I tend not to bother connecting to VS WiFi there either ...

Mind you, knowing it's so dire in clubhouses across the world, does make me hope that Aeromobile will be similarly crap, so no one will actually be able to phone anyone onboard :D .

Re: LHR clubhouse -- Internet suckiness

PostPosted: 22 May 2012, 19:49
by at240
preiffer wrote:Would have said the same - it's always been fine for me...

EXCEPT that on Friday, it dropped out continually, downloaded at around 1kbps for most of the time, and in the end I resulted to tethering my laptop through my iPhone and using my iPad instead.

Wasn't just me either - many were complaining, not sure if anything was done.

I was there on Friday and I agree that it was very poor. There was a technician investigating it -- he was sat on the circular seat thing at the entrance with a laptop talking to a VS staffer about the problems.