LYNDARUM/AURORA/SUMMERHILL ESTATES: Epping, Victoria

The older stages are finally bieng moved over to the new providers!

Cabinets locked... but I'm sure I'll get around that!

On a 50Mb plan, we acheived 43Mb download, about 10Mb - 16Mb up so pretty good overrall!

Good to hear DamoAu! Who did you go with? I'm sure you're glad you're not with Arise anymore.

We went with iPrimus. There pricing for internet stand alone suited us better, I am glad were over now, but the arise network has been reasonably decent the past few weeks! I'd also been given 2 free months access, which I only used 3 weeks! oh well, faster internet, better pricing... its all for the best! I'm just glad I have had the mynetfone service now... I don;t need to change phone numbers etc!

Hi everyone. I'm in stage 13 and still waiting for VU to connect the internet (signed up with iprimus ages ago).

My interim service payment stopped in June (the $300 pw) however it has been slow wireless as usual for the past 4 month. I was wondering has anyone, who has not been connected yet, received any compensation after 30th June? I recall that when I received VU's letter asking us to sign up with a provider, it stated that the interim payment will not continue, however vaguely I remember there was also a clause saying the payment may be continued if it is due to VU that internet is not connected for a period.

So far so good!!! Internet speeds are still decent, and FYI regarding the router they install in your box it is a Netgear GS-108 prosafe, so I assume it has a built in firewall, I'd assume this is the same router they would use in the iinet installs to, so if you need to check it's specks and you may just get the extra ports you need! Also most decent antivirus software have firewall protection to, so the issues mentioned regarding no firewall may not be such an issue?

Please anyone with more information please let me know if any of the above is incorrect!

Hi DamoAU,
Which stage are you in? Hopefully I get cut over before the end of the year.
I'm in stage 3. When I signed up with iPrimus, they sent me out a Linksys router which was preconfigured. I don't intend to use it as it's only got 100mb lan ports on it.
My current one has gigabit ports. While I know it won't speed up my Internet, it does make copying large files internally much faster.

That's not the router, that's the switch.

Correct, the model name is "ProSafe" but it has no firewall capabilities at all since it's a switch. Here's the link to specs for the GS-108. I am pretty sure (although not 100%) that I have the same switch in my iiNet-connected cabinet.

We are in stage 6. Apparently they want to try and transfer most people over by christmas. Not sure how they will go.

In the original Arise set up they installed a different netgear router which also has the login and firewall, hence my mistake!

Unfortunately you may have trouble using your own router unless you gain access to your cabinet, this will be left locked after the installers leave, if you don't leave youre existing keys they will change the locks, I left my keys for them, but I know how to get around that problem for myself. They also install a Planet Router that supports the high speed internet that the fibre network we are now connected to, best to see if you can use that, and as far as wired ports go, the switched they install are all Gigabit. The router iPrimus would have sent is only usefull for the wifi side of things and it doesn't log you in to the network.

My graphics card needed new drivers this morning, I was VERY please to download the new drivers - 150Mb - IN UNDER 30 SECONDS!!!

I was very pleased I also saw it download at 4.55MB/s! Looking promising at this stage!

Totally unrelated to prevailing topics re internet use but i just felt i had to vent.

i have noticed all too frequently that there is dog excrement on nature strips. this strongly suggests that dog owners are too lazy to clean up after their dogs. while i understand the need for dogs to exercise and 'poo'; surely they should be toilet trained to 'go' in their owner's property instead of in public spaces where children (and others) could potentially trod on dog feces. Its just not hygienic.

For those dog owners that are 'doing the right thing' ... great stuff ... and for those dolts that think that someone else's nature strip is their dog's personal toilet - next time pick up after your dog or you will be liable to be fined per council regulations - i bet you wouldn't like it if someone's dog 'decorated' your nature strip...

vent off.

Sooooo true verve. It's irritating. I also see a cat around my house every day and night. It just relieves it self everywhere around the place. I wish the owners understand and start taking the responsibility of their pets.

I've just noticed that channel 11 is now available on Foxtel. When I choose that channel though I get a no signal error. Does anyone else get that?

Not just the nature strip!!!

We are getting fresh excrement every few days on our front lawn and even on the ground cover. I am not impressed.

I totally agree, I had an argument once with a lazy that let her dog poo on a neighbours front lawn... I looked at her and said... "I hope your going to clean that up" to which she responded "Mind your own business", My reply was that it was my business as I like my neighbour and don;t think its fair for her to leave her dogs poo there... She just walked off and ignored it. Rude and arrogant, I walk my dogs in the estate, and while I can't control their need to go, I do carry bags to clean up behind them, Not many bins around to use - Even at the off leash dog park! but still clean up after your pets!

On another note, We seem to have some people in this estate who would rather ring the council and try to get someone fined rather than talk to your neighbours.... Not liking that behaviour..... I maintain my gardens - regularly and thoroughly! but if I leave the smallest debris, or my sprinklers are on at the wrong time, we get a visit from the council...

What's the best way to stop these dogs and cats menace? Which authority do we contact and how do we point finger at?
For eg. How do we get that lady with the dog held responsible?
How do I get the cat wandering around my house to stop. No one knows that cats owner.

Hi all,

Has anyone ever seen any foxes around our estate? If I am not mistaken, I have seen it twice. Once a few weeks back early in the morning in Great brome avenue and the second time today a few minutes back on the junction of hemlock way and verde Pde. The one that I saw right now was pretty closely. I could make out that it was a fox by it's mouth and it's distinctive tail and the size of it's body.

I've seen quite a few foxes and rabbits around the estate. We're near the creek so are very close to the undeveloped areas where they live. They're generally pretty scared of humans, so aren't any danger but if you have pets you might want to make sure there's no holes under your fences for them to get into your backyard. We had quite a few in our backyard before will closed the gaps and they often left their deposits behind, it's not only pets that do this.

Regarding wandering cats, some councils will provide cat traps for you to setup in your yard, once you catch it you take it to the pound and the council will contact and fine the owner if it's registered or microchipped, otherwise it will be put up for adoption or eventually killed. I don't know what the whittlesea council provides, but if it's a problem the council is a good place to ask for assistance. But as mentioned by the other poster, the council should be a last resort, try talking to your neighbours to find out where the cat comes from.

There's specific times for sprinklers? I didn't know that. What times are you allowed to turn them on? I'm still a new City of Whittlesea council resident, is there a central resource for all these local laws?

There's water restrictions, check the Yarra Valley Water website for details. However, if you're using recycled water on your garden, there's no restriction on it's use - you can even hose your driveway with it if you're into that sort of thing.