General

How do I obtain technical support for my Internode service?

You can log non-urgent queries with us by using our tracking system, which is accessed on our web site at here. This site has a form that you can fill in to tell us what you need, and enough about you to understand the nature of your assistance request.

Note that if you need to just check the current status of your account, you can do this online, via our online accounts access service at https://secure.internode.on.net/myinternode/. You can check your current usage data, your 'anniversary day' for billing purposes, and various other items of information.

If you would like to talk to one of our staff about anything at all, or if your technical support issue is urgent (and can't wait for us to process and respond to your online support query), you can call us on 13 66 33 (13 NODE)

What is my login username, and my email access details?

At or before the time that your ADSL service is fully provisioned for you to use, you will be provided with login access details by Internode for your service.

• Your ADSL username will be of the form username@internode.on.net
• Your ADSL access password will also be provided along with the username.

Use these details to log in using PPPoE or PPPoA on your ADSL service - either using PPPoE software on your computer, or by using an ADSL router/firewall unit which has built in PPPoA or PPPoE software.

You can find information about all the other configuration options you'll need by visiting http://www.internode.on.net/support/.

What local servers does Internode have?

Lots of them!

The main ones are: mail server, news server, web servers, games servers, etc etc.

See our General config page in the Support section for the hostnames of these systems.

You can find the Internode Games Network servers at http://games.internode.on.net and the Internode Mirror server at http://mirror.internode.on.net.

We are pleased to note that our Games Network and Mirror servers provide access which is un-metered (does not add to your download assessment) for Internode ADSL customers - so 'game on', download and enjoy!

Ping, Latency and Speed

What 'ping times' can I expect from my Internode ADSL service?

The 'unloaded' ping times which can be expected from an Internode ADSL service range from 12-40 milliseconds (from an ADSL service to an Internode server in the same state), through to 60-100 milliseconds (typical) to reach most well-connected sites in another state in Australia.

International performance varies widely, round trip times from 200 to 400 milliseconds are common.

Please remember, as a factor in this, when comparing 'ping times' with other people in Australia, that issues related to interstate switching overheads, and (most significantly) the speed of propagation of electrons in fibre and copper cables, means that transiting between states does add significant and additional (20-40 milliseconds typical) round trip time to your pings - and even more if you are looking at (for instance) Perth to Brisbane transmission, or some other similarly large distance).

Also, the underlying load on your own ADSL service (i.e. any background downloads you are running, or any data being served out to others on your service) will substantially affect 'ping' times as a normal consequence of that load on the network.

Finally it is possible for congestion elsewhere in the overall data path between your premises and your destination to adversely affect ping times for short periods as well (or sometimes, for long periods, depending on the nature of the issue).

Having said all of that, if your round trip time does not seem 'reasonable' to you, based on your prior experiences or on other data, you should feel free to open a support query with us via our online support request tool and we'll be happy to look into it for you. Faults in the underlying Telstra xDSL infrastructure are also possible, so if in doubt, do report it to us.

When making such a report, it is very very helpful if you give us some details, specifically including your name, your Internode client ID or Internode username, the ping times you are getting (and to where), and if possible, a 'trace route' output to the destination(s) concerned as well.

Why is latency ('ping time') higher for lower speed ADSL services?

We observe empirically that the lower speed an ADSL service happens to be, the higher the time recorded for a 'ping' test (or other measures of round trip latency) on the service.

We believe that some of this latency is a function of interleaving settings in the Telstra exchange DSL equipment, but some (relatively!) simple mathematics demonstrates that most of it can be explained simply by the physics of the situation.

Obviously a lower line speed -does- mean that a packet takes longer to transit a network link than it would do at a higher speed - because a slower ADSL service is, well, slower (!) - but how much does this affect things, and is it consistent with observations in the real world on the Telstra xDSL network?

Lets take a test case, and 'work the numbers':

A 64 byte ping packet is sent from a customer site to a router attached directly to our Telstra interconnect point in a capital city, and back again to the customer, with a resulting observed 'ping time'

Even at a minimum sized (64 byte, typically) ping packet, this observed ping time is substantially affected by the speed of the ADSL service concerned.

So here goes:

That packet consists of 64 bytes. Adding a notional 32 bytes for IP overhead, and multiplying by 8 to convert from bytes to bits, we get an approximate number of bits sent:

( 64 + 32 ) x 8 = 768 bits

Since ping and traceroute measure round-trip delay, we need to calculate the time to get the bits 'out' and then add in the time for them to get back.

So lets calculate the time needed to transmit this data in both directions through each of the 'standard' three line speeds. We need to calculate the transmission time for the packet in each direction, allowing for the two different (upstream and downstream) data speeds.

What we'll find is that its the 'upload' direction that really 'hurts'

Time (latency) = bit count divided by Bit rate.

Each line speed is quoted in kilobits per second, and hence needs to be multiplied by 1024 as part of this calculation. The ATM cell tax inherent in ADSL ATM circuits means that the effective throughput needs to be de-rated by a factor of approximately 0.88, meaning that the effective throughput in bits-per-second is achieved by multiplying the line speed by 1024 and then by 0.88:

e.g. A line speed of '1500' actually achieves (1500 * 1024 * 0.88) 1351680 bits per second of customer data rate in practice (give or take some averaging of the effects of the cell tax - this is not an exact calculation, and in fact the cell tax can be -worse- on small packets than on larger ones because the impact of 'not quite' fitting into a cell has a higher percentage effect on a small IP packet)

Anyway, for all the 'usual' Australian line speeds, here is the result:

'1500'	means 1,351,680 bits per second of achieved throughput
'512'	means 461,373 bits per second
'256'	means 230,686 bits per second
'128'	means 115,343 bits per second
'64'	means 57,676 bits per second

Now we can calculate the time to move that 64 byte ping packet through each of the line speeds that Telstra offers, by dividing the bits-per-packet by the real rate in bits-per-second, and remembering to do this for BOTH the inward and the outward direction:

@ 1500/256:	(768 / 1351680) + (768 / 230686) = 0.00388 seconds (3.88 ms)
@ 512/128:	(768 / 461373) + (768 / 115343) = 0.00831 seconds (8.31 ms)
@ 256/64:	(768 / 230686) + (768 / 57676) = 0.01663 seconds (16.63 ms)

So we'd expect, using 1500/256 as a baseline, to see an extra 4.43 ms at 512/128, and an extra 12.75 ms at 256/64, in terms of ping times.

The actual observed ping times at each line speed under optimal conditions are approximately:

• 1500/256: 12-16 ms (lets say '15ms') observed - lets call this the reference point (which allows for the other switching path latencies in the path)
• 512/128: 24-28 ms (lets say '25 ms') observed. This is: 10 ms higher than 1500/256, and we expect to see it being 4 ms higher. So there seems to be an extra 6 ms in there.
• 256/64: 35-40 ms (lets say '37ms') observed. This is: 22 ms higher than we observe at 1500/256, and we expect to see it being only 13 ms higher - so there seems to be an extra 9 milliseconds in there.

So in summary:

• At 512/128, we'd expect an extra 4 ms and we see an extra 10 ms
• At 256/256, we'd expect an extra 13 ms and we see an extra 22 ms
• So we can explain a fair bit, but not all, of the latency difference on these services on this basis.
• We suspect that the additional latency difference is a function of the use of 'interleaving' in the Telstra xDSL network. Interleaving is something that can be enabled in a DSL network in order to improve the reliability of data transmission over longer distances. What this higher reliability does do is sacrifices some latency in order to do it.

We observe, on our own in-house DSL hardware, that interleaving 'costs' about 8-16 milliseconds in latency terms. Which is pretty consistent with the additional latency that we can't otherwise explain above.

There are good technical arguments for keeping interleaving enabled in a DSL network - in general, higher reliability of service is valued by customers above and beyond an additional 8-16 ms of latency.

So, in summary, it actually looks like nothing 'bad' is happening that is causing the observed matrix of latency-per-speed in the Telstra xDSL network.

And it comes down to this simple and obvious statement:

"higher line speeds demonstrate lower latency, so an easy way to lower latency is to move up to a higher line speed"

What transfer speeds can I expect (i.e. what download rates) on my Internode ADSL service?

When talking to a well-connected Australian server, you should typically be able to approach the 'full possible speed' of your chosen ADSL line rate.

Note however that normal ADSL overheads mean that this rate is not the speed that the line is quoted at technically. Rather in the same manner as the size of hard drives is quoted, the theoretical line speed and the practical maximum line speed are different. These overheads are twofold - they are caused by overheads inherent in the underlying framing protocol of xDSL (called ATM cell encapsulation), and also in the overheads inherent in the size of the headers in the Internet's TCP/IP protocols (entirely normal and unavoidable parts of how good transmission protocols work).

The nett outcome of this is that, for instance, a '1500 kilobit per second' ADSL service will only ever achieve around 1250 kilobits per second (give or take a little) under ideal conditions. This is normal and fine. Similar proportional differences between 'theoretical' and 'practical' payload data transfer rates apply in the upload direction on ADSL, and also apply proportionally to other ADSL line speeds.

(Divide the speed in kilobits per second by eight to convert to KiloBYTES per second)

To put it another way, you can expect to see throughput (in terms of payload transfer rate) of around 85% of the 'theoretical' line speed at best. Again, this is entirely normal for ADSL services.

You can perform a simple 'confidence test' of the speed of your ADSL line by using this Java-based ADSL speed tester:

http://www.internode.on.net/support/tools/speed_test/

(sorry, this test is only accessible to current Internode ADSL customers, not to customers of other ADSL service providers).

Finally, it is important to note that many factors can affect the speed of an ADSL service at various times, and you will not always achieve this speed with your service.

To make this clear: ADSL services provide a non-guaranteed throughput service, with a maximum/target speed, but without a guarantee that this will always be achievable in practice.

This is especially true when interacting with servers in other countries, where international link issues and slowdowns in other areas can affect the transfer speed that you see - a transfer is only ever as fast as its slowest link.

It can also sometimes be slow to interact with some 'free' or 'un metered' traffic sources. Due to heavy demand, these servers can suffer from periods when the total bandwidth demand exceeds the allocated supply bandwidth from those resources.

Because they are un-metered, meaning that there is no income source to support these servers directly, some limits must be placed on the total access bandwidth those resources to keep the underlying costs under control.

If you are downloading from a 'free' file server and you want to use a faster (but charged) server instead, you are of course welcome to do that. Its a matter of whether your priority is speed or expense in any given download.

Plans and Features

How do I change plans? What does it cost to change plans?

If you want to change to a different Internode ADSL plan, here are the 'rules':

• Plan changes that do not involve a change of line speed - for example changing from Home to SOHO at the same speed, or from a 10 Gbyte plan to a 25 Gbyte plan at the same speed - are free of charge.
• Plan changes that involve an increase in line speed - for example from 512/128 kbps to 1500/256 kbps - are also currently free.
• Plan changes that involve a decrease in line speed - for example from 1500/256 kbps to 512/128 kbps - incur a $20 speed change fee.

In all cases, the plan change is implemented at the end of your current monthly usage assessment cycle. You nominate a new plan to change to, and the actual change happens at the end of that current 'cycle'.

Plan changes can be made by using our Online Plan Changer, available from the Customer Accounts Interface

Note that our 12 month early cancellation term for ADSL services does not prevent you from changing your plan within that initial twelve month period. Subject to the fees noted above, you can change plans at the end of any monthly assessment cycle.

Can I have extra mailboxes with my ADSL service?

Your ADSL service comes with one mailbox included automatically (which also allows on-demand dialup access when needed).

You can add up to another four mailbox-only accounts (for a total of five including your 'main' one) if you need them - just use the online Mailbox Manager, which is accessible from the tools section of our website.

Can I have any free web space with my ADSL account?

You can have a free web space area, up to 50 megabytes, for non-commercial/hobby use, at no extra charge.

Does your ADSL service include any 'free' access sites?

Yes!

Of course, 'free' sites is a bit of a misnomer. Nothing in life is really free, and what we are doing is providing you with some server access without adding to your download allowance (they are un-metered).

We provide this service in an effort to improve your online experience, to give you access to some great software downloads, and some great games server sites, that you can access without concern about exceeding your download allowance in doing so.

Note: this un-metering applies only for Internode ADSL customers.

You can read more about it by clicking here

Are there any online usage meters available for your service?

Yes there are, see this page (click here)

I play online games and my ping times to interstate games servers seem to vary a lot - why is that?

Many ISP's provide games servers on their networks. When they provide these servers inside their own networks, to their own customers, their economics for doing so are reasonably sustainable.

However, when people from an 'outside' ISP connect to a games server, this costs the servers' ISP real money. And it costs them real money that they have no way of recovering, because they have no business relationship with the 'external' game playing folk.

There is some obvious 'good politics' in allowing non-customer access to your games servers, but because it does cost quite a bit of money, that cost needs to be kept under control.

The most common way that this is done is via the implementation of a rate limit on the total amount of 'outside' bandwidth that is allocated to the games servers. This means that while direct customers using the games server get 'full speed' access, people playing on that server who are 'external' people may find that their bandwidth to that games server is restricted.

Rate limits restrict the total network capacity available to those 'external' customers, and this means that if there are too many 'external' players, those players will find that their ping times, and their game responsiveness, is suffering as a result.

The way the rate limit often 'represents' is as an abnormally high, or an abnormally variable, 'ping time' to that game server. You can sometimes see this effect quite clearly with a 'traceroute' to the games server, which will show low ping times all the way up to the remote ISP's network, and then a much higher ping time right as the packets arrive at the games server.

What can you do about this? Really there are only three choices:

• Don't use that external server (or tolerate the variable ping times)
• Use a games server provided by your own ISP
• Try to find a games server in the same state as you

(To explain the last point: It is often the case that ISP's in the same state are members of an in-state peering point, which provides them with the technical capability to offer non-rate-limited games access to customers of other in-state ISP's if they wish to).

Usage and Quota

When does my usage metering 'clock over' to zero again?

Customer usage on ADSL is measured on a calendar monthly basis against the usage plan that you have chosen.

You have an 'anniversary' day of the month, when your billing cycle starts up again for the next monthly assessment period.

That day of the month is based on when your service was initially made operational.

(Note: If the day of the month was the 29th or later in the month, the date we use is the 1st of the subsequent month)

You can check the date of the start of your next monthly assessment period by using the account information tools available here, or by using one of the online usage meters available for download to work with your service.

Here is how the 'rollover' process works at the boundary between one billing period and the next:

• Late evening (see below) on the day before your new period starts, usage metering is suspended (we keep collecting data, but it is not added to your current usage meter total).
• Our overnight billing run occurs (typically between 1am and 4am), and your bill is determined for the period just ended.
• Your usage meter is zeroed at that time.
• Later that morning (but generally before about 8:30am), any usage incurred since rollover is loaded into the usage meter, which then continues to update on an approximately hourly basis.

This careful set of steps is intended to ensure that usage is correctly accounted into the 'right months' in all cases.

Be aware that usage metering is not real time. Under normal circumstances, usage metering can be up around 2.5 hours behind your actual usage of our service. Under some circumstances (including overnight processing), it can be delayed still further.

We do not warrant that the rollover will happen exactly at midnight - for a variety of operational reasons, it can happen before or after that time on the appropriate date. You should currently expect rollover happening anywhere between around 11.30pm and midnight (Adelaide local time).

As a result, we ask you not to run your life such that your usage level in the last hour or so before the end of your usage assessment period is critically important to you.

In other words, if you download 'right up to the wire' at the end of your billing period, there is a change that delays in metering updates mean that you may in fact run right over your limit and incur a small excess bill (Business) or get shaped (Home and SOHO).

We are sorry, but we can't avoid that risk for you if you do wish to use your account absolutely up to the limit, absolutely right at the last hour of your monthly period.

We suggest that you go and enjoy the merits of a good nights sleep in the few hours either side of your subsequent assessment dates. This will promote a simpler life for you and for us.

When does Shaping occur and when is it reset?

Shaping occurs (on HOME and SOHO plans) when you exceed your download limit before the end of your month. The Shaping is typically applied to your service soon after you exceed your download limit. Consequently, shaping is reset during the early morning on which your month rolls over, typically between midnight and 6am CST. If you purchase a Datablock, you will be unshaped when it gets applied to your quota.

Note: a very brief disconnect and reconnect of your Internet is normal when shaping is applied or removed.

How often is the Internode usage meter updated? When is any 'excess' download usage assessed into your monthly bills?

We update your usage total at approximately hourly intervals. So while your usage meter is not absolutely a real-time thing, it does track reality pretty closely.

You don't need to log your PPP session off in order to have your usage data update. It updates all by itself.

Your usage is assessed against your chosen 'included downloads' amount on a calendar monthly basis, on your 'anniversary day' (which is based on the day on which your service was activated by Internode). In the early hours of that day of the month, each month, your usage is closed out in our billing system, checked against your download allowance, and any resulting 'excess fees' are assessed and added to your bill at that time.

Your bill turns up monthly, and it may turn up on a different day of the month than the day on which your usage is assessed. This is entirely normal.

What kind of usage meter is available? Is it a real-time meter?

You can assess your usage by using our online accounting-checking interface.

The usage data is updated approximately once per hour.

Your usage is assessed against your chosen ADSL plan on a calendar monthly basis, on the anniversary day of the day-of-month in which we first commissioned your ADSL service (unless subsequently amended to another day-of-month).

The actual assessment against plan happens very early on the morning of that anniversary day, each month.

Your bill says I downloaded a lot of stuff, and I don't think I really did!

It is an unfortunate fact of life that there are many ways that you can wind up with your computer downloading a lot of information on your behalf using ADSL, without you necessarily noticing it immediately.

Here is just one example: There are bugs in some vendors 'automatic update' facilities. Microsoft, for instance, have a bug in some versions of their 'Windows Messenger Auto-Update' function, which can result in your computer downloading the same 'automatic' update, over and over and over and...

Another significant issue in the broadband world is that if your computer gets affected by a virus or gets used as an 'open relay' (moving spam for third parties), or gets otherwise 'broken into', lots of data can be moved by your computer, on your bill, very quickly.

The real answer to this is that if you don't have a business need to have your computer switched on and connected to the Internet 24x7, you might like to consider disconnecting the computer from the Internet (or just shutting it down) when you are not using it. This limits what can happen when you aren't watching it.

An option that is well worth considering is the use of some form of firewall - either a 'software firewall' (many of them are on the market), or the use of a 'broadband router' (a low cost dual-Ethernet or one-Ethernet/one-ADSL-port device which includes 'Network Address Translation' functions and a simple firewall inside the unit).

Technical

Do I really need to use line filters?

Yes, you really do need to use line filters! Services can work without them, but not reliably, and not always, and the problems you may cause can be subtle to find and annoying to fix.

You need to have one between each non-ADSL device and the telephone line. That means one plugged in behind each 'audio' device (phone, fax, analog modem, answering machine, whatever).

If you have a few devices on the same phone socket, you can protect both of them with a single filter, using double adaptors or similar approaches.

You can also choose a 'Central Filter/Splitter', which has three connections (one to Telstra, one to your ADSL device, and one to supply your non-ADSL devices). We highly recommend that you get one of these, they come in a 'wire it into your house roof' version, which is designed for a trained and licensed technician to install inside your house wiring so that the sockets around your house are all 'pre-filtered' and you don't need to have filters cluttering up your desks.

In summary:

• Between every 'audio' device and the wires in the street, there has to be a line filter (You can use a 'central' filter to service multiple audio devices at once, or place individual filters behind each device)
• Between the ADSL device you use and the wires in the street, there must be no line filter (it has to have an un-filtered path to the world to work)

Consequences of not using a line filter can include the following

• Line noise in your audio devices
• The ADSL service failing to work at all, or dropping out whenever you use a phone to make a phone call

Save us all time, service calls, and stress. Use the line filters. Really. And if you want to really have peace of mind, get a central splitter installed.

Can I share my Internode ADSL connection between multiple computers? How?

Yes, you can share your connection amongst multiple computers at your home or office.

Use an ADSL device which is not just a bridge, but which is also a router/nat/PPPoE-client device. Because these units usually include a 'PPPoE client', you don't need to load one of those up on your computer, either.

So the 'ADSL Router' manages the connection to the Internet for you (you put your Internode username and password into it, instead of into your computer), it acts as a firewall, and it acts as an automatic connection sharing device. Usually these devices also operate as 'DHCP servers', meaning that you can configure your computers to 'get their IP addresses automatically' and the ADSL router will hand an address out to each of your computers when it needs one.

To connect your multiple computers to the ADSL router, you need to use an ethernet hub or switch (almost any sort will do). Some of these devices even have a small Ethernet hub built into the back of the same unit.

Note that various of these devices have other optional features too - some of them include wireless ethernet access points, others include other features. In general, the results in these cases are the same as you would achieve in buying multiple separate boxes and plugging them all into an ethernet switch. The 'fully integrated' units often cost less in total than the sum of the multiple individual boxes, and it certainly results in having less wires and power bricks lying around the place.

Does Internode allow multiple simultaneous logins on Home, SOHO and Business ADSL services?

• Home ADSL: Supports up to four concurrent PPPoE logins from the same ADSL service.
• SOHO and Business ADSL: Supports one single standard login (with associated static IP) and up to 4 additional logins (with dynamic IP addresses)
  • to use this feature simply adjust your username from username@internode.on.net to username@dynamic.internode.on.net.
  • additional logins are not supported on Business-Unlimited plans.

I have a SOHO or Business service but I'd like to use a dynamic IP for one reason or another, is this possible?

Yes, the option of using Dynamic IP address logins on SOHO and Business ADSL services (except Business-Unlimited plans) is available.

Simply alter the login username for the service you wish to use via a dynamic IP from:

username@internode.on.net

to:

username@dynamic.internode.on.net

i.e. add in the 'dynamic.' bit. This tells our servers to hand back a dynamic IP address instead of your assigned static IP. This facility is not available on Business-Unlimited plans.

What is a RIM and why does it prevent the use of ADSL to some home or business locations?

ADSL only works when there is an un-broken copper path between your premises and the DSL 'head-end' device (called a DSLAM).

A RIM (Remote Integrated Multiplexer) is a device (often a 'street pillar') which sits at the edge of a suburb or an industrial development area. It is installed by Telstra when there are not enough copper lines available between a telephone exchange and a set of customers. What a RIM uses is an optical fibre cable from the exchange to the site of the RIM. Leaving the RIM are the necessary copper phone lines, which then connect to each home or office.

A RIM connected phone line works just like any other phone line for making and receiving telephone calls. It just so happens that their presence makes the use of ADSL impossible (and they also adversely affect the maximum possible speed on analog dialup modems).

Telstra have the technical capability to install 'miniature DSLAM' units into the RIM boxes in the street. Doing so 'ADSL enables' all of the customers attached to that RIM.

What is this MTU size problem thingy?

PPPoE connections, on some operating systems, require you to adjust a 'knob' in your protocol stack called the "MTU" (maximum transmission unit) size, in order for Internet connections to work properly. This MTU size normally starts at 1500, and for successful PPPoE connections it has to be changed to 1492.

The PPPoE software Internode supplies (and indeed most other PPPoE client packages) often fix this up for you, so it may be something you never have to worry about.

If you are running Windows and you suspect you may have an MTU problem (which usually manifests as slow or stalling downloads from some web sites), have a read of this web page for more information (including how to change the MTU in Windows):

http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/794/router_mtu.html

Can I run a 'server' on my Internode HOME ADSL service, even though the IP address is dynamic?

Yes, if you want to do that, you are welcome to do that. Be aware that the HOME ADSL service is not designed for this, but it doesn't prohibit it.

In particular, since your IP address is dynamic (it varies over time), this means you can't run a server and expect its 'internet location' to remain fixed in time.

So its fine for short term server situations (if you want to put up a server so a friend can download something from your computer, or whatever).

Be aware that if you wind up running a mail server, and it winds up being a spam relay, we will terminate your connection with extreme prejudice and without warning, until you fix your computer up so that it doesn't do that any more.

Ditto if your computer suddenly turns into a robot on behalf of one of the many weird and wonderful ways that Windows can be compromised by nasty script kiddies.

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance (or something).

Is the Internode Dialup account provided with ADSL provided free of charge during ADSL outages?

All ADSL access plans offer an allowance of up to ten hours per month of dialup Internet access included, at no extra cost!

Usage of the dialup service beyond ten hours per month will attract a charge of $1 per hour. The provision of this dialup access facility allows you to access the Internet on a dialup basis during any short outages in the Telstra ADSL exchange network.

You can also use this access in cases where you may just be 'on the road' requiring Internet access on a casual basis. This dialup access facility is provided on a 'best effort' basis, and it is possible that there may be insufficient total dial access ports available in cases of a geographically widespread Telstra ADSL exchange level outage.

How does Internode assess time on dialup access plans?

The dial usage on all of our time assessed plans is measured in terms of total time used per month. Each call is assessed down to the nearest second for this purpose, and it is the sum of all of those 'connected seconds' that forms the basis of your time-based bill.

So if you (for instance) log in 100 times for 90 seconds per session, we would assess that as a total of 9000 seconds in the month (2.5 hours in total). We try to be reasonable about this, and this is about as reasonable as we can be.

Do you offer any 'free' non-commercial web space with ADSL services?

Yes, ADSL accounts include free, non-commercial web space you can activate it via our online tools when you want it. You can use up to 50 megabytes of storage space for your web files.

To be pedantic, the web space is actually associated with the dial account, our dial accounts have always included this with 'em (not that this makes any practical difference, other than to mean that you don't get two lots of free web space if you have a dial account and an ADSL account.

Online Accounts Usage Checker not working?

Ensure that you enter your username correctly and select the correct service from the drop down list. Please note that if you've just connected to Internode, it can take up to 24 hours for your system access to become available.

How can I change my password?

You can change your password whenever you like by going to the tools section on the Internode website, and selecting "Change My Password"

Note that changing your password affects three things, all at once:

• Your password for access to your ADSL account
• Your password for access to your dialup account (username@internode.on.net)
• Your password for access to your internode.on.net email box

We encourage you to change your password relatively frequently, and/or at any time that you have any suspicion at all that someone else might have obtained it. Your password is the key to your charging for your services. Don't ever disclose it to anyone - including Internode.

What should I do if there is a fault with my ADSL service or with my phone line voice service?

If your ADSL service stops working, please do the following...

• Check that your phone service is working (that you have dial tone and you can place calls). If you can't, please report this fault to Telstra directly (we appreciate the catch-22 inherent in trying to report a phone line fault when your phone line is broken, but you need to find a way...)
• If your phone service is working but your ADSL service is not (either no line synch on your ADSL device, or line synch but you can't log in), please report that fault directly to Internode, not to Telstra. A Chinese wall exists in the Telstra faults management process, which means that you need to call us for ADSL issue and Telstra for voice phone line issues.

We appreciate that, when you have an ADSL fault (especially when you have the misfortune to have a 'day one' ADSL fault, i.e. its never yet worked), that its frustrating and it feels 'remote' to have to report a fault to us, and to then have us have to report it to Telstra, but there is in fact some rationality in doing things this way.

First, it does let us check with you that your PC and network are configured correctly for your situation, and it lets us reconfirm that our login details for your service are right, etc etc.

Second, this lets us correlate your fault with any others we might be tracking, so we can detect systemic issues, not just single-line issues, as they occur in the network.

Finally, if you need to track or escalate that fault with us, all you need to do is make a note of your tracking number (assigned to you when you log a fault through our web interface, or available on request when you ring to check on progress). If you can quote this number, it helps us to make sure that we track and close your fault as rapidly as possible, as it gives our technical staff member access immediately to the tracking history of this fault report.

'Horror story' faults (that take a week or more to resolve) are fortunately rare, but they do sometimes happen. Be certain that we do everything we can in order to expedite the clearance of faults by Telstra in these cases. Alas, at this time at least, Telstra refuse to work on ADSL faults outside of business hours, and 'Murphy's Law' means that faults tend to develop at 5.10pm on a Friday.