Khaled rambles

Internet is down, is it Awalnet or STC’s fault?

Published on November 7, 2008 by Khaled A. in Saudi Internet

I have been having trouble with Awalnet DSL connection since yesterday. The “DSL connection” status in my Linksys model is connected but the “Gateway” status is down! It only connects for a few minutes every few hours then disconnects for no reason! I tried to contact Awalnet support but their 800 toll-free number is unavailable for mobile phones! I blame the STC for that because they are offering a crippled 800 service.

Claiming that support is available for 24 hours/7 days/365 days is just a big lie. I have been trying to call their support line 8001241400 since 1a.m. this Friday and all I get is a busy tone. They either have no support or are greatly understaffed, in other words, UNPREPARED as a company to handle the load on customer service!

I have been to two coffee shops with wireless Internet access and both were down as well, can you guess the ISP? It’s Awalnet as well! Awalnet should offer a service status indicator on their site the same way Sahara is doing. Do you have similar problems? feel free to share!

Update: I had to call their business support number and they answered immediately, they claimed the problem is from the Saudi Telecom Company (STC)! Looks like a lack of communications and the victim, as usual, is the consumer! Shame on you both, Awalnet and STC!

Update 2: I was reminded that STC owns Awalnet since early 2007! How can each of them put the blame on the other?

Tags: awalnet, Internet, stc, stc.com.sa

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31 Comments

Dee

I was actually thinking of switching from Afaq to Awal.net. Your complaints scare me, but then again.. all ISP in our precious country are in a never ending competition to win ‘Suckiest ISP EVER’. I’m afraid we have no option other than suck it up and live with it.
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[Reply]
http://www.khaled.us Khaled A.

Awalnet is owned by STC, so you can’t get away from the control of the STC! wait until the second land line provider is here … ha ha
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[Reply]
http://www.umaki.do.am Umaki

I’m really waiting for the new landline provider so I can subscribe the DSL line and end up with this frustrating service by STC.
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[Reply]
http://cubicledenizen.blogspot.com J.

I suffered from this same problem for a month, in around January 2009. I had suffered from poor performance and continuous connecting and disconnecting – mostly disconnecting for a few months before.

As I was using Afaq DSL Shamil, I called the STC helpdesk several times a week and selected ‘landline fault’ and also ‘dsl help’ options. Some days they tried to be helpful, and other days they were more than useless. They tried walking me through reconfiguration of my router, “resetting the port”, checking the line for faults, and other mysterious operations. Finally, I replaced my Linksys router with another brand, and miraculously the DSL and Internet lights lit and it worked straight away.

Lately my father-in-law has suffered the same symptoms. He also uses a basic Linksys router. He managed to get a technician to visit his house to try to resolve the connectivity problems, and when the technician failed he told my father-in-law under duress that the STC DSL service had undergone some configuration changes that makes it incompatible with Linksys routers.

I don’t know if this is the case or if routers just wear out after only a couple of years of usage.

Just my 2c.

J.
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[Reply]
Khaled A. Reply:
March 30th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
it’s really the bad infrastructure …
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[Reply]
irfan

i have been using Afaq DSL internet connection for past 1yr. now suddenly it i can’t browse internet. i checked the settings. but no use. icalled 907 many times and complained directly to stc office. but no use. the status is showing “network is unreachable”. can any one tell me how to solve this problem..
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Khaled A. Reply:
July 16th, 2009 at 12:38 am
check the cables?
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[Reply]
irfan

cable is gud ..but still my problem was not resolved.i am using D-Link modem 2640T..
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Khaled A. Reply:
July 19th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Unfortunately I do not know. You should try to call 907 and ask them to send a technician.
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[Reply]
western arabia

Hi all, salam

The STC put a filter against all non-STC’s modem, since july 2009

the filter is by MAC address,

the problem is that the STC says that is not compatible —> wrong because DSL technoligy is an internationnal modelisation

STC uses huawei as a network backbone

ask allah to help STC to do a good job honestly
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[Reply]
Abdul Basith A.

Hello guys… I’m glad that to know that I’m not the only one against STC’s Afaqshamel. I have a subscription of 1 Mbps and usually got download speeds of upto 150 Kbps. But now, the download speed has come down to 25 Kbps, which is less than one-fourth of the subscribed connection. First, I thought there might be something wrong with my computer, so I formatted the hell, and lost many programs, but I thought I would get this internet crap working. But now it seems I jumped into the well with no water!!! If you guys know how to fix this or do something about it, please contact me. Thank you for reading. ==> @ b @ <==
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[Reply]
Khaled A. Reply:
September 13th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
looks like a hardware issue, call 907 and ask them to send a technician
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[Reply]
Eric

Just switched to Afaq Shameel and I always got this “looking up www.***.com” for a few seconds and finally the browser failed to load the page. This happens every few minutes. Any ideas? Or anybody with the same problem? Btw, I have done the DNS flushing both on my Windows machine and the Mac. Restarted the modem but after few moments the same thing happened again.
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[Reply]
Khaled A. Reply:
October 2nd, 2009 at 11:01 pm
try open DMS
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[Reply]
Eric

may I know what DMS is? could you be more specific? or does this have to do with having to use STC issued modem
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[Reply]
sanjay patil

Iam using stc net of alfaqshamel i also paid 2 bills in last 3 months but on 19th nov 2009 it is disconnected. what will be the problem? my land no. is 3636214
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[Reply]
sanjay patil

correction in privious it is 19th oct 2009
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[Reply]
noorudheen kolkatt

iam land no.2860668 not working what will be the problem
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[Reply]
http://STC Menon

Sir Umpteen times we have confronted the 907 help desk with the same repeated problem the net down from 12 in the afternoon to 4 in the evening., wonder why only this time. Each the help desk give me a different answer; there is maintenance work going on in our area., this was on a friday at 12:30 pm., 2, you may be having electrical problems., when you switch on the tv, ac, overload causes this (are we consumers or fools), 3. you will get connected in 15 minutes; 4. we will send our technician on saturday to checkit out (time 11:00 pm) which means take leave from work to receive their forsaken technician., 5. It is not our fault, it is the problem with STC., 6. what is the model of your modem., what is the number on it., In my opinion they should shut shop than to give half hearted service. If anyone has solution please reply to: silicasa@gmail.com
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[Reply]
Mohammed Rabie

at last STC has removed the message for linksys and now they support linksys. This is the only modem if you have a problem you call 800 number and you get support for a dedicated call center for linksys gateways an router. Good job Cisco
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[Reply]
jekjek

about last week of march 2010, my linksys won’t work, i tried to reconfigure it again but still don’t work, i have find a solution to my linksys modem, just try to switch to bridge mode of your modem configuration and save it, and make a new connection of your pc, try click connect to internet, then setup manually for your isp and connect using broadband that requires username and password, next… and input your isp username and password and click connect…. enjoy your DSL using linksys modem on STC line..
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[Reply]
ZM

Steps to upgrade the firmware

Log on to the router > go to Administration > go to firmware upgrade > browse the downloaded file > click upgrade
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[Reply]
Raja

Mr.Jekjek, Thanks for your post…. your idea working good…. is there any other configaration method to make it work directly from the modem? Thanks in advance….
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[Reply]
http://stc sajid

hello dear, i am already stc broadband jood customer but i cannot get a enough speed 4MB,since two month i called customer care 906 but useless customer care centre told me you cannot get 4MB speed.but i get a DSL bill as a jood package, unbeleveble performance!!! i am not satisfied ….etc
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[Reply]
http://stc sajid

hello dear, i am already stc broadband jood customer but i cannot get a enough speed 4MB,since two month i called customer care 906 but useless customer care centre told me you cannot get 4MB speed.but i get a DSL bill as a jood package, unbelieveble performance!!! i am not satisfied ….etc
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[Reply]
maze

I’m lost..I don’t know wat happened I plugged in a cable from my moodem to install an anti-virus software for dads desk-top.now my wireless lightt in my modem is off an I don’t know if its a setting issue or the thunderstorm..now I’ve tried connecting directly by cable but its limited or no connectivity and the wirelesss is not working.stc customer care..(donoo if we shud even call it that) were rude and asked me the same model no. Iqama no. Switch off ur modem..now when I call I’m getting a sorrry we’re looking into it msg.soo I can’t even speak to them. I will appreciate any advice! (@_@) its been days without internet and I’m using my phone now!
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[Reply]
http://stc sajid

hai,have any problem your internet? if u have ,call customer care but u cannot get enough benefite because their responsibility!!! absolutely callapsed my trust of stc, i am waiting for their reply, i don’t know,what extend it is OK!
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[Reply]
http://www.onetelksa.com Mahfuz

Hello All. Salam. I read this blog for the 1st time and now I come to know that there are many haters of STC. Really STC is bullshit and they are just make promises but no result.Anyways I read everyones solution and question.Now let me share my one. Actually I am useing DSL connection since end of 2008 1st i subscribe to 128 AFAQ SHAMIL, and was useing dlink usb A-DSL modem. and I used that connection only for 6 month’s in those 6 months I suffered more ike no connection and blah blah and try to get help from 907 same bullshit replies, like please try later refreshing port and more. Then I changed my mind and switch to 256 AFAQ DSL (not shamil) and bought Linksis ADSl modem and took subscription for cyberia. and i was satisfied bt there is one limitation in cyberia that is download bandwidth limited. So later on my friend suggest me to take Awalnet subscription card and until now i am fine.. Ooh yes in middle of 2009 there was problem with stc and linksys. many days i suffered with this . calling 907 no solution they blam awalnet and awalnet blam stc. My problem was I dont get even DSL signal. So later I search many solutions in net and I find one solution, that is firmware upgrade of router and still now its quit perfect( mashalalh )… But one thing that is Awalnet is providing thier best and they are success. but as we all know that in here there are no any landphone provider so we have to stay with STC. but for any problem try to fix from your side you will get solution. never depend on stc.
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[Reply]
Mohammed

Dear Sir, Ticket Number: 1-17YPG1 It is almost 5 days our internet is not working and I am sorry to say there is no any action from STC except CC saying always “tomorrow” now the slogan changed from “Easier Life… to difficult Life…. Wake up STC and ecare@stc.com.sa is useless

Regards
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[Reply]
Lamya

I have some problem with my broadband….it was running fine until one day the phone went dead for few min then I cannot get any dsl signals…called customer care centre…the technician they send for couldn’t find his way to our house…so I want to ask is there anything I can do from m3 side?? and abt customer care…i think they do response now btvery slow…i have modem model no 007
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[Reply]
who cares

أنا مشترك مع آفاق شامل 256 و لم تواجهني أي من المشاكل السابقة التي ذكرتموها في تعليقاتكم و معظم المشاكل تحدث بسبب التسليك الداخلي و ليس من شركة STC و المودم الذي عندي هو 011 و لكل من تنقطع عنه إشارة الdsl أنصحه بأن يفصل خط الهاتف عن الdsl بإحضار كهربائي إلى المنزل. ملاحظة أنا في جدة و قد مرت علي فترة 5 شهور و الإنترنت سرعته 4705 kbps .
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Internet is down, is it Awalnet or STC’s fault?

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