I need to rant about Ice Network (again)

[looplover]

My auto renewal didn't go through, I already ranted about that so here's a new one.

Purchased new subscription on the 7th. Received confirmation email. Still getting the "subscribe now" buttons after I log in and can't access videos.

Sent email to customer service. No response beyond auto response. Sent email again. same thing. Called this morning. Confused customer service rep. Kept asking me to input my billing info - it is already there. had me delete cookies/files. Did it. Didn't work. Spent 1/2 hour on phone with me insisting my billing information is there and I'd paid.

She transfers me to a level 2 tech after 1/2 hour on phone with her.

BUSY SIGNAL.:frus::frus::frus::frus::frus::frus::x:x

I hate Ice Network!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Isk8NYC]

I gave them grief because they "autorenewed" me before they offered the USFSA member discount. I never received the email that someone on this board sent me. It said that I could ask for a refund of the overpayment ($10) or donate it to the USFSA Memorial Fund. I asked for a refund, and they sent me a check a few weeks later.

But then, I couldn't view any videos because they had blocked me as being in a "blackout area." I got so mad - here I paid MORE and still couldn't watch the videos.

I sent them an email with my IP address, ID, etc. They replied with a request for my IP address, ID, etc. They didn't read my first email, they just scanned it and replied with a form letter.

I gave them the info they asked for (again) along with some more grief.

I had used a credit card with a US address, my mailing address is the US, and I'm a USFSA MEMBER with a US address. My IP address resolves to the local DSL network name! They could easily write a program to "clear" IDs based on the IP resolution.

Everything was resolved eventually, but their registration and first-line customer service crew needs to be improved.

I did miss several live events and I really regret it now because their "on demand" viewing is not posted right away and doesn't include every event in a competition. I think that, given the small number of Adult competitions and the $$$-paying population, they should have all the adult competition events online.


While we're ranting, we missed you last night LoopLover. Make the shedule work!

[Query]

We should all suggest to Icenetworks that they offer a standard cable channel, or go through one, so we don't all have to futz with computers and routers.

Very technical and long-winded response, suggesting something that might or might not work:

I tried to watch it over a network that ran through a wireless router I had no control over that assigned my machine an IP address in the 192.168.0.x range, which is a common generic local network space routers and hubs create that is not specific to the U.S. They gave me non-US black-out restrictions.

When I ran it through my home network, whose router I configured to assign my machine and the router's built-in nameserver and gateway addresses which are nominally in the US, those black-out restrictions did not apply.

In theory routers remaps LAN (local area network) IP addresses to it's own address, which in both cases were within the U.S., but it is possible they have used a trick to grab the IP in a way that the router doesn't know how to remap. They do say you can't use proxies, and a router might be considered one.

I emailed Icenetworks to ask if that was the problem. They never responded.

However that wasn't the only difference. The one that worked was on Comcast's cable network, the one that didn't was on a phone companies and went through a wireless
modem. Many phone company IP providers block streaming video, because they feel it competes with their own streaming video products.

From the DOS prompt (in the Start -> All Programs -> Accessories menu in Windows XP machines), you can see the IP address your machine thinks it has by typing
ipconfig

This command will probably give you all the info Icenetwork might want:
ipconfig/all

I'm not able to tell you how to reconfigure your local router, though you might be able to use your browser to access the "gateway" address, that the ipconfig command returned, if you know the administrative password - which you probably have if it is your home router. You might have to tell it that the LAN (your home) side of the network should assign addresses in a range which is the same as that of some network address in the U.S. - preferably a network address range none of whose servers you ever use. For example, if there is a host in the US you will never use called www.sillyserver.com, and
ping www.sillyserver.com
uses an IP address of aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd, you might tell your router to use the range aaa.bbb.ccc.10 - aaa.bbb.ccc.200, for both your machine and the router's built-in servers. Then you may need to save the configuration, restart the router (unplug it from power and replug it), and then restart your computer (Start -> Turn off computer -> Reset). Hopefully your machine is configured to grab it's IP address automatically.

Even if this works, it probably won't if you aren't in the U.S., because they probably trace the whole data route. So don't try to be sneaky.

WARNING: If you screw up your router, you may need someone technical to help.

Good luck.

[Isk8NYC]

From the DOS prompt (in the Start -> All Programs -> Accessories menu in Windows XP machines), you can see the IP address your machine thinks it has by typing
ipconfig
This command will probably give you all the info Icenetwork might want:
ipconfig/all
That's the info I gave them in the first email, but their reply was to use this link:


to get your IP address, please click here

www.whatismyip.com (http://www.whatismyip.com)

or here

www.whatismyipaddress.com (http://www.whatismyipaddress.com/)

Don't know why they wanted it from there.

[Query]

The way they said to get it will get your router address, not the address your machine thinks it has, which is what ipconfig returns. They possibly both have to map to locations in the U.S., as do your nameserver and gateway addresses, that ipconfig also returns.

Notice that their page uses all kinds of software in your computer, including the browser, Flash, Media Player, and your operating system. It is quite possible there is a way they are using to request what address your machine thinks it has that your browser does not remap.

But http://www.whatismyipaddress.com does give you a convenenient way to look up the location on a map of your router address, and, through the ip lookup tab, the address ipconfig returns, so you can see if they are both in the U.S. Nice. While you are at it look up the location of the gateway and nameserver addresses that ipconfig returns too.

I don't expect Icenetwork to be especially forthcoming about how they detect your location, since it might allow really clever people to cheat.

[looplover]

Update: can access videos even though the "subscribe now" buttons are still on the page. Four different customer service reps have emailed me. Hee!

[Query]

Update: can access videos even though the "subscribe now" buttons are still on the page. Four different customer service reps have emailed me. Hee!

Did you have to change anything? What?

As for the reps, maybe they read this forum, and got worried about your your very public "I hate Ice Network!". Good.

I didn't realize your problem was the "subscribe now" button. I assumed you had problems with black-out restrictions, like I had, so everything I said was irrelevant. Sorry.

[looplover]

That's ok! I think it was a billing issue - for some reason the videos are working, so all is well! :)

Did you have to change anything? What?

As for the reps, maybe they read this forum, and got worried about your your very public "I hate Ice Network!". Good.

I didn't realize your problem was the "subscribe now" button. I assumed you had problems with black-out restrictions, like I had, so everything I said was irrelevant. Sorry.