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Original poster

Urgent help needed!

52 replies

CountessFrog · 24/12/2020 21:19

We have bought our kids an x box series s for Christmas, as well as an oculus VR headset.

And our internet is broken. So basically, in the morning they are getting things that don’t work. I’m gutted.

Please can somebody walk me thought either (a) connecting via our iPhones or (b) borrowing somebody else’s internet in an empty house?

I have bought an Xbox games pass on Amazon.

Thanks so much

OP posts:
frustrationcentral · 24/12/2020 23:57

I'd ask a neighbour if you could link onto theirs, I'd be more than happy to help someone out

PurpleWave · 25/12/2020 00:01

In my experience VR games are much smaller than Xbox games, so I would try and get a few games on that first. If you've got a big enough data package on your phone you could set it up as a hotspot.

The Xbox will likely need to update and the games to download can be absolutely huge.

Original poster
CountessFrog · 25/12/2020 00:02

Our neighbour is an elderly lady who moved away to live with her daughter six months ago. There are no other neighbours within range.

We have a friend who will be out all day tomorrow and has given us a key to her house and password for the WiFi. I’m just panicking. I need to know what to know what needs to do.

Go to her house, register the Xbox online, use the games pass I bought?

OP posts:
DeRigueurMortis · 25/12/2020 00:04

Also remember the games that take ages to download would take time over cable anyway.

Many games don't.

Also bear in mind that you'll have pauses during the day like when other presents are opened and lunch where you can get things downloaded.

I see you're in EE like me. Just go into myEE (app or browser) and look at the most suitable data add on for you.

If you do this tonight online you'll have internet access within 15 mins abs all ready for tomorrow.

DeRigueurMortis · 25/12/2020 00:10

Don't panic and I wouldn't waste time going to the neighbours.

Just sort out a mobile data package - preferably unlimited for a month.

That way you're not worried about it cutting out.

Setting up the console/VR is part of the experience so I wouldn't start downloading/registering things tonight - just make sure you sort out data.

It's not like it will take all day to download.

So just make sure it's the first present to open and then start the set ups and downloads.

IME it's quite exciting for the kids to anticipate when this will be done and seeing the progress bar and adds to the excitement.

ItsJustAFridge · 25/12/2020 00:15

Do you need a PC for the Occulus? My daughter has the vive and that has to be connected to her pc. My normal regular OC doesn't have the spec to run it and she has to use it in her gaming PC.

I dont know for sure if the oculus works the same way but it may not be as easy taking the headset to someone else's if they don't have a of with the right spec and you'd need the software on your own PC anyway. So you may need to take the whole computer.

DeRigueurMortis · 25/12/2020 00:19

@ItsJustAFridge

Do you need a PC for the Occulus? My daughter has the vive and that has to be connected to her pc. My normal regular OC doesn't have the spec to run it and she has to use it in her gaming PC.

I dont know for sure if the oculus works the same way but it may not be as easy taking the headset to someone else's if they don't have a of with the right spec and you'd need the software on your own PC anyway. So you may need to take the whole computer.

It's why there is no point going to someone else's house.

You need to set it up in your home with your "kit" because even if you can get it to work it could be a real PITA re-setting everything back in your home.

There's no reason why this won't work with an unlimited data contract.

Original poster
CountessFrog · 25/12/2020 00:33

This is hopefully -an unlimited data thing would be good

OP posts:
ekidmxcl · 25/12/2020 00:47

The xbox needs to be set up properly in your own home IMO. Ideally it needs an Ethernet cable so that the connection is wired, not wireless. Those things download a shit tonne of stuff.

Oculus needs a zone setting. Personally I’d wait to set that up in your house as well.

Your kids will be happy opening those things. You can unbox stuff, put it in position, set up the leads to the TV for the xbox, get all the packaging off stuff. You could use your phone to watch set up videos over 4G so that when your internet comes back, it will be quicker to set up.

Original poster
CountessFrog · 25/12/2020 00:53

Is this all they can do? Watch set up videos? I’m gutted for them, we’ve had an awful few months.

OP posts:
DeRigueurMortis · 25/12/2020 01:06

The xbox needs to be set up properly in your own home IMO. Ideally it needs an Ethernet cable so that the connection is wired, not wireless. Those things download a shit tonne of stuff.

Ideally being most important word.

You don't necessarily need one.

True - it's optimal and might be needed if you have very poor WiFi.

Original poster
CountessFrog · 25/12/2020 01:07

We literally have no WiFi.

BT is down. We have only our phones

OP posts:
EnglishRose1320 · 25/12/2020 01:14

My ds got the oculus for his birthday, the main advantage of the oculus over the vive and others is it doesn't need to be connected to a computer, just internet and I'm pretty sure a hot spot will be fine for that. It was easy and quick to set up and some of the smaller games take no time at all to download.

EnglishRose1320 · 25/12/2020 01:15

Like a pp, when our internet was down we called EE and they added data to our mobiles for free to use as hot spots. In fact they forgot to remove it for several years afterwards!

EnglishRose1320 · 25/12/2020 01:24

Sorry my post should say oculas quest compared to an oculas vive otherwise it doesn't make much sense, it's the quest version that doesn't need a computer

ChristmasPerfectionist · 25/12/2020 01:32

Did you check the EE website? It might be pricey to get unlimited data for a month but worth it surely.

DangerMouse17 · 25/12/2020 03:10

Xbox should be set up and all downloaded before use really, it takes ages 1st time. I set it all up the night before and then put it back in box/wrapped it. The VR will be easier if you can get a mobile hotspot organised. Hope you get it sorted OP

FrustratedTeddyLamp · 25/12/2020 03:36

Hi just a little word about the Xbox it should direct you to open the Xbox app on your phone when first setting up and there's a small update. One thing about the game pass though if you want Microsoft don't really advertise it but if you buy upto 3 years of gold membership (some websites sell it for about £40 a year) there's an option to upgrade to a trial of game pass for free or £1 and it actually makes the remaining time left on your gold membership game pass ultimate and if you did it for all 3 years you save 100s. But if you do it when adding the gold memberships turn off auto renew otherwise it won't let you.

Original poster
CountessFrog · 25/12/2020 07:00

Thanks people, lots of good advice, very much appreciated.

OP posts:
ShalomToYouJackie · 25/12/2020 07:52

Worth knowing that if they don't have physical game discs but are downloading games from a Gamespass, it can take a v long time. DP has a games pass on Xbox and games can take between 6-12 hours to download.

Hopefully your friend has v good WiFi if you do go to their house but I think the easiest thing would be to sort out a hot-spot so you can stay at home x

evilkitten · 25/12/2020 07:59

If you're with BT and close to someone else with BT, then you'll be able to connect to their hub using the BTWiFi SSID (log in using your BT username and password).

They may also have sent you a mini hub to cover until the broadband is fixed, although you've obviously not got it yet.

Finally, if you've got any BT mobiles on the same account, data on those will be zero rated until the fault is fixed.

Both the Quest and XBox will need massive amounts of data to set up ... if you're on a limited data plan on your mobile, then be aware of this.

ItsJustAFridge · 25/12/2020 10:28

How did your morning go OP? I hope the kids are happy Thanks

DeRigueurMortis · 25/12/2020 12:55

How did you get on OP?

Merry Christmas!

Original poster
CountessFrog · 25/12/2020 21:34

Guys, our internet was reconnected at 3am! We did spend a long time downloading stuff but the kids had a smashing day and Christmas was saved!!!

OP posts:
DeRigueurMortis · 25/12/2020 22:00

Yay!!!

Merry Christmas!