Telstra's answers El Reg's Smart Home security questions

Telstra has managed to emit a response to The Register's questions about the soundness of its Smart Home service strategy, which we received at 5:10 PM yesterday. Vendors Telstra has, pleasingly, identified the vendors supplying its kit: The platform is powered by Icontrol; Cameras, smart plugs and door sensors are …

[Pompous Git]

Telstra?

A rich Arab oil sheikh asked his 25 year old son what he wanted for his birthday. He said "a Mercedes" so his dad bought the Mercedes car company for him. He then asked his 8 year old son what he wanted for his birthday. The youngster replied: "A Mickey Mouse outfit" so his dad bought him Telstra.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Telstra?

Yeouwch! That's harsh… but so very true.

Telecom Australia had their hay day in the early 90s, but was privatised to make it "more competitive"… at a time when they already had a fully automatic network well ahead of the supposedly "more advanced" telcos in the US that still operated Strowger switches.

It saddens me when they say they "aspire" to be a technology company, considering they were one prior to privatisation.

[Pompous Git]

Re: Telstra?

It saddens me when they say they "aspire" to be a technology company, considering they were one prior to privatisation.

Ditto; The Git worked for Telecom when it was part of the PMG in the early 1970s. I remember the last manual exchange cutting over to STD and the Merkins were still using the old pyramid switchboards. Mind you, we used to update Directory entries in large hardbound ledgers using dip-in pen and ink.

[Diogenes]

Re: Telstra?

Almost double ditto...

worked for Telstra in NOSD, then ITG then IBM-GSA. Ericsson were were copying stuff from the /36,/66 and /A4s that Tesltra did all around the world. Happy days

[david 12]

Re: Telstra?

I remember the 'mericans switching over to STD in the early '60s. And as I recall, the last Australian manual exchange to cut over to STD was in 1991.

[Pompous Git]

Re: Telstra?

I remember the 'mericans switching over to STD in the early '60s. And as I recall, the last Australian manual exchange to cut over to STD was in 1991.

It's not so much the start date, but the end date that's important. I met a Merkin (several actually) when the USS Enterprise was in Hobart in the mid 70s. One told me that his folks were reliant on an earth return phone line via a pyramid switchboard. When there was drought there was no telephone service.

When we cut over surrounding exchanges to Smithton in NW Tasmania ca. 1972 I was told it was the last of the manual exchange cut overs. Perhaps I was misinformed and happy to stand corrected.

[Mark 65]

UPnP

Not on my network. It'd be much nicer to just have things operate on the LAN and then have to VPN into the network - which my phone can easily handle. I have no desire to have my house hacked thank you.

[Big-nosed Pengie]

I wouldn't let Telstra secure a roll of toilet paper.

[Paul 129]

RE: "I wouldn't let Telstra secure a roll of toilet paper."

Cause that's all they would sell to their wholesalers!

One used sheet at a time!

[MrDamage]

rigorous quality assurance process

Is this the same process that lead to their network going titsup on a monthly basis earlier this year?

[Denarius]

Re: rigorous quality assurance process

not to mention their utterly crap DNS lookups timing out. If one has a big /etc/hosts file on bridge/router network speed is merely slow. Amazingly after getting almost usable lately, a mere 75 KM north of nations crapital (sic) it has now reverted both on 3G and fixed line to its usual 28Kb modem speed. Floptus and Vodafail no better. Even SMS are arriving a day late, a feat only VodaFail achived in past.

[Elmer Phud]

A cold winter?

Xmas means lots and lots of shiny-shiny.

With all the IoT adverts there will be lot of the stuff installed/bunged in.

Also lots of press about ease of access.

Bored teenagers over Xmas looking for holes in the neighbours network . . .

[GrumpyKiwi]

Trust Telstra!?!?

They couldn't be relied on to organise a beer and a BJ in a brothel with a bar.

[Pompous Git]

Re: Trust Telstra!?!?

They couldn't be relied on to organise a beer and a BJ in a brothel with a bar.

True! So why ask them when there's any number of people who can? :-)

[Owen]

Telstra Cable Modem

My Telstra supplied Netgear cable modem has a WPA2 psk password for wifi. It handily says enter a key between 8 & 63 characters long.

An 8 character password allows clients access. A 12 charachter password won't let them connect.

The firmware isn't supported by Netgear. Its been hacked by Telstra themselves. If there was any way to avoid this piece of shit,I would.

[rsole]

Re: Telstra Cable Modem

There is a way - turn off the modem wifi and connect your own wifi router to the modem.

[Owen]

Re: Telstra Cable Modem

True but since "Telstra Air" wifi gets turned on and so does the default whenever Telstra feel like it. They did this to 1500 customers they claim back in May. I am still stuck with having unwanted open connections no matter what.

If only I could get my old Docsis 2 Motorola cable modem back, they claim to have upgraded every customer away from it though. And did everybody say "sure,I'll pay you $100+ for something that offers me no usable features."

Didn't think so.