Hi and welcome
>> Does anyone know why in these circumstances I need PPPoE?
No sorry I dont. The backhaul from the exchange is ATM hence the need for PPPoA.
Some exchanges/equipment will emulate PPPoE, but its actually PPPoEoA and therefore carries additional overheads.
>> but others (ebay, BBC) were so slow that they timed-out.
That actually sounds like an
MTU problem. In fact its actually quite common on Orange - so much so that orangeproblems have actually asked permission to copy my
MTU settings page.
Try MTU of 1430.