ADSL
What is a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)?
DSL is a modem technology that turns a customer's existing single pair of copper phone wires into a three-channel data delivery system. One channel transmits voice services, so normal phone and fax usage continues whether or not the user is accessing the Internet. A second channel transmits a massive downstream of up to 1.544 megabits per second, and a third bi-directional channel allows data upstream of up to 768 kilobits per second. With DSL Internet access, you're connected 24 hours a day. Just click on the desktop browser icon - no waiting or busy signals!
How fast is DSL?
Currently, DSL offers various speed packages. Packages start with speeds up to 1.5 Mbps per second downstream and up to 768 Kbps per second upstream. Speeds will vary depending on factors such as the distance between your DSL modem and the serving office, and the condition of the line
Will Business DSL customers be able to use their telephone while accessing the Internet if they have DSL?
Yes, DSL end-users can use their existing phone line for voice or fax communications while simultaneously accessing the Internet. Today's analog modems use the same frequency band, 0-4 kilohertz (kHz), as telephone service, preventing concurrent voice and data use. Because the new DSL modems operate at frequencies above the voice channel, telephone and DSL data service can operate concurrently. By using the same telephone line, there's no need to get a new telephone line.
Will my telephone work even if my computer or modem is unplugged or disabled?
Yes, your normal telephone service will operate even if the DSL modem is unplugged or otherwise disabled.
What will happen to the voice features (call waiting, voice mail, etc.) on an existing phone line?
All features currently offered on the existing phone line will remain available to the customer.
How does DSL support both voice and data on the same line?
A splitter assigns voice and data transmissions to different frequencies. Digital bits travel on the inaudible frequencies of your phone line. That keeps them separate, and that's why all the signals - voice and data - can work in parallel without colliding with each another. A DSL modem spreads signals over many frequencies on the line, carrying 25 times more information.
Will DSL work with ISDN?
DSL is only designed to work with voice grade circuits over copper cable facilities, so it is not compatible with ISDN.
What equipment do I need for DSL access?
A Business DSL customer must be equipped with a DSL modem, Network Interface Card (NIC) and a personal computer. In addition, the customer can use a hub or a NAT capable router got multiple users sharing the DSL connection. The DSL modem must be compatible with DSL equipment which can beIn addition, the customer's computer must meet recommended minimum system requirements:
Pentium CPU 16 MB of RAM 79MB of hard drive space Microsoft Windows 95 CD ROM
Does voice service come bundled with DSL Service?
Although DSL uses the same phone line for voice and data service, the DSL monthly rate does not include the cost for voice service.
Analog Modems
Analog modems were designed to work on regular telephone lines and usually operate at speeds ranging from 28.8K to 56K. The main difference between analog and DSL modems is that the analog works on voice frequencies. It can't handle the higher - and much faster - digital frequencies. DSL shares the copper wire and moves at speeds between 20 kHz and 1 MHz, sharing the wire, but operating in parts previously unused. DSL actually takes a load off the voice channels by using the higher, non-voice frequencies.
ISDN
Integrated Services Digital Network, or ISDN, is another high-speed data-delivery technology that uses telephone lines. If DSL is not available yet in your area, ISDN may be a viable high speed alternative.
Frame Relay
Frame Relay is a full-time Internet connectivity for LAN-to-LAN connections, utilizing a shared network.
T1
T1 offers private line access, allowing customers constant two-way connectivity to the Internet.
Find Business Class Internet Access... T1, T3, OC3, OC12 Nationwide
Internet Access- T1 Lines (Dedicated T1, Frame Relay, Point2Point, Fractional T1, Voice T1...)
"T3 Providers"
What is a Static IP address?
A static IP address is the number, in the form of 123.45.67.89, which serves as your real address on the Internet.Customers who need to be consistently identified on the Internet (those with a domain name like www.earthweb-connect.com), those who are hosting a Web site or e-mail or FTP server, will require a static IP address.
What is a Domain Name Service (DNS)?
The name resolution service for IP addresses that provides the friendlier text-based addresses for Internet resources.
What can I do if I don't get the speed I contracted for when the service is installed?
Like other high-speed technologies, DSL is a best effort service. The maximum upload and download speeds available for your connection will be the speeds specified for your package, but actual speed may vary. A number of factors can affect your connection and make the throughput lower than you expected. Remember that the Internet is one big, shared network. It can get congested during peak hours. With heavy traffic and a crowded Web server, your speed can be lower than what DSL can deliver.
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What factors should I consider in determining my Internet access needs?
You should consider several factors:
Is your current dial-up service too slow?
Do you currently download/upload multimedia files (video/audio) and large files from/to the Internet?
Would you like to host e-mail internally?
Would you like to host your own Web site?
Do you need to support multiple-users on a single connection?
The overall cost of basic dial-up service versus faster, less cumbersome DSL service.
What limitations or restrictions are there for DSL?
The DSL end-user must be located within three cable miles of a DSL-equipped
central office to get DSL. This distance will vary depending on
the specific type and condition of the telephone line.
What is a splitter?
A splitter allows both the computer and the telephone line to plug
into the DSL circuit. It divides the circuit's bandwidth so the
circuit can carry both the digital computer signals and the analog
voice signals. There is corresponding splitter equipment at the
telephone company central office to separate the computer signals
from the analog voice signals. The voice signals are connected
into the telephone voice switches. The digital computer signals
are connected to the DSL Access Multiplexer.
Can I connect more than one computer to the DSL service
and How?
Yes, more than one computer may be connected and share the DSL
connection. Simply connect the DSL modem to an Ethernet Hub, and
connect a cable from the NIC cards on each PC to the ports on the
Ethernet hub. Installing a hub is the simplest way to create a
Local Area Network (LAN). However, each PC needs to have its own
NIC card, as well as its own IP address.
ADSL Glossary
10BaseT: A 10Mbps Ethernet local area network (LAN) that runs over twisted pair wiring. This network interface can run over ordinary twisted pair or Category 3 or 5 cabling.
100BaseT: A 100-Mbps local area network that maintains backward compatibility with 10Base-T networks running at 10 Mbps.
Access Rate: The transmission speed for the physical access circuit between the end user location and the local network. This is generally measured in bits per second. Also called access speed.
ATM (asynchronous transfer mode): A protocol that packs digital information into 53-byte cells that are switched throughout a network.
Bandwidth: A measure of the amount of information that can be transmitted via a given transmission line in a given period of time. Usually measured in bits per second.
Bit (binary digit): A single digit number in base-2, either a 1 or a zero. The smallest unit of computerized data. Bits-per-second is the usual measurement of Bandwidth.
Bps (bits-per-second): A measurement of how fast data is moved from one place to another.
CLEC: Competitive Local Exchange Carrier
Demarc: The demarcation line where the telephone company ended the circuit. We need to take the line from that demarcation point to the customer's premises.
DSL: Digital Subscriber Line
DSLAM (digital subscriber line access multiplexer): A device that takes a number of digital subscriber lines and concentrates them into a single ATM line.
DS1 (digital signal 1): Twenty-four voice channels packed into a 193-bit frame and transmitted at 1.544 Mbps.
Domain Name: The unique name that identifies an Internet site. Domain names always have two or more parts, separated by dots. The part on the left is the most specific, and the part on the right is the most general. For example, the domain name: www.earthweb-connect.com
E1: European basic multiplex rate that packs thirty voice channels into a 256 bit frame and is transmitted at 2.049 Mbps.
Ethernet: A standard local area network protocol that uses coaxial cable and provides transmission speeds up to 10, 100, 1000 Mbps.
Firewall: A combination of hardware and software that separates a Local Area Network (LAN) into two or more parts for security purposes.
Hot Cut: To change or move service at a specific time so the customer does not experience down time. This action is coordinated with the local telephone company.
Internet: A collection of interconnected networks that use the TCP/IP protocol.
Intranet: A private network inside a company or organization that uses the same types of software found on the public Internet, but for internal use only.
IP Number (Internet protocol number): A unique identifying number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots, e.g. 165.222.222.2.
ISDN (integrated services digital network): The movement of data over existing regular phone lines. ISDN is rapidly becoming available to much of the USA. It can provide speeds of up to 128 kbps over regular phone lines, however most people will be limited to 56 kbps or 64 kbps.
ISP (Internet service provider): an organization offering and providing Internet services to the public and having its own computer servers to provide the services offered.
Kbps: Kilobytes per second
Kilobyte: A thousand bytes.
LAN (local area network): A computer network limited to the immediate area, in the same building or floor of a building.
LNP (local number portability): The ability to take your phone number with you to a new location.
Local loop network: Last leg that connects end service users to the backbone networks.
Loops: Basic, Digital, ISDN
Mbps: Megabytes per second
Megabyte: A million bytes.
Modem (modulator, demodulator): A device that connects to a computer and to a phone line, that allows the computer to talk to other computers through the phone system.
MOP Date (method of procedure date) DSL meets with local LEC personnel to solidify installation procedures.
Network: Connection of 2 or more computers that share resources.
POP (point of presence, or post office protocol): Two commonly used meanings: A Point of Presence denotes a city or location where a network can be connected to, often with dial-up phone lines. A second meaning, Post Office Protocol refers to the way e-mail software gets mail from a mail server.
POTS (plain old telephone service): Term used for basic analog telephone service. POTS uses the lowest 4KHz of bandwidth.
RBOC (regional Bell operating company): One of the seven U.S. Telephone Companies that resulted from the break up of AT&T.;
Router: A special-purpose computer (or software package) that handles the connection between 2 or more networks. Routers spend all their time looking at the destination addresses of the packets passing through them and deciding which route to send them on.
Server: A computer, or a software package, that provides a specific kind of service to customer software running on other computers.
SMTP (simple mail transfer protocol): The basic programming language of the Internet's e-mail function.
T-1: A leased-line connection capable of carrying data at a bandwidth of 1.5Mbps.
T-3: A leased-line connection capable of carrying data at a bandwidth of 45Mbps.
TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/Internet protocol): This is the variety of protocols that defines the Internet. Originally designed for the UNIX operating system, TCP/IP software is now available for every major kind of computer operating System.
URL (uniform resource locator): The standard way to present an address of any resource on the Internet that is part of the World Wide Web (WWW). For example: www.earthweb-connect.com
VPN (virtual private network): Usually refers to a network in which some of the parts are connected using the public Internet, but the data sent across the Internet is encrypted, so the entire network is "virtually" private.
WAN (wide area network): Any Internet or network that covers an area larger than a single building, usually offered by telephone companies but also available from alternate providers.
WWW (World Wide Web): The universe of hypertext servers (HTTP servers) which are the servers that allow text, graphics, sound files, etc. to be mixed together.
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DSL vs. Other Internet Connections* |
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50KB Text File |
8MB Video Clip |
17.7MB Microsoft IE 5.0 |
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28.8k Modem |
14 Sec. |
37 Min. |
1 Hr. 22 Min. |
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56k Modem |
7 Sec. |
20 Min. |
42 Min. |
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ISDN Modem (128k) |
3 Sec. |
8 Min. |
18 Min. |
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DSL (786k) |
< 1 Sec. |
1 Min. 30 Sec. |
3 Min. |
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DSL (1.5M) |
< 1 Sec. |
42 Sec. |
1 Min. 30 Sec. |
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