ADSL (FAQ)
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What is ADSL?
ADSL, which stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, is a broadband communication technology designed for use on regular phone lines. It has the ability to move data over the phone lines at speeds up to 140 times speedier than the fastest analog modems available today.
How fast is it?
alpha dot net currently offers 8000K downstream (from the Internet to you) and 512K upstream (from you to the Internet). See the download comparison tool at the top of this page for an example.
Is alpha ADSL available in my area?
alpha dot net can provide ADSL to most Sydney metropolitan areas. To confirm if your location is accessible you simply need to provide the telephone number which will be used to access the ADSL service. Contact alpha dot net for details.
How can it be so much faster than a modem even though it uses a regular phone line?
Analog modems send their signals through the public switched telephone network, the same one that connects ordinary telephones. ADSL modems "piggyback" their signals on top of the voice signal. On the phone company's premises, the line gets split - the voice calls are sent to the public switched telephone network, and the data transmission goes to the Internet. This method moves data off the phone companies' lines and instead uses connections optimised for carrying Internet traffic.
Will it constantly connect near the maximum speed, or will it be like my 56K modem that almost never connects at 56K?
At ADSL speeds, the limitations are much more the performance of the Internet server you're trying to reach and the amount of traffic on the Internet. The Internet is a loosely coupled network of computers that are transmitting data by different methods through different computers at different speeds, so the speed you receive data with an ADSL modem is limited by these factors.
What is the difference between ADSL and cable modems?
ADSL provides always-on high-speed Internet access over a single dedicated telephone line; cable modems offer always-on high-speed Internet access over a shared cable television line.
While cable modems have greater downstream (from the Internet into the home) bandwidth capabilities, that bandwidth is shared among all users in a neighbourhood, and will therefore vary, perhaps dramatically, as more users in a neighbourhood get online at the same time. Cable modem upstream (from the home to the Internet) traffic will in many cases be slower than ADSL, either because the particular cable modem is inherently slower, or because too many people in a neighbourhood are trying to send or receive data at the same time.
What equipment will I need to use ADSL?
You will require the following equipment:
- A standard telephone line
- Two dedicated wall mains sockets for the ADSL Modem and Router
- A 10BaseT LAN(Local Area Network) card
- To network your ADSL connection, you will need a 10BaseT LAN hub if you choose to connect via a LAN
A PC with this minimum recommended specification:
- Operating System - Windows 95/98/2000
- Processor - Pentium 133 MHz
- 64 MB RAM
- CD-ROM drive
- Video/Graphics card
- Free hard disk space - at least 150 MB
- A spare Ethernet interface
A Mac with this minimum recommended specification:
- Power PC, Power Book, iMac or iBook (G3 or G4 strongly recommended)
- 64MB RAM
- CD-ROM drive
- Free hard disk space - at least 150 MB
- A spare Ethernet interface
What benefit will ADSL be to my business?
Apart from the obvious implications regarding competitiveness, keeping your IT strategy up-to-date with current technologies and being prepared to keep pace with the opportunities for e-commerce, there are some technical implications such as:
- You will enjoy vastly faster general Web surfing
- You will enjoy faster download and upload of large data files
- You will enjoy faster search engine and database enquiries
- You will enjoy the increased speed of file transfer between locations
- You will have the capability to send and receive e-mails with large file attachments
- You will have a connection which is always on line
- You will have the ability to make and receive telephone calls or fax transmissions without disrupting your Internet connection
- You will have the ability to connect several PC's to the ADSL system
How many people can use my ADSL connection?
A properly managed office network could support up to 35 people. For more specific network configuration details (these can vary greatly depending on your requirements) contact alpha dot net.
Will I need a new phone line or telephone system?
No. You will be able to access the Internet and use the telephone at the same time through your ADSL connection.
Will I have to change my e-mail address?
No, existing email adresses can generally be accomodated.
Will I need a new telephone number?
No, you will be able to retain your existing telephone number. The ADSL connection will not affect your telephone number.
How will ADSL affect my regular phone calls/faxes?
In most cases, ADSL will not interfere with your phone calls and vice-versa. In some cases when you are using the same phone line for both ADSL and POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service), you will need to add a simple filter between your phone and the wall jack.
How long will it take to setup my ADSL connection?
We can have your ADSL connection setup in 10 to 25 days (these times are largely dictated by Telstra policy).
Go to the alpha ADSL pricing and specification page.
Need more answers? Contact alpha dot net.
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