Holy fish, DSL questions

[chaos master]

I'm getting Verizon DSL soon, and I have some questions for whoever can answer them:

- It says I'm getting 3 Mbps. How much download speed in kilobytes is that? How much is 1.5 Mbps? What are the upload speeds relative to those?

- Where does a DSL modem plug into? Some sorta special socket?

- How do wireless adapter thingies work? Do you merely plug the modem into a wireless adapter? Can you plug the modem directly into a computer if you don't want wireless at any time?

- My friend got a black box with wires and stuff going in and coming out with his DSL. How does that work? What are the wires for that go in and out?

- How is DSL different than cable?

- Where does the modem connect to the computer?

- Can only computers with wireless reciever thingies and wifi cards connect to a wireless network?

I'm recieving the equipment soon, so I just want to know such things ahead of time. If you need more info, then ask my bad self.

[Iconoclast]

I'm getting Verizon DSL soon, and I have some questions for whoever can answer them:

- It says I'm getting 3 Mbps. How much download speed in kilobytes is that? How much is 1.5 Mbps? What are the upload speeds relative to those?

I'm recieving the equipment soon, so I just want to know such things ahead of time. If you need more info, then ask my bad self.3 MB = 3,072 KB
1.5 MB = 1,536 KB

[chaos master]

3 MB = 3,072 KB
1.5 MB = 1,536 KB

Right, but doesn't Mbps stand for Megabits per second, not Megabytes? I'm not sure, though.

[Iconoclast]

Right, but doesn't Mbps stand for Megabits per second, not Megabytes? I'm not sure, though.I'm not, either, but using common sense, I'd say it wouldn't. MB is for megabyte, and MBit is for megabit.

A bit is an eighth of a byte, so, logically, how much is a megabit of a megabyte?

[DarthBrady]

I'm getting Verizon DSL soon, and I have some questions for whoever can answer them:

1 - It says I'm getting 3 Mbps. How much download speed in kilobytes is that? How much is 1.5 Mbps? What are the upload speeds relative to those?

2 - Where does a DSL modem plug into? Some sorta special socket?

3 - How do wireless adapter thingies work? Do you merely plug the modem into a wireless adapter? Can you plug the modem directly into a computer if you don't want wireless at any time?

4 - My friend got a black box with wires and stuff going in and coming out with his DSL. How does that work? What are the wires for that go in and out?

5- How is DSL different than cable?

6- Where does the modem connect to the computer?

7- Can only computers with wireless reciever thingies and wifi cards connect to a wireless network?

I'm recieving the equipment soon, so I just want to know such things ahead of time. If you need more info, then ask my bad self.

Here is some info for you:

1- DSL, like cable, is measured in speed, by tow data streams it uses, called the "upstream" and the "downstream", which are seperated streams, where one uploads data, and one downloads it.
3 Mbps, or 1.5 Mbps, is a speedrating in Mega-Bytes-Per-Second. There is always a higher and lower number, one for upstream and one downstream speed. For Example:
Common DSL Speeds: 1.5Mbps/256Kbps(slower) or 3Mbps/384Kbps(average) (Kbps = Kilo-Bytes-Per-Second)

2- DSL Modem/Routers, are usually external, meaning in a little box outside your PC. DSL comes in through your standard phone Line, then the phone line goes into the modem/router box, then either an Ethernet or USB cable connects the Modem/router to the PC.
(Also, since it comes in from a phone line, you will have to plug in a "DSL filter" into every phone jack in your home-- you'll see)

3 - Wireless Adapter is exaclty what it means, wireless. YOu can use a wireless adapter if dont want to run wires to your PC to hook up the Modem/Router to the PC. You must have a Wireless reciever installed to the PC, so it can recieve the signal. Simple as that. If you dont use a laptop, you really dont need this, unless you own something that usues it by default, like an Xbox 360

4 - This is probably the Modem/Router, the answer to this is in the answer to question #2

5- In simplest terms, DSL comes in from a phone line, and Cable comes in from a coax cable line(like cableTV).

6- Like I said in answer 2, either by an Ethernet Cable or USB Cable (ethernet looks like a phone cable, only larger)

7- As long as the wireless network has an access point, sure it can connect to a network, that is what it was originally designed for ;)
some cities like san francisco, have access point everywhere, so you can connect to the internet free, anywhere in the city. :D

If you have any more questions, just ask!

And welcome to the world of High speed internet, Man I wish I could be there to see the look on your face when you first realize how much dial-up sucks compared to broadband. LOL

[DarthBrady]

I'm not, either, but using common sense, I'd say it wouldn't. MB is for megabyte, and MBit is for megabit.

A bit is an eighth of a byte, so, logically, how much is a megabit of a megabyte?

Its can mean megabits and not megabytes, it just depends on how the ISP or test site rates it. Some go by megabytes, some go by megabits, either way its way faster than dial-up:D

[chaos master]

\\Thanks, that helped clear things up. But...




2- DSL Modem/Routers, are usually external, meaning in a little box outside your PC. DSL comes in through your standard phone Line, then the phone line goes into the modem/router box, then either an Ethernet or USB cable connects the Modem/router to the PC.
(Also, since it comes in from a phone line, you will have to plug in a "DSL filter" into every phone jack in your home-- you'll see)



Holy carp, I could be getting 3 Mbps from my phone jack?! But dial up uses it and it is so much slower! Hmmm...., if I put such a DSL filter on my phone line, could I still plug in my phone when I'm not on the internet? I only have one phone jack close to my computer, and it is occupied by the phone, but with dial up, I use the jack for internet and plug the phone back in it when I'm done. Is this possible with DSL? Is it possible to have both plugged in at the same time?

Also, could I connect the jack to the box with the wire I use for dial up?

AND: The wire I use for dial up is tangled, really long, and it goes up to the jack in the wall from the floor at a 90 degree angle for a few feet. Could any of those factors affect my speed?

[cherko]

Unfair... At least I'll get broadband in two years...

[DarthBrady]

\\Thanks, that helped clear things up. But...




Holy carp, I could be getting 3 Mbps from my phone jack?! But dial up uses it and it is so much slower! Hmmm...., if I put such a DSL filter on my phone line, could I still plug in my phone when I'm not on the internet? I only have one phone jack close to my computer, and it is occupied by the phone, but with dial up, I use the jack for internet and plug the phone back in it when I'm done. Is this possible with DSL? Is it possible to have both plugged in at the same time?

Also, could I connect the jack to the box with the wire I use for dial up?

AND: The wire I use for dial up is tangled, really long, and it goes up to the jack in the wall from the floor at a 90 degree angle for a few feet. Could any of those factors affect my speed?

LOL. I knew you were gonna aska about filters. :p

Dont freak out, let me explain what they do:

-Basically, when you get DSL, you will have a constant Internet conncection going through the same line as your phones.A DSL line filter, is basically a tiny box, that plugs into each phone jack in your home, to Filter or seperate the DSL signal from the telephone signal.
-Without them, your phone line would have a lot of loud "static noise" and everytime the phone rang, you would get kicked off the internet. (I learned this the hard way)

And yes, you can have your phone hooked up and DSL at the same time, and they both work just like normal. ;)

Here is what one of my DSL line filters looks Like:
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3043/1001023mc7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

See? its nothing to worry about at all!

[DarthBrady]

Also, the lenght of the line wont really matter.

Yes, the longer the line, the longer it takes the signal to run from one end to the other. But its not that much longer. (not enough to notice)

Is no different from something like a controller or video cable in this sense.

I sometimes use a line that is 75 foot long, and the speed test doesnt even register a slowed difference from my 3 foot line, the difference is that small.

so dont worry, you long tangled wire will be ok. But I would untangle it. Tangled wires causes interference in anything they are used for;)

[BlueDragonMan]

Congrats CM! You shall finally find out how much fun the internet truelly is. I HATE the internet atm. I want my DSL back >.< with that said.........
I'm going to get wireless internet soon! All I have to do is keep on my mom about it. She looked up the prices for it today. $100 for intalling it and then we can get either 10x,15x,or 20x the dial up speed. I want the 20x which is $50 a month, but I bet she gets the 10x which is $30 a month. The 15x is $40 a month. Just hope this computer likes wireless. I think I'm missing some drivers that I need to run DSL so I hope that doesnt conflict with my wireless.....:'( I can't reinstall the drivers because A: I dont know what drivers I'm missing and B: I dont have the driver disk which is why they are missing......All thanks to a virus I got that made me have to reinstall everything on my computer...

[chaos master]

OMG, you're so dang helpful; I probably know enough to get it working now. Now comes the ending of the dial up era! Zero hour is on Monday...>_>

[DarthBrady]

OMG, you're so dang helpful; I probably know enough to get it working now. Now comes the ending of the dial up era! Zero hour is on Monday...>_>

no problem dude, this one was easy:D

glad I could help!

***WARNING****
when you download your first giant file, you will probably crap your pants at the difference in speed. LOL!!

The internet will truly come alive for you my friend, hell even I am excited about it now! haha

[BlueDragonMan]

OMG, you're so dang helpful; I probably know enough to get it working now. Now comes the ending of the dial up era! Zero hour is on Monday...>_>

BTW. Verison DSL comes with a setup disk that would of told you everything you needed to know about DSL. <.< >.> Thats the DSL I used to have.

[chaos master]

Well, I'll have to keep a spare pair of pants on hand then.

BTW. Verison DSL comes with a setup disk that would of told you everything you needed to know about DSL. <.< >.> Thats the DSL I used to have.

O rly? Well, I guess I don't need it now...but I'll take a look at it anyway when it comes.

[BlueDragonMan]

Well, I'll have to keep a spare pair of pants on hand then.



O rly? Well, I guess I don't need it now...but I'll take a look at it anyway when it comes.

You kind of have to use the disk. Thats how they set up the connection. ;)