| Author |
Message |
fs63
Guest
|
 Posted:
Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:39 pm Post subject:
Questions on starting DSL service |
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Begging your patience....I'm a technical person, but new to DSL and
have questions.
My parents are in the process of getting aDSL from Earthlink, their
phone company is BellSouth. They live in an older neighborhood, approx
40 years old, with lines about ground on poles. It is approx 6-8k ft
to the CO.
I have read about and think I understand the two typical configurations
1) splitter on side of house or 2) splitter inside at the appropriate
phone jack and filters on all other phones. They are supposedly
getting the latter....a home install kit with DSL modem and line
filters to install on all the other phones.
The Earthlink rep said BellSouth would provision the line, then notify
earthlink to ship the cable modem equipment to my parents, then they
would plug in the filter first, then the DSL modem.
I was concerned about getting the DSL before the filters were
installed, but the earthlink rep said the DSL signal didn't really
start until the DSL modem was plugged in, so it wasn't a problem. He
also said no one would typically come to the house for any work, it is
usually done remotely.
Questions / concerns:
1) Is it true that even though the line is "provisioned", that the DSL
doesn't really start until the DSL modem is plugged for the first time?
Does the modem request a sync and that turns on the high freq DSL
signal the first time? That would alleviate my concern about not
having the filters plugged in when the line is "provisioned".
2) How often can the phone company successfully setup everything from
the central office, without making a trip to the house? I have read
about the possibility of loading coils that are typically every 3k feet
on older circuits. I also thought that they have to come to the house
to test the circuit.
3) I am concerned about using the filters (vs splitter on side of
house) configuration in an older house. I know their phone wiring is
not as clean as the newer home installs. What kind of success have
folks seen using the filters in 40 year old home installations?
Thanks,
Tim C.
fs63@volcanomail.com |
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Neil W Rickert
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:39 pm Post subject:
Re: Questions on starting DSL service |
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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
"fs63" <fs63@volcanomail.com> writes:
| Quote: | 1) Is it true that even though the line is "provisioned", that the DSL
doesn't really start until the DSL modem is plugged for the first time?
Does the modem request a sync and that turns on the high freq DSL
signal the first time? That would alleviate my concern about not
having the filters plugged in when the line is "provisioned".
|
The modem initiates a signal, and then looks for a response from the
DSLAM (the equipment at the telco side). There is no problem with
using unfiltered lines before your modem is connected.
| Quote: | 2) How often can the phone company successfully setup everything from
the central office, without making a trip to the house?
|
If you are close to the CO, then even a line with problems might
work. As you get further from the CO, it becomes more important to
have a clean line.
Note that they can check the line for some problems from their
office. If needed, they can check from outside your house. They
normally need to come into the house only when there are problems.
| Quote: | I have read
about the possibility of loading coils that are typically every 3k feet
on older circuits. I also thought that they have to come to the house
to test the circuit.
|
I think loading coils are mostly used on long lines (much longer than
3K feet). If you are far enough from the CO that loading coils are a
serious likelihood, then you are probably too far for them to be
willing to offer you DSL service.
| Quote: | 3) I am concerned about using the filters (vs splitter on side of
house) configuration in an older house. I know their phone wiring is
not as clean as the newer home installs. What kind of success have
folks seen using the filters in 40 year old home installations?
|
If you are up to it, then best is a splitter connecting the incoming
line to the house wiring, together with new wiring from the incoming
line direct to where the modem will connect. You can buy a splitter
on EBay -- search for "POTS splitter". You can buy suitable wire at
Radio Shack. Some people recommend that you use a cat 5 ethernet
cable (which you then cut to size). I used 24 guage twisted pair
telephone cable from Radio Shack, which I ran down the return air
duct.
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BgoQrvBsSE33bNLNebSfzOU=
=FBEa
-----END PGP SIGNATURE----- |
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Chuck
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:49 pm Post subject:
Re: Questions on starting DSL service |
|
|
On 28 Dec 2004 08:39:10 -0800, "fs63" <*email_address_deleted*> wrote:
| Quote: | Begging your patience....I'm a technical person, but new to DSL and
have questions.
My parents are in the process of getting aDSL from Earthlink, their
phone company is BellSouth. They live in an older neighborhood, approx
40 years old, with lines about ground on poles. It is approx 6-8k ft
to the CO.
I have read about and think I understand the two typical configurations
1) splitter on side of house or 2) splitter inside at the appropriate
phone jack and filters on all other phones. They are supposedly
getting the latter....a home install kit with DSL modem and line
filters to install on all the other phones.
The Earthlink rep said BellSouth would provision the line, then notify
earthlink to ship the cable modem equipment to my parents, then they
would plug in the filter first, then the DSL modem.
I was concerned about getting the DSL before the filters were
installed, but the earthlink rep said the DSL signal didn't really
start until the DSL modem was plugged in, so it wasn't a problem. He
also said no one would typically come to the house for any work, it is
usually done remotely.
Questions / concerns:
1) Is it true that even though the line is "provisioned", that the DSL
doesn't really start until the DSL modem is plugged for the first time?
Does the modem request a sync and that turns on the high freq DSL
signal the first time? That would alleviate my concern about not
having the filters plugged in when the line is "provisioned".
2) How often can the phone company successfully setup everything from
the central office, without making a trip to the house? I have read
about the possibility of loading coils that are typically every 3k feet
on older circuits. I also thought that they have to come to the house
to test the circuit.
3) I am concerned about using the filters (vs splitter on side of
house) configuration in an older house. I know their phone wiring is
not as clean as the newer home installs. What kind of success have
folks seen using the filters in 40 year old home installations?
Thanks,
Tim C.
*email_address_deleted*
|
Tim,
1) The majority of the work in setting up DSL service is done between the ISP
and the CO. The assumption is that everything is OK between the CO and the CP,
so most DSL service initiation is done without a visit to the CP. The high
frequency DSL signal will be present on the line, but without a DSL modem
connected it won't be heard (If a tree falls in the forest, and there's nobody
there to hear it, is a sound present?).
2) The LEC makes the assumption that there are no loading coils present, since
their records aren't always accurate. If your service, once setup, indicates a
problem, then will they do an investigative trace for problems.
3) For most houses, and age is not always relevant, individual filters on each
phone should perform as well as a single whole house filter. If affordable and
convenient, it is a good idea to run a single, dedicated line between the NID
and your DSL modem; this is when a whole house filter is typically installed, to
filter the dedicated line.
And Tim, posting your email address openly will get you more unwanted email,
than wanted email. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep yourself
a bit safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of the
internet - read this article.
http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm
--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing. |
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David Lesher
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 29, 2004 12:29 am Post subject:
Re: Questions on starting DSL service |
|
|
"fs63" <fs63@volcanomail.com> writes:
| Quote: | 1) Is it true that even though the line is "provisioned", that the DSL
doesn't really start until the DSL modem is plugged for the first time?
Does the modem request a sync and that turns on the high freq DSL
signal the first time? That would alleviate my concern about not
having the filters plugged in when the line is "provisioned".
|
The CO->modem signal is far enough out of the audio range to not be
an issue. It's the modem->CO signal that you can hear. Until the
modem is there, you'll notice nothing.
| Quote: | 2) How often can the phone company successfully setup everything from
the central office, without making a trip to the house? I have read
about the possibility of loading coils that are typically every 3k feet
on older circuits. I also thought that they have to come to the house
to test the circuit.
|
That Depends[tm]. But you can't do much ahead of time. Get the kit,
deploy, and if it fails to work, then raise Hell.
| Quote: | 3) I am concerned about using the filters (vs splitter on side of
house) configuration in an older house.
|
I prefer a single filter but if the users don't object to the
filter/phone, you can start there.
Note: as far as I can see -- there's no performance difference
between a ""filter"" and a ""splitter"" -- the splitter may have
screw terminals and/or a weatherproof box, but... I have put
in perfectly good installations (including mine..) with one
filter for all the phones..
--
A host is a host from coast to coast.................wb8foz@nrk.com
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433 |
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Rick Wintjen
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 29, 2004 3:44 am Post subject:
Re: Questions on starting DSL service |
|
|
fs63 wrote:
| Quote: | Begging your patience....I'm a technical person, but new to DSL and
have questions.
My parents are in the process of getting aDSL from Earthlink, their
phone company is BellSouth. They live in an older neighborhood, approx
40 years old, with lines about ground on poles. It is approx 6-8k ft
to the CO.
I have read about and think I understand the two typical configurations
1) splitter on side of house or 2) splitter inside at the appropriate
phone jack and filters on all other phones. They are supposedly
getting the latter....a home install kit with DSL modem and line
filters to install on all the other phones.
The Earthlink rep said BellSouth would provision the line, then notify
earthlink to ship the cable modem equipment to my parents, then they
would plug in the filter first, then the DSL modem.
I was concerned about getting the DSL before the filters were
installed, but the earthlink rep said the DSL signal didn't really
start until the DSL modem was plugged in, so it wasn't a problem. He
also said no one would typically come to the house for any work, it is
usually done remotely.
Questions / concerns:
1) Is it true that even though the line is "provisioned", that the DSL
doesn't really start until the DSL modem is plugged for the first time?
Does the modem request a sync and that turns on the high freq DSL
signal the first time? That would alleviate my concern about not
having the filters plugged in when the line is "provisioned".
2) How often can the phone company successfully setup everything from
the central office, without making a trip to the house? I have read
about the possibility of loading coils that are typically every 3k feet
on older circuits. I also thought that they have to come to the house
to test the circuit.
3) I am concerned about using the filters (vs splitter on side of
house) configuration in an older house. I know their phone wiring is
not as clean as the newer home installs. What kind of success have
folks seen using the filters in 40 year old home installations?
Thanks,
Tim C.
fs63@volcanomail.com
Just to put your mind at ease, in addition to the other excellent |
responses. My house was built in '51, and worked perfectly well with the
standard setup. I have since installed a whole-house splitter/filter,
mostly to make it easier to move phones around; it didn't have much
affect on the aDSL signal. |
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Tim C.
Guest
|
| Posted:
Sat Jan 01, 2005 7:35 pm Post subject:
Re: Questions on starting DSL service |
|
|
To all who replied to my original post,
Thanks for all the great responses. I am posting as Tim C. instead of
fs63 (and not posting my email address - thanks Chuck).
We are moving forward with my parent's DSL - This past Monday DSL was
ordered, Wednesday the line was provisioned, Thursday the ISP shipped
the DSL modem. The moment of truth will be next week when it arrives
and we plug it in. I have since visited my parents and looked at their
house and existing wiring. Turns out their house was built in 1951 too
(Rick) and it has an excellent setup for an external splitter. We are
planning on getting the service up and running first with the phone
filters, then go back and install an external splitter. I have found a
number of splitters on ebay and other places.
The answers and advice you have given is invaluable.
Thanks,
Tim C. |
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