Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
This is the name of the technology used to deliver most broadband in the UK. The Asymmetric bit simply means it works faster towards you, for downloads, than it does away from you. It works on the assumption that most domestic PCs take a lot more data FROM the Internet than they put into it. Here is a technical description from Wikipedia
Types of ADSL and their speeds
There are three types of ADSL: original ADSL - up to 2Mbps, ADSL Max - up to 8Mbps, and ADSL2+ at up to 24Mbps. They are not available in every telephone exchange. Some BT exchanges, mainly in the Western Isles of Scotland will never get ADSL. However most exchanges (5564 in Oct 07) now have basic ADSL at 2Mbps, and BT have a rolling plan that will eventually move all exchanges (5397 in Oct 07) to ADSL Max at 8Mbps. BT's roll-out of ADSL2+ (the 24Mbps service) will start around mid-2008, apparently, but as this depends on the national roll-out of a brand new BT core network called 21CN, it may get delayed. However the good news is that for a couple of years now other companies have been allowed to install equipment in BT telephone exchanges in a process known a Local Loop Unbundling, and some of these companies ARE offering ADSL2+ at 24Mbps. But for most people who simply want a reasonable speed at a reasonable cost, 8 Mbps ADSL-Max is it.
Most ISPs are selling "up to 8Mbps broadband", but in truth very few people will actually get that speed. What you actually get depends on how close you are to your telephone exchange..
The best site on the Internet for all this sort of information is: http://www.samknows.com/broadband , but be warned, it's meant for professionals and has lots of technical information. A major feature of the SamKnows site is their Availability Checker at http://www.samknows.com/broadband/checker2.php , you can type in a telephone number or postcode and it will tell you what services are available in your telephone exchange and from what providers, and also what line speeds you are likely to get.
Be aware that not all suppliers of Broadband Services are listed on the Samknows site. They only list BT and companies that install and manage their own equipment in LLU exchanges, they do not list re-sellers of other companies services. So if your company s not listed it's because they are buying service from one of the listed companies and not providing and managing their own equipment.
Speed Checking
Once you have an estimation of the broadband speed you should be getting using the samknows website, try doing an actual speed test using the thinkbroadband website here: http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest.html
If your actual speed is equal to or better than your predicted speed, be grateful, very grateful. If it's worse by around 20% then you are just unlucky. However if it's worse by half or more, i.e. You estimated speed is twice or more than what you are actually getting, then you should think about talking to your ISP Helpdesk.
Rate Adaption
The 8 Mbps ADSL-Max service that most people have uses Rate Adaption. So, before you talk to your ISP Helpdesk about speed problems it's worth double checking the actual speed test at different times of the day and over the course of a week, just in case your line had a temporary glitch and you are now fighting the Rate Adaption.
It works like this: When your broadband line was first installed the exchange equipment spent 10 days working out the fastest speed your line was capable of. From then on you always connect at the nearest "speed notch" below what was measured. (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1,5, 2.0, 2,5, 3.0, 3,5, etc up to 7.15Mbps)
If your line develops a temporary fault and cannot sustain the "speed notch" that has been set for your line, then the exchange equipment drops down to a "speed notch" that it thinks it can sustain. BUT, and here is the problem, if the temporary fault now goes away, the exchange equipment doesn't reset to your old speed automatically. Rather it keeps an eye on your broadband speed and will only start to increase it after three days (3 DAYS)
This means that if you suddenly notice that your broadband speed seems a lot slower than normal and, say, find out that someone was messing with the line filters in your house, it will take 3 days for you speed to return to normal, AFTER you have corrected the temporary fault.
For more technical details see this excellent page: http://www.thinkbroadband.com/faq/sections/radsl.html
Contacting your Helpdesk
If you are going to complain to your helpdesk about slow speed remember you can only compare your estimated speed with your actual speed, and not the 8 Mbps that was "promised" by your ISP. Very few people get 8 Mbps. Moreover, you need to check to speed over the course of at least 3 days, in case your line had a temporary glitch, see Rate Adaption above.
Also remember that your ISP is only contracted to supply you broadband, if the problem is within your computer you are on your own. Some ISPs offer technical help for both line and PC problems but many charge for this service.
Installation
Do you need your broadband installed professionally? Three things affect the speed and quality of your Broadband connection:
- The telephone line from the Exchange to your house.
- The type of telephone sockets you have and how many extension telephones you have in the house.
- The type and number of computers you have.
Most problems occur because of internal house wiring for extension telephones, especially if they are DIY extensions. Most DIY extensions (the kind you buy in B&Q) use cheap cable and sockets that is OK for telephone work (just) but causes problems for Broadband. So a good Rule of Thumb is this: "If you are close enough to the exchange to get a strong signal entering the house, it can probably overcome any shortcomings in the house wiring and give you a reliable connection."
How close are you to the telephone exchange?
Enter your telephone number in the Availability Checker on SamKnows website here http://www.samknows.com/broadband/checker2.php. Does it tell you that you should get a full 2Mbps service on basic ADSL and above 4Mbps on ADSLMax? If so, you have a strong enough signal to overcome most internal wiring problems, and can probably do your own installation. If the SamKnows site suggests a speed of 3Mbps or less then answer this question:
- Does your house have just ONE phone plugged into the only telephone socket in the house?
- In a weak signal area the broadband signal is affected by your internal house wiring, so a house with telephone extensions, especially on DIY wiring, is likely to present problems for broadband: it may reduce the speed you get considerably or even stop the signal completely. If you answered no to this question you may need help with the installation. The good news is that problems with internal wiring are usually just a question of where to put filters, and if you do need to bring in a professional later, correcting filter locations is fairly quick. See Contact Us
- If you do try doing this yourself, do NOT try following the often quoted guideline of "putting a filter in every socket" - it's not quite right and can lead to difficulties if you have DIY extensions. Rather take every phone or sky box you have, and put a filter at the end of its lead. i.e. remove the phone lead from where it's inserted, and insert it into the phone socket of a filter, and then insert the filter plug into wherever you just removed the phone from. This will work most of the time. However, at the end of the day, there are tricks of the trade like Master Socket ADSL filters that professional techniciansf like Openreach staff will use as a last resort, call us if you think you may need one. See Contact Us
Finally, if the samknows site suggests you should be getting a speed significantly faster than the speed you are measuring, and you have waited more than 3 days for the rate adaption to increase it, then seek professional help. See Contact Us
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- Are you good with PCs? (be honest!)
- If you are, then you can certainly manage to install a simple USB modem and probably manage to install an ADSL wireless-router as well. If you are not good with PCs then answer these questions:
- Do you have more than one PC? Do you have a wireless laptop that you want to use anywhere around the house?
- If you have answered no to both of these questions then you probably only need a simple USB modem, and most people should be able to install one if they follow the instructions carefully.
In all other circumstances we recommend you get the Broadband installed professionally. It should take a couple of hours or so. Bear in mind that it takes far longer, FAR LONGER, for a professional to repair a bungled install than it does to install it from scratch in the first place. See our charges.
Security
It is VERY IMPORTANT to remember that a broadband circuit connects your computer to the Internet on a permanent basis, this means it is vulnerable to attacks from criminals who will try to "take ownership" of your PC. If they do , your PC will be doing everything they instruct it to, including telling them all your bank account and credit card numbers. Criminals have even been known to encrypt all your important documents and family photos so they can't be accessed, and then demand money for the decrypt key.
Bottom line: Install a Firewall. Install an anti-Virus Checker. Install an anti-spyware checker. There is no excuse, there are free versions of all these products available. Call us if you need help.
And if your computer does get "owned" by a criminal, complete loss of all the data on it will be the least of your worries!!!!.
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