Broadband ... AOL ... NTL ....

[brockenspectre]

Hi all

Having resisted broadband until now I have finally succombed (having become weary of how slow my home internet connection is). I called AOL, which has been my ISP for the past 6 years, and am getting a preferential first year rate plus free modem and they are arranging for an NTL engineer to call to install the broadband connection in two weeks' time. So far so good.

I have now received a letter from NTL welcoming me to its Broadband service - no mention of AOL.

Now I need help in understanding the "process" of broadband. How does a broadband connection work - as opposed to my dialup one - and will I be incurring NTL charges in addition to paying for the optimised (allegedly!) AOL service?

I feel a real dunce!

Other threads have mentioned needing filters ... what are they? where and how are they installed? and ... how can one set a dialup modem (for faxes) to work with a broadband modem ... does it just plug in?

Sorry for the basic questions and of course if this has all been covered in another thread that I didn't find, please just point me to it!

Thanks. :ok:

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

brockenspectre,

DSL is short for Digital Subscriber Line. It is a much higher speed connection that using a standard modem. NTL owns the lines which the service is carried over. AOL is a reseller and they are selling you the service that AOL bought from NTL at a discounted bulk rate. You will be billed though AOL for the service that is provided by NTL.

With DSL it is an "always on" service. In order to use a Fax though your computer, you will still need the modem in your computer. The frequency that DSL operates on your phone line is different from the one a standard modem uses and is out of the audible range.

The filters keep any of the DSL signal from bleeding though and it protects any standard modems from being damaged by the DSL signal.

Take Care,

Richard

[ORAC]

The phone system is designed to transmit audio signals in the range of human hearing. To transmit digital data, a modem modulatesthe signal into analog audible tones that can be relayed through the phone system. The modem on the other end then demodulates them back again. This wastes bandwidth. Even though the phone wire is capable of carrying 25 MHz sound waves, an analog phone line never exceeds the 4-KHz range within the human hearing range. ADSL speeds data transmission by using a different part of the bandwidth to transmit data whilst still leaving the original 4-KHz band for voice.

BT runs two different types of network. Your local copper line which you use to connect to your local exchange, and a high-speed digital network over fiber-optic cables which it uses to link exchanges. At the local exchange, BT takes the digital signal and splits the signal into the 4-KHz analogue band and sends digital data down the remaining bandwidth. The expense of multiplexer used to split/combine the voice and data and the cost of the additional amplifiers needed to utilise the additional bandwidth are the reason that BT are reluctant to convert exchanges without a minimum customer base.

Because it is using higher frequency bands, the digital signal will not carry as far as the voice signal, hence the limitation of only being available out to around 5Km from the exchange - though a modified variant is being introduced reaching out to 8Km.

The additional signal can cause interference in equipment not designed to screen it out, hence the use of filters. The filters are used in-line on phones and other equipment designed to use the voice signal and filter out everything except the original 4-KHz signal.

Totally separate to the above ADSL technology, broadband digital signals can also be carried by cable operators who have their own high capacity fibre-optic networks to provide cable TV. Because they are not limited to using copper lines over the last few miles, they have better coverage in the areas they have cabled. They can also provide even greater bandwidth than BT. (BT is only just starting to offer a 1Mb service in some areas, whilst NTL is offering a 1Mb service as a standard option - at a price!). In most areas it is not economic for BT to convert exchanges in areas where a cable company such as NTL has already signed up most of the customer base.

AOL as an internet service provider, has contracts with both BT and NTL to provide the broadband connection to their customers. You obviously fall in a cable area and will receive a cable modem - not an ADSL modem. You will not require any filters if you have a BT phone as the two services are not connected. AOL will pay NTL, though NTL will undoubtedly try and persuade you to sign up for their own phone and TV services at the same time......

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

ORAC,

So is NTL - DSL or Cable? I assumed because Filters we mentioned were talking about DSL.

Take Care,

Richard

[amanoffewwords]

NTL is cable.

But AOL are advertising their service as broadband which I think most people in the UK associate with DSL since NTL (and their competitors Telewest) have a much smaller marketing presence than BT, who in turn have a monopoly on DSL (except maybe in Hull (and Kingston??) as they have their own telco - last time I checked).

amofw

[BRL]

Hi there. Other threads have mentioned needing filters ... what are they? where and how are they installed? and ... how can one set a dialup modem (for faxes) to work with a broadband modem ... does it just plug in?
Here is my set up at home. http://www.btinternet.com/~paul.evans28/111_1135.JPG This is the basic BT wall socket for my phone line. You can see a double connector here. This was fitted when I had my SKy box installed as the set-top box has to be connected to a phone line. The wire on the left goes off to the box. The top connector of the two you see in the picture goes to a FILTER that is provided with the braodband modem. The modem goes into the usb port. The bottom one of the two goes straight to the 56K dial-up modem in the computer that can still be used.
Next is a picture of the filter and wall box. http://www.btinternet.com/~paul.evans28/111_1137.JPG Next picture is the filter itself. This has a connection that you plug your broadband modem into and on the right is my home phone line. http://www.btinternet.com/~paul.evans28/111_1138.JPG Hope all this helps... :)

[PPRuNe Pop]

I have Pipex. It installed first go and apart from a small adjustment at the beginning it is just perfect. I have never called them for a problem since the first day. This is month 8.

[BEagle]

BRL - I was told that the filter had to be fitted between the wall socket and doubler.....

So, my upstairs extension has the straightforward filter (similar to yours) plugged into it with the 'normal phone' (RJ11) socket connected to the cordless DECT base station and the ASDL modem connected to the modem port. Actually it's a wireless modem so I can use the laptop anywhere in BEagle Towers...

The downstairs socket has another plugged in; nothing connected to the modem port but a doubler connected to the RJ11, one socket used for the Sky receiver and the other for the phone/fax machine.

The ASDL light stopped flashing and changed to steady yesterday; for a few minutes I had home wireless broadband internet access but I suspect that the 'system' recognised that my ISP change-over date isn't until Monday, as it closed down a bit later..... But the browsing speed compared to dear old 45.2 which I usually get was truly excellent!

[BRL]

Hi BEagle. This is how the bloke on the phone talked me through it. :confused:

[BEagle]

It's because the ASDL signal could escape into anything else plugged into your phone line. I don't know whether that could knacker anything, fry the Sky receiver, cock up the computer modem or whatever....

Is your Sky receiver connected to the doubler with one of the standard 'data' plugs? If so, you'd be better off plugging the filter directly into the wall socket and then attaching your 'doubler' to the 'phone' socket on the filter - 'data' plug to Sky, one RJ-11 to the phone and the other to your computer modem. All your devices would then be protected.

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

brockenspectre,

This is my personal opinion:

AOL was designed for the complete computer illiterate. It gave them a chance to communicate and use a computer prior to the days of the internet. When the internet started to gain popularity, it again offered people that were completely computer illiterate a way to get on the internet.

Since you have been online for 6 years now, I am sure you have the skills you get around the internet and download email without the need of AOL to help. I would suggest that you shop around for the best broadband solution in your area. (You can always keep your AOL account and just access it from any broadband account should you want to.) Any ISP you sign up with offers email service. (Unless AOL is needed for your Ecoflow business.) The only other service I can think of that AOL offers is keeping in contact with friends via instant messages. (AOL IM can be used even without an AOL account. Free of Charge.)

Do not feel that you need to be tied to AOL just because you have used their Dialup Service for the last 6 years.

Best of luck,

Richard

P.S. I understand that people who travel like AOL because they can log on from just about anywhere in the world. (A good reason to have the service.)

[brockenspectre]

Thank you all so much for your replies. BRL the pics were very helpful - I figured that would be how it should look but wasn't sure - and now I know what to expect when the engineer sets up the connection.. can't wait!

ORAC excellent explanation as always! thanks!

Richard thanks for your heads-up about AOL. I am happy with them although as you rightly point out I could easily sign up with others. For me the advantages are being able to pick up mail anywhere and chat to my friends in Florida who are on AOL (when they are online at the same time) ... so far my motto is "if it ain't broke don't fix it" so .. unless it all goes to worms once I am on broadband then I won't be changing!

In addition to folks knowing my main AOL email addy for the Ecoflow business, I also maintain pictures in a large gallery for a Japanese Shiba Inu forum online and all these are set up on AOL at the moment. As we are talking about 300 pics I am loth to change!



:ok:

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

brockenspectre,

Just one final warning about Broadband. Once you get it, you will never be able to go back to Dialup again. ;)

Enjoy the speed,

Richard

[BEagle]

BRL - I've checked again:

"ADSL enables fast Internet to be delivered to you on your standard telephone line. It allows you to surf the Internet, use e-mail or many other internet applications whilst still carrying on using your telephone, answer machine, fax or any of other piece of telephony equipment that you have attached to your line.

To ensure the quality of both the telephony and the ADSL every piece of telephony equipment must be filtered including telephones, fax machines and even simple tone callers. This does not mean that every piece of equipment must have a filter, only that every telephone socket that has telephony equipment attached to it must have a Microfilter fitted first. A standard telephone doubler can be used in the Microfilter “Phone” socket to enable you to plug in another telephony device or extension cable."

So you really do need to change the way you've got your system connected if you're going to use ADSL without any problems.

[BRL]

Ok Beags, points taken. I have just changed things over, filter first then doubler plugged into that and it all works. The only change I have seen is the caller display now works on my housephone.
Thanks for the info.. :)

[BEagle]

Glad that it all works OK now that you've changed over the connections!

Can't wait for my broadband to spark up on Monday - then I can replace the ugly tripler I've got plugged into the filter with a much smaller doubler!

[brockenspectre]

So BEagle what news of the new broadband? I have confirmation that mine is going to be installed next Saturday (1 November) so i can't wait..in particular because I am so looking forward to seeing the Concorde videos that links have been posted to ... I can try looking at work but would rather sit and commemorate at home! Thus far the vid links have had a minimum download on dialup of 90mins!!

Just one additional question for those who have already advised me ... when the engineer instals the new modem/connection, can I ask him to connect my dialup one too?

Also .. do I need to buy the filters myself or should he/she come equipped with sufficient?

:ok: thanks.

[ORAC]

Unless your telephone account is with NTL as well, I doubt if he'll touch it. You can always ask.

[BEagle]

Well, brockenspectre, the new broadband is simply unbelievable! It's what the Internet should always have been like.....and I pay £24.99 per month which I reckon will save me several hundred pounds per annum compared to the old dial-up!

Downloading software upgrades from Microsoft etc becomes painless (almost); I don't know about AoL, but Virgin.net has been simplicity itself.

I watched the streaming videos of Concorde - excellent. Took a couple of minutes to start, but then ran perfectly. Usually whilst surfing or working I also listen to RadioFFH from Frankfurt at the same time with no detectable loss of downlink speed.

But it's the W-LAN/ASDL modem which has me most impressed! I got the taste for 802.11b wireless connection thanks to the Lufthansa business lounge system at FRA and installed my domestic hotspot as a result. Broadband Internet anywhere in the house! But according to a review of the BT Voyager 2000 which I use, 'It should however be noted that AOL UK users cannot use this as an ADSL router as it is not compatible with their proprietary software.' I have no idea why - but I'm glad that I've always slung the freebie AoL discs into the bin!

You can easily buy microfilters at places like PC World for about a tenner; I would imagine that your engineer should arrive suitably equipped. Tell him that you wish him to retain your current dial-up modem system as well to use as back-up in the (unlikely) event of an ASDL failure. In fact, Virgin.net remind people to do this.

[BRL]

Hi Brock. Just one additional question for those who have already advised me ... when the engineer instals the new modem/connection, can I ask him to connect my dialup one too?
On mine, the end connector coming from the 56k modem, in my computer, just plugs into the wall socket. It doesn't take an engineer to plug it in for you, that you can do by yourself..!!!!!

You should get two filters with your modem and an address to send away if you want anymore. Let us know how it goes.... :)

[BEagle]

Or rather it plugs into the microfilter...and the microfilter plugs into the wall?

[BRL]

Yep, microfilter from the wall first, everything else goes into that........ :)

[fobotcso]

Once you get it (...Broadband), you will never be able to go back to Dialup again.

How True!

But another reason for keeping a "dial-up" capability is to send and receive faxes.

Unless anyone knows of a way to get into the Public Service Telephone Network at sensible cost from a Broadband connection. That would allow fax sending but, to receive faxes, you need a 'phone number.

[brockenspectre]

OK all... this is my first proon post after this morning's installation of AOL Broadband and I have to say it couldn't have been simpler!

The NTL engineers arrived and because I am cable digital they left five minutes later having exchanged the cable from wall to box into a splitter to allow the AOL modem be plugged in to the line. Then the AOL disc - a couple of snags as I hadn't stopped out all programs running in the background but once I did that it was plain sailing!

I am thrilled! I have updated Internet Explorer (a download accomplished before I had made a cup of coffee rather than ages as it used to be!

AND ... what is even better for me, for the first year I receive a loyalty discount so I will be paying £8 a month less than I used to for my dialup AOL anytime program!

YAY!!!

Thanks again for all the advice and help .. I am now off to look at the Concorde vids!! :ok:

[takenthe5thamendment]

Re: the Sky system being continually plugged in - mine isn't.

I plugged it in for the 1 st week of installation, then unplugged it and it has been that way ever since.

It hasn't affected my Sky service in any way.

[BRL]

takenthe5th, my sky box is plugged in all the time because when I am pissed I tend to vote using the dreaded red button.....:O :ooh: :8

Good to see it went well brock, the quality of the vids will depend also on the speed of your pc.........