How do I get my bit torrent client to work on my newly installed adsl high speed service?

January 8, 2010 by DSL and Broadband Tips  
Filed under DSL Q&A

Can you answer Ken5’s question about DSL?:

I had dial up internet access and my bit torrent client worked but too slowly.Now with my newly upgraded adsl high speed internet access they don’t work at all.Nothing seems to work.If anyone has an idea what’s happening, please share.Thanks in advance.
I’ve tried changing the network setting in the control panel but to no avail.I do have internet access and can surf the net,but my bit torrent client can’t download or upload squat.

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The Pros and Cons of Satellite Internet Access

October 4, 2009 by DSL and Broadband Tips  
Filed under About DSL

Perhaps you live in a rural area and you can’t get cable or DSL high-speed Internet access, but you can get satellite. Or, maybe you are at your wit’s end with the cable and/or phone (DSL) companies and don’t want to give either of them another dime. Satellite may be the answer, but you’ll need to do a bit of research before determining if it will fit your needs. Here are answers to many of the most common questions regarding satellite service.

Q: How fast is satellite access?

A: Satellite providers typically offer several levels of service with download speeds ranging between 700 Kbps and 1.5 Mbps and upload speeds as high as 256 Kbps. Note, though, that these are optimal speeds. Typical speeds, particularly during peak times, can be somewhat slower.

Q: How much does satellite access cost?

A: The price depends on your provider and the service plan that you acquire. As a generalization, prices range from approximately $60 a month for service providing roughly 700 Kbps download speed to about $80 a month for service in the 1.5 Mbps range. In addition, your equipment costs can be as much as $300 or $400 and installation can cost another $200, although vendors often have special offers for equipment and installation.

Q: What impact can weather have on satellite access?

A: As is the case with satellite television, severe rain or snow can slow or stop satellite Internet access. That is true both for bad weather in your area as well as bad weather at the location of the satellite provider’s network operations center (NOC). However, while severe weather can break the connection, satellite systems typically operate even in strong, steady downpours.

Q: Besides the weather, how reliable is satellite access?

A: Besides service degradation due to weather, satellite access is extremely reliable. The outdoor equipment is quite rugged and, while it does break down occasionally, such problems are rare.

Q: Still, should I keep a dial-up connection “just in case?”

A: While it is tempting to keep a dial-up connection because of the complex technical nature of satellite connections, it isn’t necessary for most people. As mentioned above, the satellite equipment is very robust and rarely breaks down and weather-related problems occur infrequently. However, if something does go wrong, it can take days before repair personnel can get to your house. If that concerns you, you may want to have a dial-up back-up but know that you’ll rarely, if ever, use it.

Q: What equipment is required?

A: Satellite access requires installation of two pieces of equipment. Outdoors is a dish that collects and transmits the signal to and from the satellite. Indoors is a “satellite modem” that is connected to the dish via coaxial cable. The modem is connected to a PC or to networking equipment such as a router using an Ethernet cable.

Q: Is any on-going maintenance required?

A: Although nothing is absolute, typically, no on-going maintenance is required. On rare occasions, you will need to have your dish “re-peaked,” or re-aimed at the satellite. Even more rarely, there will be an equipment failure and some part of the system such as the receiver, transmitter or modem, will have to be replaced. But, as mentioned above, the equipment is quite rugged and such problems are rare.

Q: Can I network my satellite connection so that more than one computer in my home can have access?

A: The satellite systems can be networked the same as DSL or cable connections. That is to say, you can connect the indoor satellite modem to a router using a standard Ethernet cable, which then distributes the connection to other computers. Note, however, that the satellite providers won’t help you set up or troubleshoot home networks.

Q: What is latency and how will it impact me?

A: Latency is the time required for a signal to travel from its source to its destination. In the case of satellite access, that includes the time it takes to send the signal up to a satellite and back down to the ground. Since satellites typically orbit about 22,000 miles above the earth, that latency can be as long as a second every time data is sent and received.

That delay means that certain types of applications aren’t practical when using satellite systems. One notable example is voice-over-IP. Over a satellite connection, a second or more passes between the time you say something and the time it is heard, which makes communications clumsy. Satellite connections also aren’t good for so-called “twitch” real-time online games and for use with terminal server software, which lets telecommuters connect to their company’s servers as if they were in the office.

Q: How many satellite providers are there?

A: In the U.S., there are three primary satellite providers: HughesNet (www.hughesnet.com), WildBlue (www.wildblue.com) and Starband (www.starband.com). Other vendors and organizations may offer satellite service, but it typically is provided by one of the three services. For instance, AT&T offers satellite service but actually is reselling WildBlue service.

Q: Does it matter where I mount the dish?

A: The dish must have a clear view of the southern sky, which is where the satellite is in orbit. Beyond that, the dish can be positioned using a pole stuck into the ground, on the side of your house or on your roof. Obviously, a ground-mounted dish is easier in case maintenance is required. Also, sometimes snow and ice collecting on the dish can slow down service — it is easier to brush snow and ice off a ground-mounted dish.

Q: Can I install satellite service by myself?

A: No — satellite access vendors won’t let you do that. And that’s probably a good thing since it requires certain skills to link the dish to the right satellite. Further, the Federal Communications Commission requires that professionals install satellite systems that both send and receive signals.

Q: How does satellite service operate in actual usage? Is it different than using cable or DSL?

A: Other than limits on a few specific types of applications mentioned previously, satellite Internet Service operates virtually identically to DSL or cable broadband.

Q: I live in the city. Are there any reasons to consider satellite access?

A: In most cases, DSL or cable access is faster and cheaper. If that type of service is available to you, chances are high that it will be preferable to satellite access.

Q: Is satellite access two-way access?

A: Yes. Data that you receive, such as downloaded files and Web pages, is sent via the satellite system, as are items you upload. Early satellite systems, however, were one-way systems. Downloads occurred via the satellite but information sent by you was transmitted via a standard dial-up connection. Such old-fashioned systems haven’t been available for several years.

Q: I’m a Mac user. Can I use satellite access?

A: Yes. All major satellite access systems work with Macs.

Q: Is mobile satellite access available?

A: No. A satellite connection requires a constant connection with a satellite that is in high orbit. It is a time-consuming task for a trained installer to aim your dish at that satellite. While some companies have been experimenting with antennas that can maintain a connection with the satellite while a vehicle moves, this technology isn’t yet practical for day-in, day-out use.

Q: I also get satellite TV. Can I use only one dish for both?

A: No. While single dish solutions once were available, vendors determined that separate dishes work better for both Internet access and TV.

Q: Can I download as much as I want over a satellite system?

A: No. Like other broadband providers, satellite vendors have Fair Access Policies (FAP) that detail how much you can download at a given time. The purpose of the FAP is to prevent a few heavy downloaders from hogging bandwidth used by everybody. Satellite vendors tend to have stricter FAPs than other broadband providers. For instance, with HughesNet you can download as much as 350 MB at a time, depending on your service plan. That is roughly one-third the size of a typical downloadable feature-length movie. When you surpass the limits of the FAP, the provider has the option of temporarily throttling down your speed.



Thanks to Digital Landing for contributing this article to our DSL blog:

You deserve to get the most out of your services, whether it’s high-speed Internet, phone, cable, or HDTV. Digital Landing is here to help, making it easy to find out everything you need to know about digital services for your home.



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What is T1, Satellite DSL, Satellite Internet, VoIP, DS3, Frame Relay?

July 26, 2009 by DSL and Broadband Tips  
Filed under About DSL

According to Webster’s dictionary, broadband (high speed internet access) is defined as of, relating to, or being a communications network in which a frequency range is divided into multiple independent channels for simultaneous transmission of signals (as voice, data, or video).

A major advantage of broadband or high speed internet access that it is “always on.” In addition, choosing broadband internet service will allow you to explore the full potential of the web. It will give you access to a whole new world of entertainment of rich media content such as film, music and interactive presentations.

Moreover, high speed internet access allows faster download times than a standard dial up connection, which can take hours to download large files such as software updates or music files. With broadband internet service, you can download large files, movies, software updates, music and films in a matter of minutes, if not seconds!

Furthermore, high speed internet access does not have to be expensive, either. With broadband, you are able to sign up for a set monthly subscription. You can use your broadband connection as much as you want, day or night, without having to worry about additional call charges and unexpectedly large phone bills.

There are several types of high speed internet access: satellite DSL, VoIP, satellite internet, T1, DS-3 and Frame Relay. Below describes and defines each type of broadband service.

What is Satellite DSL?

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) is a technology that delivers high bandwidth information to homes and businesses over ordinary copper telephone lines. DSL refers to different variations of DSL, such as ADSL, HDSL and RADSL. A DSL line can carry both data and voice signals and the data part of the line is continously connected.

What is VoIP?

VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) is a term used in IP telephony for a set of facilities for managing the delivery of voice information using the Internet Protocol. Basically, VoIP entails sending voice information in digital form in discrete packets rather than the usual protocols of the telephone network. A major advantage of VoIP is that it allows the user to avoid toll charges issued by telephone companies.

What is Satellite Internet?

Satellite internet is an arrangement in which the outgoing and incoming data are sent from, and arrive at, a computer through a satellite. Each subscriber’s hardware includes a satellite dish antenna and a transceiver that operates in the microwave portion of the radio spectrum.

What is T1?

T1 (T-1) sometimes referred to as DS1 lines, is a dedicated phone connection supporting data rates of 1.544 megabits per second (Mbps). A T-1 line actually consists of 24 individual channels, each supporting 64Kbits per second. Each 64Kbit / second channel can be configured to carry voice or data traffic. Most telephone companies will allow you to buy some individual channels, known as fractional T-1 access. Most small to mid-sized colleges and businesses have T-1 lines for internet connections.

What is DS-3?

DS-3, sometimes referred to as T-3 lines, is a dedicated phone connection supporting data rates of about 43 Mbps. A T-3 line actually consists of 672 individual channels, each supporting 64 Kbps. T-3 lines are used mainly by Internet Service Providers (ISP) connecting to the internet backbone and for the backbone itself. Cognigen Dedicated is a provider of DS-3 (T-3) access.

What is Frame Relay?

Frame Relay is a packet-switching protocol for connecting devices on a Wide Area Network (WAN). Frame Relay networks in the U.S.A. support data transfer rates at T-1 (1.544 Mbps) and T-3 (45 Mbps) speeds. Frame Relay can be thought of as a way of utilizing existing T-1 and T-3 lines owned by a service provider. Most telephone companies now provide Frame Relay service for users who want connections at 56 Kbps to T-1 speeds. Cognigen Dedicated is a provider of Frame Relay.



Thanks to Reginald Sharp for contributing this article to our DSL blog:

Reginald Sharp is a successful affiliate marketer, writer and the webmaster of High Speed Internet Access



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