PCEZ.COM - Internet Services

DSL: Frequently Asked Questions
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Currently DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) is now available in Oregon & Washington for Qwest and Verizon phone customers.

To have your line qualified please contact us at:
503-639-0828 (Portland Metro Area)
1-800-327-7090 (outside the area)


  
Q: What do I need to do to get started with DSL? A: Contact PCEZ.COM to perform a line qualification on your phone lines. We can co-ordinate the delivery of your DSL modem and install dates with your phone company.

Q: What is DSL?

 A New, Modem-Based Technology: With Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), there's no need to purchase an additional line to get high-speed access to the Internet. DSL works with the existing phone line. The DSL modem and splitter connected to the existing phone line separate voice signals from high-speed data. The connection to the Internet is a direct, permanent connection, eliminating the typical delays due to busy signals or connection time. This allows DSL customers to take a voice call and surf the Net, all at the same time!

DSL solutions offer numerous benefits to the user including:

     
  • High Speed Data Access: Up to 50 times the data speed of a traditional 28.8 Kbps analog dial-up modem connection. 
  • Instant Connection: With DSL service, one click and the user is online. No more waiting to establish a connection. No more busy signals. 
  • Simultaneous Voice and Data Connections Over The Same Line: DSL customers can make voice calls and access real-time stock quotes on the internet simultaneously or send a FAX while browsing the World Wide Web. There's no need for a second phone line. 
  • More Security: DSL provides a permanent, dedicated connection. It's dedicated to the customer and no one else, compared to cable modems which offer access over a shared cable medium.
Q: How fast is DSL? A: There are multiple services available. See DSL Services. Each service listed reflexes speed available.
Q: Are there any restrictions or limitations? A: Currently, we are only offering DSL to our Oregon and Washington customers using Qwest and Verizon

These users must be within three cable miles of a DSL-equipped serving office for DSL to operate effectively.
Q: I need a static IP(s) in conjunction with DSL services. Can PCs Made Easy provide these? A: Yes. We will assign a Static IP when you setup your DSL through our service. We can also assign additional IP addresses for $5.00 per address per month.
Q: How does DSL work? A: The telephone system was created to carry audio signals, or speech. Audio signals are also called ANALOG signals, because they have infinite levels of signal strength.

Computers are using digital systems using DIGITAL signals, which have two levels of strength - ON or OFF.

In order to send digital signal over an analog system, the signal has to be converted to something akin to sound, then carried over the phone lines to the other end, and then converted back to digital. The device used to carry out these functions is called a modem. Audio signals only use a small portion of the available bandwidth of the wires(called twisted pair) that makeup the telephone system. Frequencies above "ultrasonic" become radio signals and radio signals can interfere with other twisted pairs nearby. This limits the speed that digital signals can be carried over analog lines to about 56Kbps.

DSL is a technology that sends digital data to your computer as digital data without the conversion. And, if you choose, you can have the signal split so that part of the bandwidth is used for analog and part digital, allowing both voice and computer communications at the same time.
Q: Are there applications that do not work well over DSL? A: Yes. Some types of two-way video conferencing and other sustainable high-bandwidth transfers do not work well on DSL because the flow of data from these applications is packet-based. For those who need the ability to access via "dial-up", DSL may not be the best fit as it is a dedicated connection. 

However, Dial-up accounts are available for an additional $10.00 per month.
Q: Will DSL work with other services such as ISDN? A: DSL services will not work with ISDN. DSL is designed to work with voice grade circuits over copper cable facilities. Services that are compatible with DSL operation include: Direct Data Services (56/64 Kbps) and standard analog telephone services.
Q: Can I keep my PCEZ dial-up username when I convert to DSL service? Yes, just let us know that you want to keep your user name.
Q: What about dropped connections? A: Because DSL connections closely resemble LAN-type connections, you will not experience the difficulties typically associated with a modem connection.

DSL "modems" are really more akin to routers or network devices. This methodology bypasses the handshake/synchronization/authetication pattern of the standard dialup connection and its infamous pitfalls to directly connect to the Internet.

The major benefit of the DSL connection is its speed. The basic 256K connection is twice as fast as dual-channel ISDN and 50 times faster than a 28.8 modem. The result is DSL web-page download times are measured in blinks instead of seconds, large FTP transfers take minutes instead of hours.
Q: What does DSL offer me that ISDN does not? A: DSL and ISDN are similar in that they are digital services. However, the similarity ends when you start examining the numbers.
 

ISDN is limited to 128Kbps or 1.472M; it offers lower bandwidth at it’s first offering and has only one step up. DSL service, on the other hand, begins at 256Kbps and grows in speed offerings to 512K, 768K, 1M, 4M and 7M! Better yet, telephone companies can install DSL equipment at a fraction of the cost of ISDN equipment, further reducing total cost of ownership.

Another advantage of DSL over ISDN is traffic is not routed or switched through the existing Voice equipment in a Central Office. This results in a clean, fast Internet connection at a reasonable cost.
PLEASE NOTE: ISDN IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AT PCEZ.COM INTERNET SERVICES.
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Contact us at support@pcez.com or (503)639-0828 if you need any further questions answered.

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