Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
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What is it?
What does it do?
And why do i need one?
Thanks 
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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It's what a bt landline uses for broadband/high speed internet while allowing you to use your phone at the same time.
From your previous posts, unless you have some funky setup you already have one.
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ed
Member
Registered: 10th Sep 03
User status: Offline
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It's an asymmetric digital subscriber line 
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Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
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yes i have one John
However, our IT company have said moving to another isp is a good idea to increase speed (well, duh!) but they have mentioned upgrading our adsl line too.
Now, im not sure which type we have, but surely this would be a pointless expense if most broadband companies are selling 8mb BB etc on just regular phone lines (BT)
Unless im missing the point
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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There is no upgrading as such.
Dending on your phone exchange you will be able to get either up to 8meg or up to 20/24 meg.
In either case any isp will give you the same speed, without taking into account some isp's being better than others.
https://www.o2broadband.o2.co.uk/getBroadband.do
Put your number in that and let us know what it comes back with.
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Sam
Moderator
Premium Member
Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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Jambo - one thing you could do or ask your IT people to do, is to check whether your broadband modem/router is set up for ADSL or ADSL2. It should be set up for ADSL2 to get the highest possible speeds.
I recently bought a new broadband router for our O2 broadband connection (8Mb), and I couldn't figure out why it was only connecting at 3Mb/4Mb instead of the 8Mb it used to do with the old router - it was because it was defaulted to ADSL rather than ADSL2 in the configuration.
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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You can only use ADSL2 if the ISP supports it on that exchange, which we'll see from the results of the o2 checker (for o2 anyway)
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Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
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if that o2 is a line checker then Orange say 6.5meg on my line
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Depends what services orange offer.
http://www.samknows.com/broadband/checker2.php
That's an independant checker, will tell you exactly what's available on your line.
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Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
User status: Offline
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bt adsl is 2mb aparently
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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That would suggest that the 6.5 meg is the adsl2+ that Sam mentioned.
I'd move to somebody like o2 jambo.
If you know somebody with an o2 phone you can get decent internet really really cheap.
If your line supports 6.5 meg with o2 they only charge 7.50 a month or something like that.
They also have a business package although i'm not sure on the pricing.
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Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
User status: Offline
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i work for Orange dude, i get it free for the same thing as o2
But i still dont know why our IT guys are recommending upgrading the line, not sure if its just to get more money out of my parents who arent clued up on tech. Etc.
I mean they arent cowboys, decent company so im guessing we will benefit from it, but is it actually needed.
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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orange broadband is shocking though 
Your IT guys do sound like cowboys tbh.
Without knowing what they mean I wouldn't like to comment but I can't think of anything you'd do to 'upgrade' a line.
Try and find out what it involves and we'll be able to tell you if they're just trying to get money or not.
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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I agree with John, the IT Company would have got your current ISP to do a line check to see if there was a fault before attempting to upgrading your router/switch (as you said in your other post) or do anything else.
Also, if it's business critical i would spend the cash to an extent on getting a decent connection - O2/Be are highly recommended at the moment. Or if you're in a cabled area then look at NTLs Business packages or VM Broadband.
Not sure how much BT charge for a new line and line rental, but if you can get Orange free then you thought about getting a 2nd ADSL line? If not for you then as a backup or for load balancing?
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Jambo
Member
Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
User status: Offline
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orange BB is better than it used to be! Couple of colleagues have it with no complaints. Money is not an issue, but its not there to be wasted.
Will check out o2s offers as well.
Dom, most of that went over my head  i will try and get a more accurate description
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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sorry jambo
backup or load balancing - the first being if one connection goes down then it switches to the other connection (if you had two internet connections - can be a mixture of ADSL/Cable/ISDN/3G/56k what ever etc).
The latter is where two connections are used and the data is split between these two connections. It also means certain applications can be directed to use a certain internet connection - like P2P could use the orange connection for example, while browsing/email and other critical things use the other internet connection. It's a bit extreme perhaps but it has its uses.
I would certainly look at getting two ADSL connections - an orange account and someone else (like said O2/Be - just get a home account). Atleast then if one goes down you have the other and visa versa. Plus the orange account could be used for general browsing/xbox etc and not effect your folks internet etc. Plus it works out a lot cheaper than what you're currently paying.
Although ultimately you would choose a VM connection(cabled broadband) and a ADSL connection for backup as a problem could occur at your exchange taking out all ADSL connections, where as the VM would (99%) still be working and visa versa).
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