DSL, or Digital Subscriber Line technology, connects your computer to the internet using the existing phone line wiring.
Unlike dial up, a DSL connection does not tie up the phone, and leaves you free to make phone calls without interrupting your home phone connection. This is because it utilises a separate frequency to the phone call frequency.
How Does DSL Work?
A DSL connection requires a modem to connect to the internet. The modem is connected to the computer, and then into the telephone outlet at the wall.
The modem takes the computer’s digital signals and turns them into voltage that is then sent across the telephone line to a central hub (a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplier, or DSLAM). The DSLAM serves as a switchboard, routing requests and responses between each client’s IP address and the internet.
Advantages of DSL
- You can leave your internet connection open and still make phone calls.
- The speed is far greater than a dial up connection and more reliable than mobile or wireless internet connections.
- DSL doesn’t require new wiring as it uses the home phone lines that are already in place.
- Most internet service providers include the modem as a part of the plan when you sign up to a contract. This is beneficial as the modem alone can be quite expensive.
Disadvantages of DSL
- The internet signal tends to get weaker the further away you are from the central hub. Exchanges tend to be located in city and suburban areas, so if you are in a rural area, DSL may not be available to you.
- The connection is faster for receiving data than it is for sending data over the internet. Because of the technology, data limits cannot be the same both ways. Internet service providers usually set their DSL plans to have much higher download limits than upload limits.
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