08. 07.2018

Blog of Dmitry Vassiyarov.

Dial-up Internet is still in demand nowadays

I am glad to welcome you again, my dear readers. I suggest you familiarize yourself with this method of Internet connection as Dial-up. I feel like some of you are smiling nostalgically, fondly remembering the 90s of the last century, when this “ancient” technology was the only way to connect to the global network.

Where did it all start?

First, let's look at the name. Dial-up means “to dial a number,” and the phrase was most often applied to a rotary telephone.

It becomes clear that the Internet connection is connected in a certain way with telephony. But for this, technology has gone through its own development path, and some of its stages have become key:

• In 1950, military experts in the United States united a number of air defense facilities into a single network. Where, to transmit information, the signal was modified using modulation. Subsequently, this operating principle became the main one for digital to analog signal converters, and vice versa.
• The turning point year 1969. For the first time, the possibility of communication between individual computers was demonstrated. This was carried out as part of the ARPANET defense project, and the network used telephone lines specially leased from AT&T. Actually, this event is considered the birthday of the Internet.

• Subsequently, telephone networks increasingly began to be used to communicate between remote computers, and in 1973 they connected devices in Britain and Norway.

Lines connected to automatic telephone exchanges, laid in all cities and even remote villages, really turned out to be the most suitable for using them in new feature Internet Explorer.

To enable ordinary users to connect computers to the network, appropriate software was developed and commercial devices were created. They modulated the digital pulse stream coming from the computer into an analog signal for broadcast over the telephone network. Inverse demodulation was also performed at the input to the PC. This device was called "".

Mesmerizing dial-up sounds

In addition to signal processing, the modem also performed a dialing function, which was accompanied by specific creaking sounds (you can find them on the Internet and listen to them for completeness). Many people remember them, but not everyone knows that specific operations were performed:

• first came the usual telephone beep;
• then comes two-tone multi-frequency dialing, which is recognized by the remote modem. In this case, binary data is exchanged (V.8bis transaction) in order to establish a communication protocol;
• disabling the noise reduction system for duplex data exchange (a different tone is already heard here);
• exchange of signals to determine the choice of one of the supported modulation methods and the same speed;
• agreeing on an algorithm (formula) for scrambling data before sending it to ensure uniform distribution of signal power and adjusting equalizers to optimize the shape of the input signal;

This ritual was performed with each new connection, or when it was restored after a connection was lost. In fact, the devices were found mutual language, coordinating their modes, and therefore this dial-up dialing procedure was called “handshake”.

Features of dial-up connection

Accessing the Internet using a dial-up modem certainly brought joy to the user, who tried not to pay attention to all sorts of unpleasant and annoying moments. But there was something to be indignant about:

• The lengthy connection process, especially when the line is busy, could take up to several minutes;
• During an Internet session, using the phone was impossible, as was dialing a subscriber whose modem was working;

• Extremely low data transfer speed. In one of the first models of 1980, Smartmodem, it reached 300 bps. Of course, technology developed, modulation standards changed, and eventually a result of 56 kbit/s was achieved. Subsequently, due to preliminary data compression, it was possible to increase the theoretical speed to 320 kbit/s. But as you understand, different files are archived differently. And the maximum result was achieved only with text information.
• In fact, the speed and quality of the connection was greatly influenced by the condition of the telephone lines and their length;

Separately, it is worth mentioning the prices. In most cases, they were hourly (for the actual time of use) and very expensive because they loaded the line. As an affordable alternative, it was proposed to work with the network at night. Payment was made to the provider, and in return he issued cards with an access code.

Technologies must be accessible

Maybe, to modern man Now it’s difficult to understand how then, using the “most modern” 56k modem, one song in mp3 format was downloaded in several minutes (from half an hour to half an hour). There was no question of uploading the film to disk. But such were the realities of that time and dial-up connections.

Over time, progress offered an alternative as the possibility of connecting a leased line (which was very expensive), then a broadband connection standard appeared, twisted pair, optical fiber, mobile communications, 3G modems. With the increase in data transfer speeds, life on the Internet has become better and more fun: it is now possible to watch streaming video in high quality or play dynamic online games.

It seemed that Internet via telephone lines was irrevocably a thing of the past. But that's not true. Dial-up is alive and this shows the financial report of one of the world's largest telephone companies, AOL. In 2012, 29% of their income came from dial-up fees. Now in Russia you can find providers providing this service.

There is nothing strange here. The speed of 56 kbps is enough for sending email, viewing news and transmitting service information. If this is enough for you, then to connect to the Internet you just have to choose the simplest method, which is still telephone lines;).

They are laid everywhere, even in a remote village there are wires running along telegraph poles. When there is a ready-made solution, there is no need for expensive installation of new communications for reasons of expediency.

This is the wonderful history of dial-up. It shows how durable and useful technologies created for certain conditions can be.

This concludes my story.

See you soon to discuss new topics.

…Dial-Up was dying on one of the most distant planets in the Galaxy. Broadband users alone were visible here and there. Users Dial-Up" and they turned black and merged with the thick mass of darkness that gravitated over them. How scary it is when broadband access interrupted Dial-Up" oh when Dial-Up It even disappears when everything feels like 12 o’clock, when the remote provider is sleeping, when Internet users, crazy Internet users, are the only ones singing and awake! But single user Dial-Up" but he knows that they will not give a signal and will not understand his misfortune if he is suddenly attacked by viruses and hackers who have jumped out of this dark alley of the Global Network, which has extended its dark arms to him...

(Based on: N.V. Gogol. The lantern was dying)

Some terminology

dial(English) – telephone dial.

dial up(English) – dial a number (on the phone, on the keyboard).

dial-up(English) – switched.

dial-up access(English) – dial-up remote Internet access (at speeds up to 56 kbit/sec). A service that allows using a modem and telephone network common use, connect to another computer (access server) to initiate a data reception/transmission session.

In addition to the standard pronunciation of “dayal” A n" common slang - "dial A P".

...without Internet access is like a cart without a horse!..

The creation of the Global Network was based on a brilliant idea: to use a ready-made telephone network to communicate with each other. The rest was a matter of technique. The Internet boom began, which was greatly aided by dial-up.

Until recently, the Russian user had no choice - but now he is already losing his power - once great, powerful and terrible! – dial-up remote access.

Since 2000, broadband Internet access (broadband access, shpdi) using technology began to displace Dial-Up(Broadband offers access speeds ranging from 100 kbit/sec and higher).

SPDI appeared on time (demand creates supply!), because in Lately There is a tendency to increase the speed and volume of the downstream flow (to the subscriber): the majority of Internet traffic is consumed by multimedia applications that require high speeds and wide channels.

Some statistics

According to http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm, the number of Internet users in the world is 1,73 billion (end of January 2010).

According to http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm , in Russia – 45.25 million. Internet users (beginning of January 2010).

On average, Russians spend on home Internet 500 rubles per month.

According to Foundation "Public Opinion", at the beginning of 2010, Internet users via broadband in Russia accounted for 76% of the total number of Internet users, according to dial-up – 7%.

According to AC&M, V Top 10 The largest broadband operators in Russia include: Comstar-UTS, Vimpelcom, Volgatelecom, Centertelecom, NWT, ER-Telecom, Akado, Uralsvyazinform, Sibirtelecom and South Telecom (taking a total of almost three-quarters of the market in terms of the number of subscribers in the private segment).

According to the company iKS-Consulting, in 2009 the number of home users SPDI in Russia increased by 36%. In total, in 2009, the number of home broadband access users in Russia reached 13.2 million, increasing in absolute terms by 3.5 million.

According to a study by the US Federal Communications Commission ( FCC), 93 million Americans still (!) use dial-up(referring to the too high cost of broadband access – ! – and the complexity of connection).

According to a research company ABI Research, the number of broadband subscribers in the world in 2009 increased by 9% to 422 million users (including the number of broadband subscribers via fiber optic cable amounted to 44 million).

Among the 3 broadband access technologies, the most widespread is , through which 65% of broadband users in the world are connected. Cable access accounts for 25% of subscribers, 10% use fiber optic access ( FTTB – fiber-to-the-building, “fiber to the home”).

dial-up remote access(English dial-up) - an already outdated way of connecting to the Internet, using a dial-up modem and a regular telephone line. The PPP protocol is used to access the Internet.

Advantages of dialup.

The first advantage is that the price of a dial-up modem is very low; currently such a modem costs about $10.

The second advantage is that dial-up is not limited to one provider; for communication it uses any numbers equipped with an answering modem.

The third advantage is that the cost of the dial-up service is low.

Disadvantages of dialup.

The first drawback is that by modern standards, dialup is a very slow connection. Although the estimated speed can reach 56 kbit/sec, in reality this happens extremely rarely and for a short time. To this we can add the fact that at the same time you can either be on the Internet or make a phone call, but you will not be able to do both at the same time.

The second drawback is that an internet connection via dial-up is almost always unstable and results in lost connections. This is especially felt during peak hours, usually in the evening, when many users, coming home from work, want to go online. At such times, connecting to the Internet via dialup is very, very problematic.

The third disadvantage is that the third advantage is that the low cost of the dial-up service, noted above, is not so low. Due to the low speed and instability of the Internet connection, the total traffic will be very small. You can conduct an experiment, try downloading a file for an hour and remember the number of megabytes downloaded. After that, download the same number of megabytes using ADSL and compare the cost of services. It may turn out that it will be more profitable, but in any case, from the point of view of saving time, it is worth choosing ADSL.

The growth rate of the Russian telecommunications market in recent years has exceeded all analysts' expectations. Thus, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications, the volume of domestic and foreign investments in Russian market telecommunications for the period from 1996 to 2004 increased 2.3 times (and this year the volume of investments exceeded 4 billion dollars), and the number of mobile subscribers in the last four years alone has increased from 3 to 63 million people ( previously it was predicted that in 2005 this figure would be only 9 million).

The number of Internet users also exceeded all available forecasts: if in 1997 no more than 1 million people in Russia had access to the Internet, now 18.5 million Russians already use the World Wide Web. Market information technologies over the past five years has increased 3 times and in 2004 will amount to over 250 billion rubles. Thus, according to international experts, the Russian telecommunications market is the fastest growing in the world.

Statistics data, as well as information from the overwhelming majority of analysts assessing the situation before 2007, indicate that the bulk of broadband Internet connections, not only in Moscow, but throughout Russia, will be built on the basis of ADSL technologies over existing analog telephone lines. lines. All other technologies will not be able to compete with ADSL and together will provide a minimum number of connections.

ADSL Basics

Telephone communication was originally developed to transmit voice conversations between a home and a telephone exchange. Voice transmission essentially uses the frequency band from 300 to 3400 Hz. The regular telephone network is called POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service), and the equipment that serves it is called PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network).

ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) technology provides the ability to organize a digital broadband leased line for Internet access over an existing analog telephone line while maintaining the functions of a regular telephone. At the same time, significantly more high frequencies than the above speech strip. ADSL systems typically use frequencies between 25 kHz and approximately 1.1 MHz, meaning data transmissions must not interfere with concurrent voice transmissions on the same communication channels.

Telephone wires (or the so-called copper pair), with a certain length of the communication line, allow not only the transmission of the low-frequency component of the voice, but also the use of a frequency range of up to 1 MHz for data transmission. ADSL technology is an example of the use of a copper pair of telephone wires to transmit data over it using the DTM (Discrete Multi-Tone) method, presented in digital form, pre-compressed using complex algorithms and separated by frequency.

In order to implement ADSL technology, the provider needs to install on your PBX (automatic telephone exchange), in addition to the traditional PSTN system, also special equipment - a DSLAM multiplexer (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer), and the user should purchase an ADSL modem. After this, all signals traveling along the subscriber telephone line will be divided using special splitter filters into regular analog speech and digital data. On the telephone exchange side, the analog signal will go to the PSTN ATC equipment, the digital signal to the DSLAM multiplexer, and then through the ATM communicator to the Internet provider. On the subscriber side, an analog telephone will be connected to the splitter on one side, and an ADSL modem on the other.

More recently, the problem of compatibility of equipment from different manufacturers was an acute problem, since they produced user ADSL modems and station DSLAM equipment that were incompatible with each other, that is, a modem from one company did not work with a DSLAM multiplexer from another company. Therefore, the policy of ADSL operators and Internet providers has traditionally been the following: the client paid for the installation of equipment and received a user ADSL modem for operation, as if for temporary use, for the period of validity of the contract between him and the Internet provider. Thus, in the event of termination of the ADSL service, the user’s equipment was dismantled, and in the event of replacement of the DSLAM equipment, it was changed. In such a situation, it made little sense for the user to independently buy an ADSL modem from any other company (besides those tested and recommended by the ADSL operator), since no one could guarantee a positive result in the event of such an “amateur activity.”

Currently, the situation has changed significantly for the better - both user ADSL modems and station DSLAM equipment have been more or less standardized, so today you can buy virtually any ADSL modem and, provided it is configured correctly, it will work correctly with any equipment operator. However, before purchasing an ADSL modem, it would not hurt to check its compatibility with the DSLAM equipment of the selected ADSL provider.

Why do we need splitters/microfilters?

When ADSL and PSTN operate simultaneously on the same line, then, on the one hand, the electronics of a regular telephone can create problems for high-frequency ADSL signals, and on the other hand, digital signals will be heard in the handset as loud noise, interfering with conversations.

Noise in the handset occurs due to the fact that the telephone electronics are trying to demodulate the high-frequency signal, since it was originally designed for a wide frequency range (that is, with a large margin), because no one could have imagined many years ago, when the first telephones were designed, that digital signals will be transmitted over the same wires.

In addition, interference from analog equipment can cause errors in the digital ADSL signal and, accordingly, reduce the data transfer rate due to the necessary correction of these errors (high capacitance at the telephone input, possible resonances in the telephone set, impedance overlaps, etc. can interfere).

Therefore, it is necessary to separate the digital and analog signal components in the telephone cable even before the telephone and ADSL equipment, thereby protecting them from interference. For this purpose, so-called separation filters splitters/microfilters are used (see sidebar “ADSL POTS Splitter/Filter”).

A custom filter splitter is usually a small plastic box with one input that connects to the telephone socket, and two outputs (one for connecting an ADSL modem, and the other for a telephone set).

The splitter splits the frequency band into two bands (regular telephone signal and high-frequency ADSL signal) and sends only the correct frequency band to the corresponding jack. Telephone equipment (telephones, answering machines, faxes, analog dial-up modems, etc.) receives only telephone frequencies (up to 3.4 kHz), and ADSL equipment only receives what is above 25 kHz.

If an apartment has several telephone sockets on the same cable, then the splitter is installed before the first of them and, accordingly, a separate wire is pulled to the ADSL modem from the ADSL output of the splitter. This, of course, is not always convenient, since it necessitates the relocation (crossing) of the telephone line in such a way as to ensure simultaneous operation of the telephone and ADSL.

To simplify the solution to this problem, there are so-called microfilters, that is, filters that have only one input and one output to the telephone set (sometimes they are produced in the form of a special telephone wire with a “knob” or in the form of a special telephone socket, which should replace the usual one) . Such a microfilter is installed in front of each telephone set in a common telephone cable if the latter is not immediately divided at the entrance to the apartment by a splitter into two separate channels (telephone and digital). A microfilter, just like a splitter, protects telephone conversations from high-frequency noise that appears when using ADSL technology, and, conversely, does not allow interference from the telephone set to pass into the cable leading to the ADSL modem.

Which ADSL modem to choose

Essentially, the choice of an ADSL modem depends only on your budget and the connection scheme (see the sidebar “Options for connecting a home computer using ADSL technology”). As we said above, compatibility problems between user ADSL modems and station DSLAM equipment are gradually becoming a thing of the past. Modern ADSL modems support almost all consumer ADSL standards, that is, they are able to work with any equipment from any manufacturer and broadband provider.

At the same time, the equipment that ADSL operators usually offer when concluding an agreement, as well as the settings and connection diagrams they offer for these modems, will not always be the most convenient and profitable solution for you.

As for the absence of this or that device in the lists of equipment recommended by the ADSL provider, there is nothing to be afraid of. Firstly, it will take quite some time before a modern device finally appears on these usually rather conservative lists. And the equipment offered by the provider itself is sometimes even slightly more expensive than if purchased elsewhere (except, of course, for sales under special discount programs). Secondly, such lists usually only include inexpensive consumer goods intended to attract the widest possible range of users. And finally, thirdly, such lists rarely include devices that require any additional manipulations with computers or other equipment for installation: for example, ADSL operators rarely offer internal PCI modems or slightly more complex and expensive integrated All devices -in-one. Which, however, is quite understandable, since an ADSL connection is not an analog dial-up modem, which set everyone’s teeth on edge a long time ago and where to access the Internet you only need to enter phone numbers of providers, as well as names and passwords. ADSL devices have many more configurable parameters, and load the service technical support Naturally, no ADSL operator will want additional problems.

	There is still an opinion among “experts” that the use of microfilters on the subscriber side is only permissible when using ADSL versions with a lower transmission speed such as G.lite (that is, an option when the channel capacity is limited to 1.536 Mbit/s from the Network to the user and up to 384 Kbps in the opposite direction), and in the case of using a high-speed ADSL connection, it is absolutely necessary to use splitters and strict separation of wires into two channels. Allegedly, the use of microfilters leads to a decrease in line capacity due to an increase in the level of interference. When tested in practice, this statement was not confirmed; in fact, no differences were found when connecting phones through a splitter and through microfilters, that is, there was no effect on the stability of the connection or on the transmission speed even over a high-speed ADSL connection, the use of microfilters when connecting several phones to a cable it didn't work. Moreover, upon closer examination, it turned out that in many modern ADSL modems, high-pass filters are implemented directly inside, and most splitters have only low-pass filters for the telephone line, while the ADSL signal passes through them from input to output without any filters. And when we tried to connect an ADSL modem together with phones without a splitter at all (purely as an experiment, since it is absolutely impossible to talk without filters), there were no loud screams of “kiss-kiss” into the handset (the only semblance of ultrasound that can be extracted from human larynx), neither calls nor the operation of a conventional analog dial-up modem over the same line had a noticeable effect on the ADSL connection. We, of course, do not urge you to completely abandon such a “penny” piece of equipment as a splitter (especially since it is often included in the delivery kit of an ADSL modem, and many cheap modems do not have high-frequency filters at the input), but from a global remodeling of your home telephone network we warn. It will be enough to install microfilters on each telephone socket and/or a splitter as a splitter while simultaneously connecting both the telephone and the ADSL modem to one socket, and it is quite possible to do without strictly separating the wires into two channels using a splitter.

Therefore, in fact, those ADSL modems that a specific ADSL provider offers you, in addition to checking them for compatibility with its DSLAM equipment, differ only in that they are pre-configured in a certain way, and the settings offer you only the method of organizing Internet access that your future provider will find it most convenient for itself (and for its technical support team). Meanwhile, it is absolutely not necessary to use only those devices for connection that are listed in some lists, nor to strictly follow all the recommendations for connecting them that are declared by the provider.

So, for example, in order to use the Stream home Internet channel from the Moscow company MTU-Intel, you can buy virtually any ADSL modem you like and configure it yourself, using the instructions included with it, as well as the parameters described on the provider’s page “Connection conditions” (http://stream.ru/s-requirements) at the end, just after the “List of acceptable types of subscriber equipment” in the section “ Basic settings equipment for connecting to the Internet using ADSL technology.” In this case, by and large, you will need to take from there the values ​​​​of only two “original” settings VPI (Virtual Path Identifier), which for a given provider should be equal to “1”, and VCI (Virtual Circuit Identifier), which for the Internet channel “Stream” "You must set the value to "50" (everything else can, for example, be kept as default or changed after an in-depth study of the meaning of the actions performed).

Moreover, modern ADSL modems are already appearing that provide the possibility of automatic configuration, that is, the user, as in the case of a conventional dial-up modem, only needs to enter the name and password issued to him by the ADSL provider after concluding the contract, and The modem itself will select all the necessary system parameters. In general, there is nothing surprising here if we remember how complex devices ordinary analog modems once were (and how long it took to configure them!) and how simple they seem to us now. Apparently, the time is not far off when there will no longer be a need to configure ADSL modems, however general principles organizing Internet access via ADSL and the basic settings required in various cases will probably not lose their relevance for some time, since they still differ in some variety.

How to set up an ADSL modem

You probably already realized that the equipment offered by the provider will not always be the most convenient for you, and the proposed method of organizing access is the only possible one.

For example, all ADSL modem settings offered by the MTU-Intel provider under the Stream tariff plans (on the website http://stream.ru) concern only the modes of direct connection of the ADSL modem to the computer and, moreover, offer access to the Internet via dial-up, which, of course, is also possible, but does not make sense for ADSL modems that can operate in router mode, and even more so for All-in-one devices with built-in Ethernet switches/hubs and/or point wireless network access WLAN (Wi-Fi).

In principle, almost all modems support two types of connection to an ADSL provider: a permanent connection or a dial-up connection (common with analog dial-up modems). A permanently established connection eliminates the need to dial to a service provider and, naturally, is a more convenient means of accessing the Internet (especially if you want to use IP telephony services). However, a dial-up connection allows you to reduce the cost of paying for provider services when charging traffic due to the ability to disconnect from the Internet if it is not necessary. The fact is that everything on the Internet time is running some traffic regardless of whether you are online or not. This is the so-called background traffic, which is formed by all kinds of attempts to connect to your modem, viral activity on the Internet, etc. For example, if you had a Web server on your computer, then even if you turned it off, access to it will not stop instantly, but will gradually disappear over time. If you have a working computer, then quite a lot of traffic can accumulate when you save calls to a certain service that you previously used (for example, a Web page is constantly dynamically updated). And if you pick up some kind of “infection” on the Internet, then the traffic can reach enormous amounts.

We will not dwell on this type of connection in more detail, since, firstly, it is well described by any ADSL provider, secondly, it is used mainly for PCI and USB modems, and thirdly, it does not seem to us “through real samurai" since the question of switching to an ADSL connection arose, then other outdated technologies must give way to more progressive ones.

Let us note only the most important things. In this case, as a rule, the modem drivers are first installed (if it is a PCI modem, then the system will need to be rebooted), a new device appears in the list of equipment on your computer, and a new network connection appears among the network adapters (we call it USB ADSL modem).

After successful installation of the drivers, when your ADSL line is turned on, an ADSL configuration wizard will start working and you can set all the parameters necessary for communication with a specific provider.

With the driver installed correctly, a connection should be established between the modem and the operator’s DSLAM equipment on the PBX, and in response, the following indication should light up on your ADSL modem: when connecting via an Ethernet/USB network, the LAN/USB indicators and the ADSL indicator should be constantly on, and others when may blink. Naturally, your modem may not have any indicators, but something like ADSL must be present, otherwise you will not know whether you have a connection with the operator or not.

As a rule, the wizard manages to find out the PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet) protocol himself, but sometimes you may be asked to install it manually.

Well, of course, you should indicate two “magic numbers” VPI and VCI (remember that they depend on the provider). Everything else can be left as default or changed after careful study of the actions performed.

The wizard will check the entered data and ask you to save it. Click Save and the basic ADSL configuration is complete.

Next, you need to configure your computer to connect to the Internet via dial-up. Since the PPPoE protocol is included in the set of standard Windows XP applications, to configure it you only need to select Create a new Connection and follow all the instructions in this wizard.

Our actions:

1. Select Connect to the Internet.
2. Then select the item Set up my connection manually.
3. Next, select the Connect using a broadband connection that requires a user name and password (“Through a high-speed connection that requires a user name and password”).
4. Enter the name of the provider.
5. In the User name field we enter the user name given to us by the provider, and in the Password field we enter the password issued by him. Confirm the password again in the Confirm password field.
6. In the final window of the New Connection Wizard, select Add a shortcut to this connection to your desktop, and an icon for connecting to the Internet appears on the desktop, like the good old analog modems.

In the future, the connection to the Internet will be made by clicking the corresponding icon on the desktop, that is, in the Windows XP operating system the standard PPPoE application will be called, and the ADSL connection will be no different for you from a similar connection via a familiar analog dial-up modem. But the Windows 98, Me and 2000 operating systems do not have built-in support for the PPPoE protocol, so you will need to install a special application from the CD included with the modem (and in addition, you will need to install the DialUp Networking and Virtual Private Networking tools from the Windows distribution).

In general, as you can see, there is nothing complicated here: the modem is connected to the Internet via a dedicated channel, and now you can use any application to surf the Internet.

Do not think that after connecting via dial-up, as described above, you are doomed to access the Internet only from the computer on which the modem and dial-up call are installed.

In order to connect a small home or office network to the Internet, you do not need the services of a qualified system administrator or any special knowledge; the latest versions of Microsoft Windows and other operating systems already have normal support for shared Internet access.

To establish shared access, you just need to build a so-called bridge, that is, combine the created USB ADSL Modem network connection with the local network connection of the Ethernet adapter.

An Ethernet network will connect several computers through a switch/hub or two computers with each other using one network wire let us remind you that to connect two computers directly you will need not a regular, but a Cross-over, or so-called null-hub cable ( see, for example, http://www.corbina.ru/~gasya/homelan/42.htm). By the way, two computers can be connected to a network not only via Ethernet, but also, for example, via FireWire (1394 Connection).

So, we mark both selected networks and, by selecting Bridge from the menu called up by right-clicking the mouse, we connect them with a bridge.

If the connection is successful, a new line will appear in the network connections Network Bridge, and all that remains is to call the Network Setup Wizard to prepare and organize a home network with shared Internet access (the computer to which you connected the ADSL modem will be “resident”, and the rest are his clients).

	NAT (Network Address Translation) The need to use NAT is due to the fact that the Internet provider has a small number of real IP addresses, which it, as a rule, dynamically allocates to its users to access the Global Network. Within a local network (home or office), IP addresses for their own needs can be assigned by companies or users themselves. To avoid a barrier between local networks and the Internet, NAT technology is used, which “deceives” applications by converting internal network addresses into external world(thereby, in essence, saving network addresses is achieved, since the same IP address can be used in different local networks). NAT (Network Address Translation) is an IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) standard that allows multiple computers or devices to privately network (with private addresses in ranges such as 10.0.x.x, 192.168 .x.x, 172.x.x.x) can share one IPv4 address, providing access to the Global Network. NAT is used in gateway devices that form the boundary between the public Internet environment and the private local area network. When an IP packet from a private network passes through a gateway, NAT translates the private IP address and port number into a public IP address and port number; all of this is strictly monitored to ensure that address translations do not affect the flow of individual sessions. NAT is used both by Internet connection sharing tools in Microsoft Windows operating systems and by hardware gateways, primarily for connecting to broadband networks, such as through a DSL line or cable modems. However, the use of NAT can disrupt many types of network interactions, such as group gaming, real-time communication, and other peer-to-peer services that are becoming increasingly common in home and small office networks. Applications of this type will fail if they use private addresses on the public Internet or access the same port number at the same time. The application must use a public address and a unique port number in each session. UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) NAT Traversal technology (passing through NAT using UPnP) allows you to automatically resolve many problems that arise when NAT interacts with applications, and this moment Most gateway manufacturers (DSL routers and cable lines) have already implemented UPnP NAT Traversal in their products. Today, most applications and protocols run over NAT; NAT is not demanding on equipment and does not require special settings on the part of the user. NAT has been included in every version of Windows since 1999, first under the name ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) and then under its current name.

A serious inconvenience of this method of organizing public access to the Internet is that the computer to which the ADSL modem is connected (especially if it has a PCI or USB interface) will have to be constantly turned on and dial from it to the ADSL provider.

However, this inconvenience will not be the only one. So, for example, you will have to independently distribute network addresses to various computers, create a “domain” and somehow “administer” all this. In addition, when connecting the modem directly to the computer, there is still a risk of penetration into your system from the outside (including from the Internet). For protection, you will need to use a firewall (firewall) of the Windows operating system or third-party manufacturers, install anti-virus packages on each computer, and establish protection against hacker attacks, translation of Internet addresses, packet filtering and other things using the operating system or additional programs. Agree that this is not very convenient!

So, we move on to the most interesting way to connect an ADSL modem - to an Always-on connection in router mode. Moreover, in this case, neither the power of the computers nor the operating systems installed on them play absolutely any role.

Note that Ethernet modems work in this mode (with rare exceptions), as well as wireless ADSL modems, which are access points for Wi-Fi networks.

The main convenience when using Ethernet modems is that they are not tied to a specific computer and do not require driver installation, but they themselves contain a name and password to access the provider and can automatically restore the connection if it is interrupted. Such a stand-alone ADSL modem will work around the clock without interrupting the ADSL connection and will raise the session in a few seconds so that you won’t even notice it (and the connection can be interrupted quite often, for example once a day, for billing purposes or if some problems arise on ATC).

If the Ethernet modem can operate in router mode and supports NAT (see the sidebar “NAT (Network Address Translation)”) and the DHCP protocol, then it allows you to automatically configure local computers to work both on the local and global networks. Thus, to access the Internet from any computer, smartphone or communicator, you essentially do not need any settings - being configured by default, the network connection will receive an IP address from the router via DHCP. In other words, any computer, the first time it connects to the network, will immediately access the Internet without any delays.

In addition, things such as a hardware firewall (even a simple modem firewall) and NAT technology will themselves translate internal network addresses to the outside world and at the same time reliably protect you from uninvited intrusions from the outside.

However, switching modems to router mode may require additional manipulations, since by default they are usually configured in bridge mode.

Let us immediately note that configuration of an Ethernet modem, as a rule, occurs using Telnet commands or using an Internet browser. First, you should refer to the “User Guide” and find out the IP address of the modem, as well as the name (Login) and password required to access the modem settings.

	Protecting networks with a firewall A firewall (aka Firewall and firewall) is used to prevent outsiders from accessing your local network (without cutting wires, which is what some Russian banks did after the first hacker attacks). Internet Connection Firewall is a security feature that monitors and restricts communication between your computer and an external network (the Internet). If someone from the Internet tries to connect to your computer, the firewall will block this connection (called an external request). If you need to run programs such as an instant messaging service (such as ICQ) or a multiplayer online game that requires data from the Internet, then you will need to allow such a connection (by creating exceptions to the general rule, for example). Software firewalls are implemented in all latest versions Microsoft Windows, but hardware is easier and more reliable to use.

Thus, in modems from Efficient Networks, the default IP address is 192.168.254.254, and the name and password are admin. And in ZyXEL modems, the default IP address is 192.168.1.1, the name is admin, and the password is 1234 (in the future, do not forget to change the name and password to protect the modem from unsolicited intrusion).

Having found out the address and connected the modem to the network, just in case, check access using the Ping command in Windows Command Prompt or in some other command manager.

If a response is received from the modem, you can log into it using Telnet or immediately call the Internet browser. By the way, it may not be possible to immediately call up the settings in the browser, since the modem’s Webserver or port 80, through which the HTTP protocol operates, may be closed.

In this case, you will still need to log in via Telnet, activate the Webserver and/or open this port (in principle, the entire configuration can be performed using Telnet commands, but this is extremely inconvenient and unusual for a modern user).

So, access to the modem via the Web interface is open we type http://192.168.1.1 for ZyXEL modems in the address bar of any Internet browser, answer the request for a name and password and get into the modem settings. For a modern modem from ZyXEL, two configuration options can be offered: the simplest, using a wizard (Wizard Setup), and advanced (Advanced Setup).

In addition to the modem settings, this page also has a “Maintenance” section, where you can diagnose the DSL line, update the modem software (firmware), find out the type and speed of the ADSL connection, and also view the current addresses of computers on the network issued via DHCP -protocol, statistics of the current session and much more. The modem software can be updated, for example, to support new ADSL standards (ADSL 2, ADSL 2+ or even extended RE-ADSL 2). These standards provide faster transmission speeds, greater range, and reduced power consumption while maintaining an always-on ADSL connection. However, the benefits of increased speed and functionality will not be available until the new standards become available from our ADSL service providers.

For an inexperienced user, the Wizard Setup settings wizard is quite sufficient, where he will need to change the Mode parameter from Bridge to Routing (if he wants to work in router mode and not bridge mode), set Encapsulation PPPoE in the WAN protocol window (and according to the RFC 1483 standard ), and also set the values ​​of the WAN interface VPI/VCI (here, as you remember, you will need values ​​​​from a specific ADSL provider).

	Experience working via ADSL with the Moscow provider MTU-Intel ADSL access provider MTU-Intel is actively working in the Moscow market today, and its home Internet channel Stream was recently even among the winners of the Brand of the Year 2004 Effie competition in the Internet Projects category. From our point of view, a real breakthrough in the field of connecting to ADSL channels began in Moscow after MTU-Intel effectively reduced prices for its ADSL access as part of the Stream project (http://www.stream.ru /) and announced unlimited (unlimited) Internet access under the “Stream Neo” tariff (unlimited time and traffic access is provided for $24 per month). The reaction of users was not long in coming; almost the next day after the announcement of the new “Stream Neo+” tariff ($20 if connected before November 1), queues formed at MTU-Intel offices. Such an influx of people wanting to connect to their home Internet channel immediately gave rise to certain problems, which, we hope, MTU-Intel will gradually solve. For example, the technical support service is not working very well yet (you have to call for hours, email do not respond for 5-10 days, and, as a rule, there are not enough competent specialists capable of answering more or less complex questions at all). There are also many complaints about the length of time a user connects to the Internet after completing an application (in some cases, the process drags on for months). True, users also have other complaints about the MTU-Intel company, but they are often unjustified. Thus, some, forgetting about background traffic on the Internet, complain about the “inflation” of billed traffic, others, losing sight of the fact that traffic is billed at the end of the session, are perplexed why what they downloaded at the end of one month goes to another, etc. . However, in my personal experience connecting to “Stream Neo/Neo+” (and I connected on my own and helped several of my friends connect) there are practically no negative impressions associated with the work of the MTU-Intel company. Let's start with the fact that I didn’t call anywhere at all and didn’t personally contact the MTU-Intel offices, and I did the entire connection process from home via the Internet (so I didn’t stand in any queues or wait for calls to be answered). We also bought and configured modems ourselves, and paid for contracts using MTU-Intel plastic cards (which are sold at metro stations, savings banks, etc.) or through Eleksnet self-service terminals (which are available in many stores and on gas stations), and we liked the latter method more, since payments there are credited instantly and without any card extra charges. Moreover, in all our cases, the deadlines for fulfilling MTU-Intel’s obligation to provide Internet access services were met (now, according to the contract, this is no more than 20 working days from the moment the subscriber subscribes to the service, and previously it was 10 days). As for the access speed, it seemed to us quite sufficient even for such a “slow” connection method as Stream Neo (160 Kbps to the subscriber and 128 Kbps from the subscriber). The actual connection speed usually does not fall below 17.6 KB/s, which is almost equal to the theoretical maximum 160/(8+1)=17.8. Response time (Ping) from Russian sites does not exceed 38 ms. Of course, downloading a full-length video in the DivX format that is fashionable today on such a connection will require about 12 hours (that’s about 800 MB!), but, nevertheless, even such an operation is quite realistic. But with an analog dial-up connection, this would take several days, and the ability to transmit up to 56 Kbps there would be only theoretical and the connection would certainly be interrupted more than once over such a long time (not to mention the fact that with an average rate of $0.5 per hour, such a download would cost several tens of dollars, which makes it simply pointless). If you want to reduce the time of such titanic downloads, then you can always switch to the “Stream Standard” (1024/256 Kbps) or even “Stream Super” (7500/768 Kbps) tariffs. However, you won't get much use there, since the amount of prepaid traffic will be limited. However, the agreement with MTU-Intel regarding the unlimited Stream Neo tariff states that if for several months the volume of traffic exceeds 20 GB, then the company reserves the right to reduce the channel speed (that is, the tariff can be considered conditionally unlimited, although, I believe, an ordinary user is unlikely to exceed such a huge volume). And yet the experience developed countries, such as the USA, Canada or South Korea, shows the benefits of unlimited (unlimited) Internet access even from a purely psychological point of view. In Germany, for example, Deutsche Telekom from July 1999 to September 2000 tried to develop ADSL without unlimited tariffs, that is, only for paying for traffic. So: in a year they couldn’t scrape together 100 thousand subscribers, and when in the fall of 2000 they finally gave up and introduced tariffs with unlimited traffic, the annual influx of subscribers exceeded 1 million ADSL channels. Today Germany has 4.5 million ADSL lines and is the leader in Europe in this type of broadband access. By the way, according to analysts' forecasts, although in absolute terms the number of broadband connections in Moscow and St. Petersburg by 2007-2008 will continue to exceed the total number of connections in all other cities, the dynamics of regional development should outstrip the capital's. Already, in a number of large cities the number of connections is growing at a much higher rate than in the two capitals. By the way, the cost of an ADSL connection in Russia starts from 500 rubles per month (and about 2 rubles per 1 MB of traffic), that is, no higher than in Moscow (the cheapest Stream Light tariff from MTU-Intel costs 15 dollars per month and 0.05 dollars for each megabyte over 200). By the way, if in previous years we complained about poverty and justified the lack of access to the Internet by the lack of computers, now there are quite enough of them - more than 10 million, and every year our population purchases over 2 million more PCs. Meanwhile, it is no secret that in the countries of Southeast Asia, a large percentage of those connected to the Internet are people who do not have a home computer at all, but use mobile phones (smartphones and communicators), as well as simple devices such as Set Top Box, to access the Internet.

On the next page you must enter the name and password issued by the provider after the conclusion of the contract. Now they will be stored only here, in the modem, and not in the computer, and it is the modem itself that will establish the connection when turned on and pick it up if it breaks.

On the next page, you need to enable the DHCP server, specify the names of the DNS servers, as well as the range of internal IP addresses that will be automatically assigned to your computers when entering the local network. Please note that the addresses of your computers are set in the same subnet as the modem itself, so if the modem, for example, has an address of 192.168.1.1, then the base address for other computers (Client IP Pool Starting Address) can only be 192.168.1.2 and higher (only the last digit can change up to 254). The number of possible connections is limited by the address range (Size of Client IP Pool). That is, essentially, you will not know what your computer's IP address will be until it connects to the network and receives an address from the modem using the DHCP protocol. If you do not want to change the network address of a particular device, you can later go into the advanced settings and set strict matches to the MAC addresses of network cards (this mode is called Static DHCP). At the same time, by installing blocking filters, you can exclude certain MAC addresses and prevent users of these computers from accessing the Internet.

And finally, after all the settings, the modem will diagnose the connection and you will be convinced that the settings are correct. Essentially, this is all that needs to be done to continue working in router mode. Everything else can be left as default, but as you get more familiar with your modem you will be able to change the firewall (firewall) settings, fine-tune NAT, change network parameters and even use, for example, built-in anti-virus protection (if, of course, it has one) ). The built-in firewall, of course, can better ensure your security than many software ones (including the basic one in Windows XP), but for some applications it may require additional settings (for example, opening a particular port). By the way, all problems caused by packets not being transmitted are usually visible in the modem operation protocols.

	ADSL POTS Splitter/Filter is just a series of inductors (chokes) and a parallel capacitor, so it doesn’t cost any radio amateur anything to assemble such a thing. The diagram of a simple microfilter is shown in Fig. 1. However, a decent splitter costs only about $10, and a microfilter costs about $5 (and they are often included with an ADSL modem). The splitter (divider) is connected to a free telephone socket through the “LINE” connector, the modem is connected to the splitter through the “MODEM” connector, and the telephone set through the “PHONE” connector. If your apartment has old-style sockets (five-pin), you will need to purchase an adapter for a Euro connector (RJ11). If the apartment has telephone sets connected bypassing the splitter, they must be turned on through microfilters, installing a microfilter in the gap between the telephone socket and the telephone set. It is possible to connect two or three telephone devices after one microfilter (this requires a regular telephone splitter/tee). Note: usually only the two middle cores of the telephone cable are used; most splitters/microfilters are designed for this type of wiring, so if your phone suddenly does not work, then you need to rewire the telephone sockets. So, it is correct to connect phones and modems through microfilters/splitters in the order shown in Fig. 2. You can read more about filter/splitter technology, their structure and circuits, for example, on the ADSL: Wiring and Filters page (http://usertools.plus.net/tutorials/id/13).

All this, naturally, is determined in the advanced settings (Advanced Setup), which differ significantly more for all modems than the basic ones, so in this article we do not have the opportunity to consider them in detail.

Let us only add that the only drawback of an Always-on connection is the accumulation background traffic can be easily eliminated using special programs, including those that can interrupt the session at your request (however, for these purposes it is enough to simply turn off the modem). For example, for owners of ZyXEL modems there is free program Zyxmon, designed to monitor the status of an ADSL modem configured in router mode and to manage the router (http://zyxmon.nm.ru). This program, in particular, allows you to measure the current speed of incoming and outgoing traffic, as well as establish and terminate a PPPoE connection via the SMT protocol (Telnet).

	Options for connecting a home computer using ADSL technology Currently, there are at least four different options for organizing an Internet connection using ADSL technology: 1. The most budget solution can be implemented based on an internal PCI modem. The obvious advantage in this case is the low cost and the absence of unnecessary wires and power supplies. Disadvantage: it is impossible to organize a home network using such a modem as a router. Shared Internet access can only be organized using the operating system in bridge mode. The approximate composition and cost of recommended communication equipment are given in table. 1. 2. The most common solution, which for some reason is offered by most ADSL providers (although it is neither the cheapest, nor the most convenient, nor fast enough): it uses an external ADSL modem connected directly to the computer via a USB interface. The only advantage of this option is its relative versatility (the presence of a USB interface is mandatory today for both desktop and laptop computers). The disadvantage, as in the previous option, is the impossibility of organizing a home network using such a modem as a router. 3. A solution that is the most reliable, convenient and fast, and which uses an external ADSL modem connected via an Ethernet network either directly to a computer or through a switch or hub (Ethernet Hub/Switch). The advantage of this option is the ability to build a small home or office network with shared Internet access from several computers simultaneously. Please note that the ADSL modem in the latter case must be able to operate not only in Bridge mode, but also as a Router. Let us immediately note that not all ADSL modems, even with an Ethernet interface, are capable of working as routers. For example, the D-Link DSL-300T is positioned by the manufacturer only as a modem, while the D-Link DSL-500T (which costs only $5 more) can already work as a router. The only drawback this decision the need to equip the computer with a network adapter (if it is missing), as well as a network switch or hub to organize Internet access from several computers simultaneously. 4. Complete solution based on an inexpensive ADSL router, which is best suited for providing Internet access simultaneously from several computers, laptops, smartphones and communicators. It differs from the previous version in that it already has a built-in switch or hub (Ethernet Hub/Switch), or an access point via a Wi-Fi wireless network (802.11g), or both in one device (in the so-called All-in- one). The only drawback of this solution is its cost. The composition and approximate price of such a single universal communications center are given in table. 4. Naturally, the ADSL modem market is not limited to the equipment described, but all of the above works on the channels of the Moscow ADSL access provider MTU-Intel (including under Stream tariff plans). At the same time, support for D-Link equipment is not officially declared by MTU-Intel, but is confirmed on the modem manufacturer’s website http://www.dlink.ru. In principle, in other regions of Russia, ADSL access providers may have other preferences, but this does not mean that this equipment will not work there, although this must be checked in each specific case.

Universal communication centers

So, we looked at all the main configurations of modems when connecting a home computer using ADSL technology.

However, we note that the future still lies in universal communication centers, or so-called “all-in-one” devices. In principle, of course, you can buy separately a modem, a network hub and a Wi-Fi wireless network access point, but why bother if all these functions can be implemented in one modern device?

By the way, it is sometimes quite difficult to find out the values ​​of the settings from the provider, since the ADSL modems he sells, as a rule, are already correctly configured for his DSLAM equipment, and the technical support service can only answer trivial questions like “where to buy/how to pay " For example, the parameters of the MTU-Intel provider are deliberately located at the end of the “Connection conditions” page (http://stream.ru/s-requirements) after the “List of acceptable types of subscriber equipment” in the section “Basic equipment settings for connecting to the Internet using ADSL technology.”

Moreover, modern devices such as the integrated ADSL modem/Ethernet hub/Wi-Fi Prestige 662HW from ZyXEL provide automatic configuration capabilities.

To implement this feature, ZyXEL offers the so-called zero configuration (Zero Configuration) built-in tool for automatically determining connection parameters, including the above-mentioned “magic numbers” VCI/VPI. Such a modem, being connected to the line for the first time, will perform the entire setup procedure itself (although it may take several minutes to do this, during which it will actively blink its lights like a Christmas tree).

In addition to the useful features described above, such as NAT and a firewall, the ZyXEL 662HW also implements protected access via a wireless network WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), has built-in support for VPN networks (Virtual Private Network), as well as its own internal anti-virus scanner that performs dynamic content filtering of traffic using an external, regularly updated database from the website http://www.myzyxel.com.

One of the unique and very useful features of this device is the presence of an additional port for connecting an external modem, providing a backup dial-backup communication channel (this could be an old analog dial-up modem or, for example, a mobile phone with Internet access via GPRS or CDMA) . Thus, your home or office network will be insured against possible problems with the ADSL provider; in the event of a broadband connection failure, you will be able to use alternative means of access.

A useful feature of the ZyXEL 662HW is also PPPoE Pass Through, which allows you to pass a PPPoE connection through itself (configured as a router, this modem can also work as a bridge, that is, you can also create a PPPoE session using Windows XP and, if desired, interrupt it).

In conclusion, we note that modems such as the Prestige 662HW claim to be able to connect quickly, that is, it picks up an Internet session after a break in just a few seconds. For a stand-alone ADSL modem that will work around the clock without interrupting the connection, this feature is very important, since providers can often interrupt the connection due to problems with the PBX or for session billing. In addition, the ZyXEL 662HW has built-in support for dynamic domain name service (though it only works with DynDNS), so you don't even need to set DNS server names.

Thus, conventional ADSL modems (both with one Ethernet port, and even more so with USB interfaces) can today be rejected in favor of a single universal communications center, which is subject to the following modern requirements:

1. An ADSL modem for a regular telephone line with support for modern ADSL technologies (including G.dmt and G.lite with support for the G.hs protocol, which allows adaptive speed changes) is required. It would be better if support for ADSL standards up to ADSL 2 (G.dmt.bis) or even ADSL 2 + is implemented. The latest standard supports incoming data streams up to 24 Mbit/s, and outgoing data up to 2 Mbit/s, which is twice as fast as the ADSL 2 standard and more than three times faster than basic ADSL. Of course, the speed is set by the provider’s equipment, and so far all existing ADSL access providers in Russia are limited to providing basic ADSL access (or even slower), but it would not hurt to think about the future, since communication technologies are developing very quickly.
2. The device must be equipped with a built-in router (Router) and a hub (Network Switch) with several Ethernet ports (for organizing a small home or office network).
3. A so-called access point wouldn’t hurt either. Wi-Fi wireless WLAN networks (according to the 802.11g standard up to 100 Mbit/s) for communication with laptops, communicators and smartphones.
4. And finally, we need support for a hardware firewall (Firewall) and NAT (Network Address Translation) technology, which will convert internal network addresses to the outside world and protect the user from uninvited intrusions from the outside.

However, these are all trifles: as you know, 90% of users use no more than 10% of the capabilities of a particular device. And, perhaps, much of what expensive integrated modems provide will be incomprehensible to you at first and will not be immediately needed in real life. However, if you are thinking of connecting to the Internet using ADSL technology, then the All-in-one device will free you from a number of problems that owners of simpler, highly specialized devices will inevitably have to solve.

The modern Internet is developing so rapidly that almost everyone can connect to it. True, everyone’s capabilities are different, and the choice of how to connect to the Internet depends on them. If you are reading this lesson, then you already know at least one way to connect to the Internet :) About ten years ago the choice was small - one, two, and out of stock. Now I have counted eight connection methods known to me. Let's take a quick look at each of them.

What is the difference between dedicated internet access and "best effort" internet service? "Best effort" services overwrite the sold bandwidth compared to the available bandwidth. Because not every customer maxes out their connection every minute of the day, this may be a satisfactory solution.

The importance of a dedicated Internet service for business

In some cases, this is just a temporary nuisance. Nobody likes slowdowns, but for residential internet service it's probably acceptable. Even for some small businesses this can be a good thing. But in many companies, slow and sporadic maintenance is completely unacceptable and costs business money in lost productivity. Dedicated internet access is like having your own private lane on the information superhighway, rather than sharing the same roads as everyone else.

Here are the eight ways to connect. I’ll start with the most ancient and end with the most modern, in my opinion. So:

4. Connection via cable TV.

Now a little about each type of connection.

Connection via Dial-Up modem.

This is the oldest but still widely used connection method. Modem (dial-up) connection is now used only where there are subscriber telephone operators providing dial-up connection services, and there are no other connection methods.

Everyone knows that at certain times of the day, traffic gets congested. Even express lanes such as "business class" offerings are not always correct. But, when you have a personal, dedicated lane, you will travel at exactly the speed you were guaranteed to travel at.

Connection via Dial-Up modem

In today's market, fiber optics is often the delivery option for national carriers to deploy dedicated Internet access. If you're looking for high-speed Internet access for your businesses through a dedicated point-to-point network, we have the solutions.

To connect using this method, you must have a dial-up modem and a landline telephone.
This connection method has the following advantages: the ability to connect to the Internet, the low cost of the modem, ease of setup and installation. But there are many more disadvantages - low data transfer speed, if you are connected to the Internet, then no one will call you - the phone will be busy, you have to pay for both the Internet and the phone, it is almost impossible to download large files due to low quality data transmission, and expensive.

The line is capable of transmitting data simultaneously in both directions at a speed of 544 megabits per second. This allows a business that requires 24 phone lines to do so at the expense of another benefit. And, knowing the difference, best efforts and dedicated internet will save you a lot of aggravation. When a plan is "best possible" it means that the advertised speed is the upper limit of what you can actually get.

The best laid plans aren't bad things

Not “minimum” or “at least”, not “average speed”. A better internet connection gives us access to the internet so we can do amazing, magical things. These plans are "best efforts" because they are typically shared data lines among many customers. You share the same uplink with your internet service providers as your neighbors, and as such your uplink fluctuates with the traffic your neighbors push onto the same stream.

Connection via ADSL modem.

It's more modern way Internet connection. Here, just like with a Dial-Up connection, you need a modem, albeit a digital ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), and a landline telephone. In addition, your computer must have a plug-in card installed.

Imagine a neighborhood or a park. How much more swimming can you do when there are a few people there than when it's crowded? For most consumers best options internet plans - great option because they are easily accessible and they meet expectations for many: you can check email, play online games, and watch most streaming content, to name just a few common activities. The best thing to do as a general consumer is to choose the "up to" plan. , which gives you enough bandwidth to handle the most demanding tasks.

The disadvantage of this connection method is the high cost of connection. But there are more advantages - high-quality, high data transfer speed, the phone is not busy, even if you have a blocker, the ability to connect to an unlimited package.

Connection via mobile phone.

Due to rapid development cellular communications, almost every person has a cell phone, so this particular connection method is becoming increasingly popular. To connect to the Internet using this method, you must have a mobile phone that supports GPRS or EDG protocols (any modern mobile phone, no older than 2-3 years old, supports these protocols) and a means of communication with a computer - USB cable, Bluetooth, infrared port.

When a “Best Effort” Service May Fail

If you're more of a household that constantly streams high-definition audio and video, accessing them at up to 10 Mbps or more will serve you well. Then choose the plan that works best for you. Businesses and enterprises that rely on intensive data transfer for mission-critical operations typically require something better than their best efforts. When your business depends on the Internet, you need reliability.

Now imagine if you use the Internet to earn money to put food on the table and you can't connect to a scheduled video conference, or your critical files won't load because your neighbor is clogging up all the bandwidth. This is a painful situation and you need to look for other alternatives.

The undeniable advantage of this method is mobility. The speed and quality of data transfer depends on the means of connection to the computer and the communication protocol, and is generally quite acceptable. The downside of this connection is of course the cost, unfortunately it is still high.

Connection via cable TV.

For this connection, special cable modems are also used. This method may be interesting if you have a cable television operator in your house (if your TV has thirty to one hundred channels configured, then there is a cable television operator in your house) and there is no direct Internet service provider.

Solution: “dedicated” internet plan

A “best efforts” plan will always involve risk in a scenario where the urgency of data delivery is important. For critical business communications, the most reliable method would be to use a "leased" line. For example, if you have a 20 Mbps leased line, you get 20 Mbps all the time regardless of your neighbors' traffic.

They are located in several time zones and they need your help immediately. You grab your laptop and access your virtual private network on your office computer. A few tasks later, you're on your way to fixing the problem. You're sending email to the client saying "crisis averted" and you're back in the evening.

The quality and speed of data transfer are at a high level, the prices for services are not high. True, the modem itself is a little expensive, but some operators offer modems for rent with subsequent purchase.

Connection via a dedicated channel.

Nowadays, many providers provide Internet connection services via a dedicated line. First, let me clarify who the Provider is. In short, a Provider is a company that provides Internet connection services.
In order not to go into technical details, I will simply say: a leased line is a communication line (as a data transmission channel).

Different plans for different needs

If your business line is best service, there's a decent chance you'll have problems. Leased high-speed internet lines usually cost more than the best effort line for obvious reasons. You use more resources, so it's only fair that you pay a little more. Every last byte of this pipeline is yours, so for many it's worth every penny.

My goal here is not to say anything bad about Best Effort plans, but to highlight that the two types of internet plans serve different needs. Whether you are a housewife of four, a solo Jane or Joe, a fledgling startup or a multi-year enterprise, there will be an online plan to suit your needs.

With this connection, data transfer is carried out using a special cable (fiber optic or twisted pair), which on one side is connected to the provider’s equipment, usually located in the basement or attic of the building, and on the other side to the network card of your computer. Data transfer can also be carried out wirelessly using a WiFi connection, which is very convenient when moving within the building.

When you are deciding the right internet plan for your business, you will need to choose between two main types of internet plans. These plans are not based on connection technology, such as wireless, satellite, landline or fiber optic Internet connections, but on dedicated bandwidth.

How does general online business work?

Before you can consider your plan options, you must first understand your needs. Here are the facts you need to know about each of these plans so you can decide which one is best for you. When you subscribe to general business plan An "online business" service provider calculates how many users may need an online service at once. The provider will register more users than the system can accommodate at once because the expectation is that they will not need to transfer a large amount of information at once.

I myself use this connection method and see only advantages in it: high, very high-quality data transfer, low cost, the ability to connect to an unlimited package, mobility with a WiFi connection. The only thing that is needed is a network card and if there is WiFi, then you need a WiFi adapter.

Radio Internet - connection using a special antenna.

This type of connection is used if the provider for some reason cannot extend the cable to the desired location for Internet use, but can provide a wireless access point. The access point must be within line of sight, at a distance of no more than 5 km from the desired location of Internet use.

The upload and download speed of a shared system performs "up to" a certain speed. If the traffic on the shared system is light, users will have faster download speeds. If the system is busy and other users are streaming video or downloading large files, download speed will decrease.

Typically, providers will not indicate minimum speed downloads because it depends on what everyone else in the shared system is doing. For this reason, shared plans are sometimes referred to as “best of” plans because the provider cannot give you any guarantees regarding connection speeds and uptime.

If all the conditions are met, you can install a special antenna, just like you would install a television antenna (on a roof, pole, tree...) and point the antenna horn directly at the access point. The antenna itself is connected by cable to the radio card on the computer.

The quality and speed of data transfer are acceptable, however, they may depend on weather conditions. Of course, you will have to spend money on equipment.

How online business works

Dedicated internet access is one of the purest forms of internet access. With a dedicated plan, your company is the only subscriber to a certain level of bandwidth—the dedicated bandwidth is for your use only. Unlike the shared plan, your access is not overcrowded and speeds are guaranteed, not "up to". Performance is consistent and has guaranteed minimums and uptime. Download and upload speeds are usually synchronous, meaning they are the same.

Connection via CDMA or GSM modem.

The advantage of this connection method is mobility and independence from mobile phone. Any CDMA or GSM operator provides Internet services, and you can buy a modem from them. The speed and quality of data transfer are the same as when connecting via a mobile phone.

Creating Choices for Internet Business

A lease line is a dedicated symmetrical connection with a fixed capacity. What is a leased line used for? It is used to connect two locations together. The first location is usually the corporate office. The second location is typically another corporate office, an Internet-connected data center, or a data center connected to the company's existing global network.

What is a leasing line?

Transferring data and phone calls, typically from business premises such as this one. By definition, leased lines are “dedicated.” This means that throughout your leased line route, the required bandwidth is reserved exclusively for your use.

Satellite Internet - connection via satellite.

Until recently, this connection method was practically unavailable to ordinary users. Now the situation is changing. The number of providers providing satellite Internet connection services is increasing every day and, as a result, prices for services are falling.

Leasing line ≠ Internet connection

This means that they can download data at the same speed that they can download data. Companies often purchase Internet access while purchasing a leased line. Just as a pipe can be used to carry many different things, so a leased line can be used to carry several different types of data traffic. There is no need to purchase Internet access via a dedicated line.

What is the leasing line, probably for delivery, by speed?

What is a leased line that could cost you? Typically, a 10 Mbit/s connection costs twice as much as a 2 Mbit/s connection. And 100 Mbps connections cost twice as much as 10 Mbps connections.

Benefits of a dedicated connection

Disadvantages of a dedicated connection. The leased line will require new circuitry and will likely require some construction works to connect your building to the leased line provider's network.

What is the lease line likely to cost me

• Fast download speeds are usually available.
• Fast loading speed.
• Connections that don't slow down during peak times.
• Greater reliability.
• The best support.

Because of this, it is often necessary to provide leased lines to providers days in order to provide you with a quote.

Satellite Internet is used when there is no other connection alternative. You can be anywhere: in the desert, deep taiga, on a desert island - you will have satellite Internet!

Satellite Internet can be one-way (works only for reception) and two-way (reception and sending). The advantages of a satellite Internet connection are, first of all, the very low cost of traffic. The cost of a set of equipment and connection is currently available to almost everyone and is approximately 200-300 US dollars (meaning a one-way connection). Data transfer speeds vary significantly depending on the provider and tariff plan chosen by the user. Satellite Internet providers offer a very wide selection of tariff plans, including unlimited ones. Very a nice bonus There is also the possibility of free satellite television reception.

The disadvantage of a one-way satellite Internet connection is the need for a channel for outgoing traffic - a telephone line or a phone with GPRS support. However, now this is not such a big problem. The disadvantage of a two-way satellite connection is the high price of the equipment.

To connect to satellite Internet you need the following equipment:
- satellite antenna;
- satellite modem;
- converter for signal conversion.

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There are several types of Internet connection:

Communication channel via satellite. In this case, it is necessary to purchase the appropriate equipment (DVB card, satellite dish). In addition, you need a regular “terrestrial” communication channel (for example, a telephone channel with a modem), since the satellite is used only to receive information, and it and your requests are transmitted through the modem. When working via satellite, you get very good reception speeds. Equipment costs will start from $200, and you are unlikely to be able to set up such a system yourself.

Leased line. You can connect to the Internet via a dedicated line. In this case, a communication channel is organized from the provider to the client to work with the Internet. If you want high speed, use a wired connection. In this case, a wire pair is specially laid or an unoccupied telephone pair is rented. It is also possible to connect via fiber optic cable. The provider's services for organizing a dedicated line are quite expensive. In addition, the modems that terminate the leased line must usually be provided by the client. For the Internet to work, you need two modems - one on your side, the second on the provider's side. If you don't have modems, you can rent them from your provider. The subscription fee for a dedicated line depends on the connection speed; a separate payment for traffic (received and transmitted information) is possible in excess of the limit included in the subscription fee. The cost of installing a leased line depends on specific conditions and usually exceeds RUB 10,000. Modems used for operation cost from $200 per piece. To operate at high speeds, more expensive modems are used. The subscription fee depends on the speed of the leased line and usually exceeds 1000 rubles/month. The subscription fee includes traffic that is not paid for (depending on the speed, usually more than 100 MB). Excess beyond this traffic is charged at about 10 cents/MB.

There are a number of cases when connecting and operating via a dedicated line is significantly cheaper. If available in your home or office building a certain number of people willing, the provider can independently solve the problem of a leased line and equipment - you will only need to pay a small subscription fee and traffic.

Working on a dedicated line is certainly very convenient. Your computer is constantly connected to the Internet, and you quickly and easily access any resources. Like all good things, you get used to it very quickly.

Data Over Voice. Data Over Voice is literally translated as data over voice. The equipment allows you to use a telephone line for data transfer at high speed. The type of your PBX does not matter, as long as the provider installs the necessary equipment on it. Such equipment costs about $400, and without losing your phone, you get a high-speed Internet channel. There is usually no subscription fee, and you only pay for received/transmitted data (traffic) at a price of approximately 10 cents/MB. Of course, your provider must have the technical ability to make such a connection.

ISDN. ISDN technology provides a whole range of services (Integrated Services Digital Network - digital network of integrated services). At the end of the ISDN line there is a special terminal adapter for connecting various devices - a telephone, fax or computer for Internet access. ISDN technology allows you to organize high-quality video conferences. Two information channels and one service communication channel are formed along one line. To surf the Internet, you can use either one channel or both, while getting double the speed.

Prices for ISDN installation vary widely, since they depend on the type and composition of the equipment used, on the availability and quality of the telephone channel. The lower price threshold will be at least $500.

LAN connection. It happens that within the same building it is necessary to have high-speed Internet access. In such a situation, providers offer a local network connection.
Typically, providers come up with their own names for such solutions (Internet building, LAN-Connect, etc.). Since local network technologies are quite cheap today and the cost of connection is obviously divided among several users, the price of one connection usually turns out to be quite moderate (up to 5,000 rubles). Payment for Internet traffic is made at a price of up to 10 cents/MB. Some providers also charge a subscription fee, which includes Additional services(mailboxes, free traffic, etc.). The undoubted advantage of such an Internet connection is high speed work at not very high costs. Abroad, technical resources of cable television are also used to connect to the Internet, but in Russia this method has not yet become widespread. There are even successful studies underway on the use of power supply lines as a communication channel, that is, those wires that carry current to our irons and refrigerators.