DSL

[WhiteKnight77 1]

OK guys and gals, here is one for the books. As most of you know, I have a DSL connection and that uses part of the phone line to transmit digital data where as the phone uses analog.

I am connected to the internet right now, but my phone(s) do not work. I have no idea how long it has been like this, but it works. Any ideas on what is going on?

[firefly2442 0]

Say what!? Your DSL connection uses the phone line? Why?

[XavierOnasis 0]

Erm, because it's a DSL connection. All DSL setups run on phone lines.

WK - Maybe they're working on the lines, somewhere.

[firefly2442 0]

Really?! No kidding, I thought it was a seperate line.... *looks stupidly at ground*

[WhiteKnight77 1]

DSL=Digital Subscriber Line. The phone line can carry 2 signals at the same time, an analog signal which voice transmissions use and digital, which internet traffic uses. The only drawback to DSL is that you have to be within 17,000 ft of a phone company's central office (where all the switch gear is located) in order to be able to use it. After that the preformance decreases unless there is a remote that boosts the signal.

[Stinger 0]

All of your filters are still on right?

[WhiteKnight77 1]

I haven't changed a thing. All filters are in place (there are only 2 required for right now as that is all the phones I have hooked up.)

[XavierOnasis 0]

After that the preformance decreases unless there is a remore that boosts the signal.

Reeeaaaally. Phone company has been telling us that no way, no how can DSL service extend passed 3.2 miles from the switches. Buggers.

[WhiteKnight77 1]

That is what one of techs who came out to troubleshoot a problem one time (phone company and not Earthlink) and he told me that. You may wanna check around.

I am within the limit and I have a remote, just up the street from me.

[hephaestus 0]

All DSL setups run on phone lines.

hmm...maybe all except for mine?

Cable DSL is much more fun, IMO.

[warhawk 0]

@whiteknight

That almost sounds like a problem for the phone company. If it was a situation where your phone was not working at all obviously then you would want to see if another phone would work. Then check your phone lines back to the demark box. But if it's only when you are logged into the internet then I would think that would be a phone company issue (at the central office with the switches). Although I am no expert in the field of telephony I do know that for the most part phone service isn't that involved. At least not the part that is in your home. You might try plugging your modem into a different jack as it could be a grounding issue. I don't know if any of this will help but it may give you an idea of how to proceed. Best of luck.

Stout Hearts

Warhawk

[WhiteKnight77 1]

The phones don't even work when not connected to the internet. I get the talkback when I say something into the mouthpiece, but I have no dial tone either connected to the internet or not. Go figure.

[NightCrawler 137]

Knight thats the weirdest damn thing I've heard for quite some time. Let us know what happened when you get it figured.

[Ruin 17]

I get the talkback when I say something into the mouthpiece, but I have no dial tone either connected to the internet or not.

Isn't that what happens when you have two phones and one is off the hook?

[seantay 0]

dude did you sweep your house for bugs.... something you not telling us ??? agent

[Specter 0]

@wk

What it sounds like is that the splitter card at the DSLAM in the central office has gone bad.

This, in most cases, can be handled in 24 hours depending on your provider, and the local carrier they are using.

For reference sake, depending on who the ILEC or carrier is, and the type of DSL service, it can be utilized out to 22,000 feet. It depends on the equipment they are using, and where you are located.

@haephestus

There is no such thing as cable DSl. They are 2 different things. Cable uses no phone lines, even when they handle your phone service, except the ones wired into the house.

@firefly

It can be on a seperate line, it just depends on how you order it. But DSL does require a local phone number.

Edited May 20, 2003 by phantom110565

[hephaestus 0]

@phantom: hmm...i was under the impression that broadband cable works basically like dsl....oh well. yeah, i know cable doesnt use a phone line. thanks for the clarification, though.

[Specter 0]

@haephestus

The way cable internet works is this.

The cable company brings in all your services that you get through them, cable tv, phone, and cable internet in over a single cable to your house. That single cable is divided up like a highway with k-rails, and each section handles a different level of bandwidth. Thats how they can do it.

Anyway, when this single cable comes into the box on the outside of your house, they can apply different filters to it to separate the bandwidths, and provide your different services.

The RG6 coax that the providers use can handle an immense amount of bandwidth, thats how they can provide all of these services cheaper. The one drawback though is greatly lessened security compared to DSL.

With cable, you are on a node of up to 120 people, sharing one trunk line. With DSL, the connection is yours and yours alone, unless you choose to share it with someone.

Edited May 20, 2003 by phantom110565

[WhiteKnight77 1]

Wanna hear something crazy? My phone started working again even before the Tech got here. Don't know why and don't care, just glad I can order a pizza again if I want too.

[warhawk 0]

Break out the tin foil hats

Stout Hearts

Warhawk

[Specter 0]

@wk

They probably discovered the bad card at the CO before you even had to call. The DSLAM Handles a bunch of users and has multiple cards in it. Each card handles 30-36 people. Someone else may have called in about it and they replaced the card.

But hey, great news about the pizza, bro ! !

[Parabellum 12]

I had the opposite problem a couple of weeks ago. IIRC, the tech I spoke with on the phone, said that, because the telephone uses a different signal than DSL, one may be knocked out of service while the other still works. Maybe that was laymen's terms for the splitter card that Phantom talked about.

[Specter 0]

Exactly Para.

I apologize if I wasnt clear on that. The phone splitter card in the DSLAM seperates the 2 signals, as data is digital, and voice is analog. If the card goes out it can knock out either/or, or both. A bad filter in the residence can also cause a recombining of the signal over the telephone, making this incredibly irritating noise while you try to talk. Also making DSL inoperable.

There is also a federal law that states that a residence cannot be without voice signal, even if your phone service is cut off, for more than 4 hours. I believe it's four hours, but that could be inaccurate, I will have to look it up again to be sure.