Some DSL Broadband Definitions


Often too many people get confused with all the definitions, here we have explained in easy to understand terms.

ADSL:
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line - asymmetric meaning it's faster downstream than upstream.

ASAM:
Advanced Services Access Manager -Whether you have a DSLAM or ASAM in your exchange doesn't really matter. They do the same thing. See DSLAM's as well.

ATM:
Asynchronous Transfer Mode - a method of encapsulation which is capable of many virtual circuits. With these, providers (ISP's) can split an ATM connection (155Mbit or 622Mbit) up into many connections. ATM isn't just used for DSL but in the case of DSL it's used to provision each customer.

Contention Ratios:
A contention ratio is the number of users to xMbit of bandwidth. For example some providers offer 2Mbit DSL, with a ratio of 50:1, meaning 50 users to 1Mbit of bandwidth.

CPE:
Customer Premises Equipment, the term that describes the equipment used on the customer end of a connection, for example your DSL modem/router or cable modem.

DSL:
Digital Subscriber Line.

DSLAM:
Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer - They are placed in DSL enabled Telecomm exchanges, when your modem syncs up and the DSL light comes on, it means you are connected. When data travels down your connection, it goes from the CPE -> DSLAM -> RAN -> ISP

ERX:
Edge Routing Exchange. See RAN.

IPNet:
Telecommunications backhaul networks for carrying traffic from the customer to the ISP, i.e. carrying traffic from RAN's to ISP's.

Ping or Latency:
A ping measures the time in milliseconds that it takes for a packet to travel from your computer to a remote computer and back to you again. Just because you can't ping a given host, quite a lot of providers are beginning to filter ICMP (pings come under this protocol) traffic because it is commonly used to attack hosts and wastes a lot of bandwidth.Many providers also give low priority to ping (ICMP) traffic which may mean your ping at a command line isn't very good, but in say a game, things may be fine.

RAN:
Regional Access Node These aggregates many DSLAM's connections and then feed the data to an ISP

RTT
Round Trip Time - the time it takes in milliseconds for a packet to go from A to B and back again. See ping.

SDSL
Symmetrical Digital Subscriber Line - symmetrical meaning the same speed up and down.

Units

There is a major difference between UPPER and lowercase

MB = MegaBytes
Mb = Megabits
kB = KiloBytes
kb = Kilobits

MB/s = MegaBytes per second
Mb/s = Megabits per second
kB/s = KiloBytes per second
kb/s = Kilobits per second

There is 8bits to a Byte, 8kb = 1kB

1Meg connections only transfer at 128kB/sec or an 8Mb connection only transfers at 1024kB/sec or 1MB/s

Steve
Private Mail Services
http://www.private-services.com

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Broadband Internet Information:

Related Articles

Two Enter Internet Battle
Consumers understand that when there is more competition in a market, there are lower prices. This is especially true in the computer industry where it is reported that 68% of households have a computer.
Broadband - Will it Affect Your Online Marketing Future?
The coming age of general Broadband use bearing down uponus, minute by minute, is going to leave many changes in its wake. Some will be welcome; others will demand all we can do, just to keep up!Of course, items like high quality graphics, streaming videoand movies on demand will be commonplace.
Internet Service Providers
Internet Service Provider or ISP is a company that provides access to the Internet.Before choosing an ISP, it is important to assess your company's business and marketing goals.
Unlimited Bandwidth and Overselling
One of the most controversial topics surrounding web hosting is the practice of overselling bandwidth, and rightfully so. The practice of overselling has enormous potential for disaster - ask any webmaster who has ever woken up to a cold, unforgiving "Bandwidth Exceeded" message where his or her site should be.
Webmail - What are the Benefits?
There are so many different webmail services on the internet, from the huge ones like Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, to the much smaller ones from private websites and ISPs. There is a lot to worry about with e-mail these days but some of these front line webmail services are really a great way of helping to protect your system.
Searching for the Right ISP
When searching for the right ISP there are a number of items to look at. How much is it going to cost me? What is the connection like? What are the Features? Is it available in my area? You will soon find that there are many ISP's to choose from.
Wireless Network Hammerin
The wireless network in my house went haywire. It worked on three PCs, one had a horrible connection, and one can't connect.
Broadband Connection to the Central Sun
You may have noticed the expansion of consciousness that has taken place since the Harmonic Concordance. This is due to the new Broadband connection that has been created to the Universe's Central Sun.
Wi-Fi Hotspot Security
You've set up your Boingo account, you're hanging out at the Home Turf sports bar in LAX and you figure you'll do a little business or check your e-mail while sipping a Chardonnay. Well, that's the point of Wi-Fi hotspots; being able to take care of a few things while in a relaxing atmosphere.
Why Choose Dial Up ISP Services
Dial up ISP service is the cheapest choice of any of the ISPs and may be a good option for that family on a tight budget. The software upgrades have definitely increased the speed of dial up ISPs, but their speed is still slower than some other options.
Cheap Internet Access
For anyone trying to get the cheapest internet available, there are tons of options available. Some providers offer completely free service.
The Coming Television Revolution
The revolution is just getting started and will be begin to make its mark this year. By 2010, it will begin to take off.
ICMP Protocol - Internet Control Message Protocol
The Internet Control Message Protocol communicates errors messages between systems that require attention. This error is not usually at the user level, the error is handled by the application layer.
Some DSL Broadband Definitions
Often too many people get confused with all the definitions, here we have explained in easy to understand terms.ADSL:Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line - asymmetric meaning it's faster downstream than upstream.
Find the Best Broadband Provider for You
To find the best broadband provider for you takes some effort.Like anything in life, doing the research is critical to getting the best product at the best price.
Beta Testing First Mobile Internet Satellite Broadband, Part III
Back in 1999 when we beta tested the first wireless mobile office with satellite broadband Internet we had something that no one lese had. Today you can buy these systems for $5,500 fully installed on any RV.
Beta Testing First Mobile Internet Satellite Broadband, Part I
Being on the road has its advantages; the freedom is the biggest one. One draw back was the Internet Service, but having done much study on the mobile Internet Satellite Systems and future technologies; I was able to become a beta tester of the MotoSat system in 1999.
Broadband is State-of-the-Art Internet Access: How Can a Broadband Cable Benefit You?
We are now well ensconced in a time when the Web is riddled with graphics, animations, sounds, and videos, bringing about a necessity for superior internet access such as that which broadband can provide. The fact is that anything less than the speed supplied by a broadband cable has become inadequate for today's Web users.
What are Your Internet Connection Solutions?
Of primary concern to all internet users is their actual connection to the internet.A user needs to look at all the factors and weigh the benefits and costsReliability - is the connection available 24/7, or do you get a busy signal?Speed - at what speeds can a user upload and download files?Costs - what are the setup and monthly costs for the internet connection service?Support - is support available 24/7 and is it free or is there a cost associated with it?Availability - is the desired service available at your location?Available options with good and bad features include:Local dial up with phone company (local isp) - While this many times is the simplest, often times, they are the most costly and support can be an issue.
Bleeding Edge or Expensive Enterprise Satellite Internet?
The State of Satellite Internet in 2005For those businesses unable can't get T1, Cable or DSL internet service for less than half a year's Gross Profit, vsat (very small aperture terminal) satellite internet is about the only way to obtain decent internet speed. Over the last two years or so many companies have advertised about upcoming solutions to this issue.