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Just a few "Golden Nuggets" of info that I've mined from the internet
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This is a special edition of the newsletter. Instead of my usual list of articles, links, etc., I am featuring Roger's journal of his DSL installation that he has just accomplished. If you have any questions or comments regarding this article then come to the upcoming meeting on July 6th or you can contact him directly by e-mail through our "Members Helping Members" web page at http://pcusers.org/pchelper.html. Thanks Roger!
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My Earthlink DSL Installation Journal
What you might expect, with some low-tech tips for a smooth installation
Roger T. Imai
DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. A high-speed DSL connection will provide an Internet connection typically 20 to 50 times the speed of a 56K analog modem. I ordered my connection when I received an area promotional notice from my current Internet Provider, MindSpring-Earthlink, offering free installation and free hardware, for $20 more a month added to my current MindSpring charges. DSL installations typically cost $200-$300 up front, on top of the additional monthly charges, so this was a great bargain.
There are several different kinds of DSL -- that's why its' often referred to as xDSL. The two most common types are SDSL and ADSL. Synchronous DSL means that your upload and download speeds are the same. Asynchronous DSL usually means that your upload speed will be considerably slower than the download speed. Since most people don't usually do many uploading tasks at all, ADSL is more suitable for most people. It allows a high-speed connection at a lower cost than SDSL. So, when I use the common term "DSL," I'll normally be referring to ADSL. For more information about DSL, and cable Internet access, the other high-speed technology, you can see the links at the bottom of this article.
I only intend to present you with my own experience, and what I've learned about the process of getting a DSL connection working. I'll point out some common-sense tips that *I GUESS* some people commonly overlook, to make your installation go more smoothly. Most of it is a matter of having a helpful attitude based on some understanding of the process. Probably everyone has heard that getting a DSL connection can be a lot of trouble. There are many factors that affect performance, and sometimes, whether it can even be available to you. But rather than trying to cover all that, which you can get from the links below, I'll focus on my own here-and-now experience, which was good, and I'll tell you why I think it went so well.
Now, you should know that DSL depends on three traditionally adversarial parties working cooperatively -- your Internet Service Provider, the DSL service vendor (which is chosen by your ISP,) and the local telephone company (which owns the phone lines.) Different phases of your DSL installation require each vendor to do his part at the right time. Sometimes appointments or messages get crossed. Mine went smoothly. Anyhow, here's how it went:
5/23 - I received an announcement of DSL availiability in Nashville by e-mail. I got it because I had joined the local waiting list. BellSouth had been offering DSL almost two years earlier, even calling me every month, but I thought MindSpring had been giving me excellent service, and my 56K connection wasn't really THAT slow.
5/25 - After a brief hesitation, I placed my Covad DSL order with Earthlink Sales by phone.
5/26 - I received a Covad order confirmation by e-mail.
6/06 - I received notice from Covad of a committed delivery date by BellSouth to install and test the DSL line at my location on 6/13.
6/13 - The BellSouth field tech arrived on schedule and verified the digital line from the main box to my apartment unit's exterior phone box, But he noted that his work order didn't say to run it into the apartment. Alternately the digital line could be jumpered to run over the existing phone line. But he wasn't sure that's what Covad planned. Because he felt a vague doubt about the work order, he tagged the jumpers and wires in the phone box for Covad, and even left his own cell phone and pager numbers, in case Covad had questions.
6/14 - I received e-mail from Covad notifying me of a 6/22 Covad installation call.
6/15 - I received e-mail from Covad announcing the installation call was being moved up to 6/17, apologizing for the short notice and inconvenience! Later that day, I received a phone call from Covad asking for permission to move up the date; well, sure, I gave it.
6/17 - The Covad installer came exactly on the schedule time. This phase of DSL installation is the most complex, so I'll describe it in greater detail then the BellSouth phase, although the BellSouth guy was great too. The Covad installer verified the interior copper line (it had already been installed after all,) and wired a socket for the ADSL modem to it. I have an eye-level wall plate with only a single "eye," so he attached a small unit with a universal socket next to the wall plate. I now have the regular phone line running through the old analog modem, and into the telephone; and a second, slightly heavier line, running from the universal socket unit on the wall into the ADSL modem.
Next, he opened my computer case, and installed an SMC 10Mbps Ethernet ISA Network Interface Card in it (he carried several models for both ISA and PCI slots,) then connected the Efficient Networks SpeedStream 5260 ADSL LAN modem to it to complete the physical connections.
He then called his operations center on his cell phone and asked for a signal, which came through immediately.
Next, he installed the MindSpring 4.0 ADSL connection software. (BTW, the analog modem is still installed and the modem drivers are still available.) THEN CAME THE GLITCH. Attempting to connect, we kept getting a DHCP error, and the connection failed. I know it stands for Direct Host Control Protocol, so it means there was some kind of recognition problem. The modem, however, indicated "four solid greens" (marked sys, atm, dsl, and enet) which meant the connection was live, but I think my computer wasn't communicating with the Covad switching equipment.
He connected his laptop to my ADSL modem, and was able to log on. Aha, so it was my computer. He said this DHCP error was common with Windows 98 and 98 Second Edition computers (but not all,) and MindSpring had alternate connection software ready, that didn't have the DHCP problem.
He uninstalled the MindSpring 4.0 software, then reconfigured my Dial-Up Networking settings back to my analog modem, navigated to the MindSpring Members site and used my password to download a copy of Network TeleSystems EnterNet 100 v1.310.001 DSL connection software.
We figured it would take at least a half hour to download the 4 MB file at my connection speed. While we waited, he said, it was too bad he couldn't transfer a file from his laptop to my machine -- then he could download it faster by DSL. When I showed him how large files could be spanned over multiple floppy diskettes using WinZip, he decided, since his laptop was still connected to my ADSL modem, to race my connection and download it to his laptop. He beat me by several minutes even with the late start, but the time it took to re-zip the large file to the floppies, with the floppy drive working so slowly, It ended up a tie.
The EnterNet 100 software has a problem connecting on the first try, always succeeding on the second. But the fatal DHCP error, at least, was gone.
Next, he checked my major Internet applications. He reconfigured Internet Explorer to use the ADSL connection (select Always Use The Lan, Never Dial A Connection,) and then Outlook 2000 (mail) and the Outlook Express 5.01 (newsreader). WS_FTP Pro, which I use for dedicated FTP operations auto-detected the change and didn't even need to be adjusted. He tested the connection on a CNN streaming video news site, then on a RealMedia site. Finally, we verified that I could send and receive mail, and he was done. We were both stumped with the failure Outlook Express to logon to the news server. He apologized that he didn't know news reader applications very well, and made sure I knew where to find the MindSpring Support number to call for walk-through configuration assistance. Actually, after he left, I found that the problem was intermittent. Usually disconnecting and re-connecting corrects the problem. So, I think this may either be a bug in the EnterNet software, or a MindSpring mail server configuration issue, which I'll speak with MindSpring about later.
The Covad installation was completed in two hours. All told, from receiving notice of availability, to completed installation, a period of a week short of two months had elapsed. I now pay $20 more a month, but, besides faster online performance, I can carry on a phone conversation while online over my single phone line, and I don't get timed-out and disconnected if I let my connect remain idle too long.
At this point, I should point out that it's important not to have expectations that exceed your subscriber contract. The Covad installer is actually only obligated to establish your connection to your computer. Strictly, getting the connection TO WORK is not the Covad installer's job, but the responsibility of the hosting ISP, in my case, MindSpring.
And it often does happen that the installer won't be able to get you up and running. The fact is, most of the time, the problems will have to do with previous installations, incompatible applications, existing misconfigurations in the system, and sometimes. Sometimes, even a certain order of installations that may have occurred, can result in expected versions of critical system files being overwritten. Covad is not going to get into the issue of the history of usage on the computer. These connection problems represent issues in which the customer's system is not communicating properly with the MindSpring servers -- this is totally independent of whether or not the DSL connection is "live." Only the MindSpring ADSL specialists are equipped to deal with these kinds of issues.
The installer that I got was familiar with Windows 9x, so he went the extra mile to reconfigure my client applications to use the DSL connection. He changed the connection settings in IE, Outlook 2000 and Outlook Express, then the Server Properties for the mail and news servers.
I should point out that this is probably an exception. At least theoretically, at this point, you should expect to get on the phone with MindSpring-Earthlink and have an ADSL tech specialist walk you through the application re-configuration, performing it yourself, rather than have the Covad installer do it for you. A walk-through, making the changes yourself, may in fact be preferable for many, since it will help to remember how it's all done. I went back and reviewed the changes on my own.
NOTES IN RETROSPECT
o Before the Covad installer begins, he will review with you a checklist of preparations you should have made to insure that your system meets the minimum requirements for installation. You'll have gotten a notice at least a week earlier outlining things you should make sure about. The Covad installer will run through a check of your system using the Windows 9x diagnostics. If any requirement is not met, you will be asked to indicate authorization to proceed despite qualifications about the system requirements.
o One helpful tool, especially for those who are not firmly "in touch" with either their hardware or installed applications, is a free program called the BeLarc Advisor. You can download and run this small program, which will scan your system, run a full inventory of your system hardware components and installed applications, and generate a ton of valuable technical information.
BeLarc Advisor - http://www.belarc.com/
o Be nice to the field technician. Offer him a Coke, food, money. (Just kidding. The Covad guy said, "Hey! For Diet, this really tastes okay!") If they can't get something working, they feel guilty enough, without somebody glowering at them. Hey, you're at the growing edge of technology, they haven't encountered all the possible scenarios to be totally prepared all the time, it's a technolgical adventure! Okay, call me a woos if you like, but I think offering deserved professional courtesy gets better service than all the proverbial jumping up and down and demand-making you could resort to.
o The links below provide valuable tips for ADSL users. These resources have allowed me to avoid calling MindSpring Support up to now.
DSLReports - http://www.dslreports.com/
This may be the premier resource for ADSL information. Includes tutorials on the technology as well as an overview of the process of getting the service, which aids to help you choose a vendor.
SpeedGuide - http://www.speedguide.net/
This is the premier resource for performance-related information, covers all broadband technologies.
The Navas Group - http://navasgrp.home.att.net/
No-frills site with lots of tweaking tips and technical tutorials for getting the best performance out of your DSL connection.
news://nntp.mindspring.com/mindspring.users.adsl
If you're a newsgroup junkie like I am, you'll find information leads, as well as valuable feedback from other ADSL users, by lurking in this group. If you post, please don't include a 50-line message to your one-line response. That's considered rude by more experienced users. Just include the lines you're responding to.
2Wire DSL & Broadband Resource Center - http://www.2wire.com/dsl/dsl_index.html
The ADSL Users newsgroup - This link is supposed to start your newsreader, if your system has integrated support. It might only work if you're a current MindSpring member, and have set up newserver access. On the other hand, if you're using IE 5.01 and Outlook Express, clicking on this link may automatically add the MindSpring news server to your servers list when it takes you there. If it doesn't work, try substituting your own ISP's domain name between the "nntp." and ".com" in the link below. That may work if the newsgroup is mirrored on your own provider's news servers.
The Universal ADSL Working Group - http://www.adsl.com/
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This newsletter is sponsored by the 37211 PC Users Group. All comments,
suggestions or submissions should be sent to david.donoho@pcusers.org.
Guidelines for submission of articles are at http://pcusers.org/articlesubmit.html .
The Dave's Diggins newsletter subscription list is not publicly accessible nor is it provided or sold to anyone for any other purpose.
Disclaimer: The tips and other information provided in the Dave's Diggins' newsletter are believed to be accurate, but we cannot and do not guarantee that all the information listed within or linked from, this publication will work on all systems, for all users, at all times. All information herein is offered as-is and without warranty of any kind. Neither the 37211 PC Users Group, nor its officers and contributors are responsible for any loss, injury, or damage, direct or consequential, resulting from application of any information presented here.
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