Adsl what is the speed. ADSL - what is it? Operating principle, maximum speed, advantages and disadvantages of ADSL technology

This is the amount of information we receive per unit of time. And for a modern person, time is worth its weight in gold. We are constantly nervous in queues, traffic jams, and slow Internet further aggravates the picture and brings us to the boil. Can we influence the communication speed? When choosing a provider and equipment, you need to understand whether the Internet speed depends on the modem, or whether the slow connection to the World Wide Web is caused by some other reasons.

Of course, Internet speed is determined by many factors:

• type of network connection (fiber optic or telephone lines, 3G, satellite communications);
• technical capabilities of the provider (availability of a sufficient amount of equipment, its modernity, quality of communication lines, coverage frequency);
• tariff plan(the provider can artificially limit the access speed);
• software on the computer, correct settings for working on the network, the presence of viruses, software errors, etc.;
• parameters of the sites themselves that you visit (possible problems with servers, overload, etc.);
• weather conditions (rain, hurricane, snow, thunderstorms can create troubles on the line, equipment failure, lack of communication with towers and servers).

To figure out whether a modem affects Internet speed, let's look at different types of connections.

Connection via fiber optic line

Fiber optic cable has high bandwidth and provides the fastest data exchange. It often happens that optical fiber is simply brought to the building, and then twisted pair cable runs through the premises (apartments), which significantly limits the speed (up to 100 Mbit/sec). In this case, a modem is not required - the cable can be connected directly to network card computer, but may require a router. This is a more complex device that allows you to create local and Wi-Fi networks indoors and connect various mobile and stationary devices to them. The maximum speed in such a network is determined by the capabilities of the router.

If the provider offers to install a fiber optic cable directly into the apartment (or office space), you will need a special modem. As a rule, the operator provides it itself and includes a fee for it in the tariff plan. In this case, the Internet speed depends on the modem and the company may offer you different options in terms of cost and functionality.

At the time of the advent of the Internet, access was made through the telephone network via Dial-up technology with very low connection quality (up to 56 Kbps). At the same time, while working on the network, the telephone line was busy. Now this outdated method of communication has been replaced by ADSL technology, which allows you to simultaneously use the Internet and telephone. However, in this case, the connection speed technically cannot be higher than 24 Mbit/sec. In practice, due to the poor condition of the lines, the figure is much lower, and this is the determining factor. But with the correct settings of the ADSL modem, communication speed can be increased.

At the same time, the modem model affects the Internet speed - on the same line, a more modern, expensive device will achieve better performance. The difference can reach up to 2–3 times. In addition, slowness can be caused by frequent freezing and unstable connections.

To improve your Internet speed, pay attention to the following:

• Do not allow the device to overheat, provide adequate ventilation, and do not stack things on top. Overheating causes slowdowns, freezes, and crashes.
• Contact your provider for recommendations on setting up hardware and software. Some operators offer a file with parameters for a specific model.
• Update the device firmware. Outdated software may limit communication capabilities.

Connection via 3G/LTE/4G network

3G/LTE/4G communication is gaining popularity because it allows you to literally carry the Internet with you. A small device, similar to a flash drive, that easily fits in your pocket, allows you to connect your laptop to the World Wide Web anywhere you work. mobile operator. For this type of connection there is no doubt whether the increase in Internet connection speed depends on the right choice modem models.

First of all, the communication standard itself determines the speed of data exchange. 3G gives up to 2 Mbit/s, LTE already up to 299.6 Mbit/s, and 4G can theoretically reach 1 Gbit/s. Naturally, the higher the technical capabilities, the more expensive the equipment.

In addition to technical parameters, there are also factors that determine how Internet speed depends on the modem:

• If the network is busy, that is, many users download or upload large amounts of information, the modem switches to a lower communication standard, which affects the speed of operation.
• Overheating of the device can lead to slowdowns; this is a problem with budget models.
• Poor quality of the receiving antenna. Even if the operator has provided good network indicators, the device is simply not able to fully grasp the connection.
• Incorrect device settings, as well as operating system and software.

There are several ways to slightly increase your network speed:

Thus, it is impossible to say that Internet speed depends on the modem and only on it. There are many factors that influence the speed of work; they are often interdependent. Nevertheless, you can solve the problem of slow Internet, or at least significantly improve the situation, by choosing and configuring the modem correctly.

There are several ways to access the Internet using a regular telephone cable, and ADSL technology is one of them. The purpose of this article is to tell the reader, what is an ADSL modem how data is exchanged, and what is the advantage of this method of organizing information transfer.

What is ADSL and how does it work

Digital Subscriber Line, or DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) for short, is a way of organizing data exchange by creating a high-speed connection for transmission between two or more computers. To combine computers into a computing local network or to access the Internet, special DSL modems are used on the client side, and switches on the provider side.

The technology appeared back in the late 80s of the last century and combines several technologies under the general name xDSL:

• ADSL - asymmetric digital subscriber line or Asymmetric DSL. The data transfer speed reaches 8 Mbit/s for receiving, and up to 1 Mbit/s for sending data from the subscriber;
• HDSL - high-speed digital subscriber line or High Data Rate DSL, where the transmission speed is up to 2 Mbit/s in two directions;
• VDSL - ultra-high-speed digital subscriber line or Very High Data Rate DSL, when the highest high speed at 52 Mbit/s.

When used by private subscribers, the most popular technology has become asymmetric data transmission. This allows you to use one telephone line for accessing the Internet and for regular calls. High connection speed is achieved by using a higher frequency than that used by a conventional dial-up modem.

The principle of asynchronous data transfer is quite simple:

• Frequencies up to 4 kHz are used directly for telephone communication or fax transmission.
• When creating a connection between the client modem and the provider modem, frequencies from 4 to 140 kHz are used. At these frequencies, data is transmitted from the client to the Internet provider. Because Since relatively little data is sent from the client, there is no need to use higher frequencies and, accordingly, higher speed. Speeds rarely exceed 1 Mbps.
• Frequencies from 1.1 to 4.4 MHz are used for incoming traffic. The connection speed here reaches 8 Mbit/s.

What is an ADSL modem

By connecting to the Internet via an ADSL line, the user does not need to perform any additional actions, for example, making a call to the provider, as in a dial-up connection. All necessary work The modem will do the work for the client. So, what is an adsl modem? This is a high-tech device that is designed to convert an incoming or outgoing signal from analog to digital and vice versa. The modem creates a permanent broadband connection and monitors its stability.

Constantly improving ADSL technology has undergone several evolutionary transitions, which is reflected in the ADSL modems offered for purchase, which are now of the following types:

• internal modem for connecting to a PCI connector;
• external version with USB or Ethernet connectors;
• external routers with Ethernet ports;
• external routers with a built-in WiFi access point.

Now that it's a little clearer how it works adsl modem what is it and about technology in general, we can draw a conclusion about the advantages and disadvantages of using the described technology to access the Internet.

Advantages and disadvantages of ADSL connection

The most obvious advantages of ADSL technology are very high data transfer speeds and connection stability. But we can highlight a few more important points that speak in favor of ADSL:

• constant connection and access to the Internet;
• there is no need to lay additional cables, because the telephone line is already installed in almost every apartment, office or house;
• using both the telephone and the Internet simultaneously on one telephone line;
• relatively low price for equipment and provider services.

The disadvantages of this type of connection mainly include the low quality of telephone lines, which can significantly reduce the data transfer speed and the rather low speed of outgoing traffic. But technology is developing and these problems should be solved in the near future.

Oddly enough, but correct port settings can improve the quality of 3G signal processing by almost half. First, check the speed of the port for receiving data coming from the Internet. To do this, open “Device Manager” in the “Hardware” tab of the “My Computer” section. In the “Ports” tab, select “Serial Port”. Right-clicking opens the ability to access “Port Settings” through the “Properties” menu. In the “Port Settings” you need to increase the modem throughput threshold from the default 9600bps to 115200bps. This way, port settings are no longer a barrier to increasing speeds to the upper limits.

Setting up channel bandwidth

To configure the channel bandwidth, you must remove the default restrictions in the “Computer Configuration” menu. To do this, in the “Package Manager” of the “Network” item of the “Administrative Templates” section, double-click on the “Limit Bandwidth” command. Then open the “Option” tab and check the “Enabled” checkbox, and in the “Bandwidth Limit” window change “20” to “0”. Confirm that the settings are applied and click OK. Channel capacity restrictions have been lifted.

Setting up the modem

After all the computer settings have been completed, you need to configure the 3G USB modem directly. If the modem is equipped with a connector for connecting an external 3G antenna, then it is a good idea to use this. However, if the modem formally demonstrates reliable reception (all bars are visible), but the speed is unsatisfactory, then the antenna is unlikely to help. The reason for the low speed in this case is most likely the crowd of users on the network. The repeater bandwidth is simply not enough for everyone. This assumption is easy to check at night, when the number of people wanting to surf the Internet decreases. In the event that the strips are “not all”, a USB extension cable can help. The fact is that any computer is a source of interference. In addition, the capacitance of the human body, as well as the capacitance of objects located near the computer and modem, can seriously weaken the signal received by the modem antenna.

A cord with a USB connector allows you to move the modem to an area with more reliable reception, away from sources of interference. The recommended length of such a cable should not exceed 3 meters. It is also not recommended to use cables shorter than 1.5 meters due to their inefficiency. Connect the modem via a USB extension cable to the computer. This usually significantly improves the quality of the connection.

One of the most widespread and available ways Connecting to the World Wide Web today is an ADSL connection. The abbreviation ADSL stands for “Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line” - an asymmetric digital subscriber line. Despite its simplicity and almost one hundred percent accessibility, mobile connection significantly inferior in its capabilities to an ADSL connection: the data transfer speed is lower, the range of services is smaller, and the cost of connection is much higher. Connection using ETTH technology (“Ethernet to every home”), GPON and FTTH (using fiber optic cable) today are still available only to residents of the multi-apartment sector in large settlements, since they are economically justified for mass connections. Therefore, today an ADSL connection is relevant for most users, especially in small towns.

ADSL connection problems

Despite its mass availability and fairly decent technical characteristics:

1. Practical access speed: up to 24 Mbit/s;
2. Length of subscriber line for satisfactory operation: up to 7.5 km;
3. Possibility of receiving the service triple play- simultaneous transmission of voice, video and data.

This technology uses a telephone subscriber line with all the ensuing problems.

Let's consider a typical subscriber connection scheme using ADSL technology:

The practice of using this technology shows that the most common problems that lead to the user having slow speed with adsl connection, or no Internet access at all, are:

1. Telephone line failure;
2. Malfunction of the access equipment port (DSLAM) on the provider side;
3. Incorrect connection on the user side.

Telephone line problem

This is the most common type of damage that occurs in the Subscriber-Provider chain. Unfortunately, the telephone line is far from perfect. While it “gets” from the Internet provider to the user, it can pass through quite a lot of different sections: backbone, cable, distribution cables, cables between cabinets, and even the so-called overhead wires - wires going from the cabinet to the subscriber by air. Each of these sections, in addition to attenuation of the useful signal, can also introduce various interferences, leading to both a general decrease in speed and the fact that the subscriber experiences frequent disconnections during an adsl connection.

Of course, in order to measure the physical parameters of a telephone line to obtain its quality characteristics, you must have special instruments and the ability to use them. But an ordinary user can also easily assess its condition in order to understand why certain access problems arise. To do this, you need to connect to the ADSL modem and look at the ADSL connection statistics.

It’s not just problems with the communication line or the provider’s equipment that lead to problems with the Internet. When asking the question “How to increase the speed of an adsl connection?”, the user sometimes forgets that malfunctioning equipment or an incorrect connection on its side can also cause failures and low speed. Therefore, before calling the service technical support, you need to check whether the telephone line, modem and telephone are connected correctly.

First of all, you should start with splitter– a special device that is designed to prevent high-frequency noise from the modem from interfering with telephone conversations. In essence, it is a special filter for separating the operating frequency bands of the modem and the telephone.

Let's consider the correct connection diagram for user devices:

Please remember that you cannot connect telephones or any other telephone devices to the splitter! All phones must be strictly connected to the PHONE jack! Otherwise, the connection will be unstable, and, as a rule, with low speed. In this case, disconnections during adsl connections will be almost constant.

Connecting an adsl modem without a splitter will lead to noise during a telephone conversation and, as in the first case, to poor connection quality. However, if you do not use a telephone, the modem can be connected to the telephone line without this device.

Excessively long telephone extension cords should be avoided. If you really can’t do without it, you need to choose ones that use not four, but two conductors. This will reduce interference and improve connection quality.

Unfortunately, the adsl modem is also not immune to damage. Moreover, there are obvious damages, that is, when it simply does not work or does not work correctly, and there are hidden ones associated with damage to its linear part. Especially often, such malfunctions often occur after a thunderstorm. At the same time, the modem itself is working and can even establish a connection with the provider’s equipment, but it is unstable, or the connection occurs at low speed. The first impression that arises is that the telephone line is faulty, since the “symptoms” are very similar. In this case, you should take readings of the main characteristics of the connection from its menu in the “Statistics” section, and check it at the provider’s stand, asking to take the same data. If the readings are similar, most likely the linear part of the modem is “burnt” and requires repair.

1. If the speed of Internet access periodically decreases, start checking by examining the stability of the established connection - the “link”. (The English version of the word is Link). Follow the indicator with the same name. On some models it is called ADSL. During operation, if the adsl connection is stable and established, it should just light up. If it flashes periodically, the connection with the provider is unstable and the communication line needs to be checked.
2. Monitor the upstream speed on the line. Practice shows that the lower it is, the lower the quality of the connection. Ideally, it should be equal to or close to 1 Mbit/s (only if it is not specifically limited by the tariff).
3. If the connection is constantly interrupted, you can try turning off the splitter and the phone by temporarily connecting the modem directly to the line. This eliminates the possible influence of other devices on the connection. If in this case everything works stably, then you can turn on the devices one by one to find out which of them has an effect.
4. Always check the quality of contact in the connectors. A modern RJ11 telephone connector is not a very high-quality product; its contacts often oxidize. Remove and reinsert it two or three times.