Need help with DSL

Published on August 23, 2005 By Island Dog In Personal Computing

I just got my "self-installation" kit with for my new DSL connection. The service doesn't come on till tomorrow though.

Reading through the installation guide it says the telephone cable from the jack to the modem shouldn't be more than 10 feet long. Is this correct? My desk is about 25 ft. away from the jack.

Comments (Page 1)

Zoomba

on Aug 23, 2005

The signal for DSL is very sensitive to line length. You can't get DSL service in most areas if you live more than 2mi from the local exchange office either. Longer than 10' will probably work just fine assuming you're not at the edge of the service area and that you have relatively sound wiring in the house. Just be warned that tech support will refuse to fix things if they find that you're using a longer cable, since that's "not supported"

sushiK

on Aug 23, 2005

Are you planning on getting a Router? Most of the Verizon or Cable deals come with a Modem/Router all in one piece. Put that at the 10' range then use a Cat 5 cable from there to your machine farther away.

If the kit does Not come with a router / modem unit and it is just the modem, go buy a router and then the process goes like this:
Tel Jack to Modem
Modem to Router
Router to your pc

The router is a must if you are doing a home network; has built in firewall as such. If you are unfamiliar with this, just head to CompUSA and ask, they'll set you up.

Dr Guy

on Aug 23, 2005

Has your line been toned out? If not, it may be a lot longer than just a day as they will have to go to the CO and pull out any repeaters (signal boosters) they have installed as they do not work with DSL. What was supposed to be 2 weeks for me, turned into 2 months before they finally got it straight.

And like Sushi says, keep the Telephone line length short and use CAT 5 from a Gateway/Router to you computer. Most computer stores sell both if you did not get one with the kit.

Island Dog

on Aug 23, 2005

I'm not sure about "toned out". They said it will be on by 7 p.m. tomorrow and not try to connect before that.

As far as cable length goes I'm not sure what to do. I guess I could set my modem up on my entertainment center (which is by the jack), and just run a long CAT 5 to the computer.

Dr Guy

on Aug 23, 2005

As far as cable length goes I'm not sure what to do. I guess I could set my modem up on my entertainment center (which is by the jack), and just run a long CAT 5 to the computer.

And RUN A FIREWALL. That is what the gateway/router actually does. If you are going naked on the Internet, make sure you have ZoneAlarm (Free). It is better than the XP Version by far (Norton's just sucks).

Island Dog

on Aug 23, 2005

I have Trend Micro Internet Security, and I just bought a router with a built-in firewall.

PurrBall

on Aug 23, 2005

Trend Micro Internet Security

The best, IMO.

NightTrainthedark

on Aug 23, 2005

and I just bought a router with a built-in firewall.

any chance that router is wireless?

Island Dog

on Aug 23, 2005

Yes it is.

yrag

on Aug 23, 2005

Go ahead, Craig.....you tell him........

Lantec

on Aug 23, 2005

Set your wireless router and DSL modem right next to the phone jack. Plug modem into phone jack and router into modem. Use you computer (with wireless card) anywhere within reach of your wireless signal. 25 ft should be easy unless there's a large lead box between your desk and the router.

I recommend Wireless G or Super G if you need to add any hardware.

Cavan1

on Aug 24, 2005

Island Dog, I just set up my new DSL after moving, I have a 3 meg service, have a 40 foot 20251 telephone cable from jack to modem. My download rate is 300 KB/ sec. Before moving had a much slower service, switching from 40 foot cable to a 6 foot cable made no difference at all.

Island Dog

on Aug 24, 2005

The DSL wouldn't come on so I called tech support and he got me going. What I did was I went to Radio Shack and bought a rounded CAT 3 phone cable and used that. I actually got better speeds than the 10ft. cable Sprint provided.

bakerstreet

on Aug 24, 2005

There's no reason to ever run that much phone line, just put your modem by the phone jack in the wall, and run cat5 to your computer or lan from the modem. The 10' thing isn't nearly as important as the quality of the phone line, too. If it has had kinks in it, been stepped on a lot, etc., it seriously degrades performance. There's also stuff about running it paralel to in-wall electric cables. I don't remember. I didn't take it into consideration and I get all my 1.5,

Just take your modem, and find someplace close to the phone jack for it to live. That way your skinny phone cord is only a couple of feet long. My modem had phone-style hangers on the back, so it just hangs on the wall by the jack.

I've seen them run CAT5 a long way through office buildings, so I doubt 15 or 20 feet is going to be a problem for it.

Bichur

on Aug 24, 2005

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