DSL Technology

A DSL modem is a type of modem that is used to connect a personal computer to the internet. Most of these equipments are designed to provide a high-speed internet connection and their internet connections are considered faster than the dial-up internet connections. Another advantage of DSL modems is that they can be simultaneously. This means that one can talk on the phone while accessing the internet. These modems are however not limited to only one user. An Ethernet DSL modem can be connected to a router so that more than one computer can enjoy the same internet connection. USB DSL versions are usually recommended for single computers.

Because they are primarily used to forward data from one medium to another, they rarely need any configurations. Instead, any configurations done are done in the routers. These modems can run anywhere from a few hundred kilobytes to many megabits as opposed to dial-ups and 56K modems that have much lower speeds, usually about 50 kilobits per second. In order to operate, a DSL modem requires power supply, a data connection and circuitry, a DSL digital data pump, a DSL line driver and analog chip, a micro controller and a filter. These components vary greatly in terms on their arrangement and availability on the circuit board. Some modems used by businesses combine network routers, switches and other networking equipment in the same platform.

One of the main differences between user service provided by DSL modems and cable modems is that the later has a shared network loop and as a result, adding users to the loop lowers performance in most instances. DSL on the other hand provides a dedicated connection to each user, meaning that users do not see a performance decrease when new users are added. At the point of saturation, the service provider simply provides an upgrade for additional performance. DSL modems however have the disadvantages of have distance limitation and lower availability. In such cases, the cable and wireless can offer alternatives. There are also variations of the DSL technology that can resolve some of these bottlenecks. These include VDSL, SDSL, RADSL, IDSL and Uni-DSL. The VDSL offers a fast internet connection over short distances that can reach up to 52 Mbps downstream and 12 Mbps upstream. IDSL can cover long distances of up to 6 miles while the Universal DSL or Uni-DSL offers longer distances at ASDSL speeds. In some locations, this technology can provide speeds which are 4 times more than what VDSL has to offer.