How to Install 6MB DSL

The ports on a DSL modem are used to install DSL.

Digital Subscriber Line connections are, along with cable, the main technology for broadband Internet access. They have many advantages, including not suffering reduced speed when neighbours are surfing, and not requiring a cable TV line. DSL providers offer connections in a variety of speeds, but the underlying technology is the same. This means that installing a 6 megabyte DSL connection--usually the fastest on offer--follows the same procedure as any other DSL installation.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Phone Line
• DSL Modem
• Service provider
• Ethernet cable
• Wireless hub

Instructions

Installing 6MB DSL

1. Check with your local phone company to see if your phone lines support 6MB DSL. The DSL speeds are affected by wear on the telephone wires and by the distance from the central phone office.

2. Purchase a DSL modem and a service agreement that grants 6MB access from your chosen provider. Many providers supply the modems for free when you sign the agreement.

3. Connect the modem to your telephone line with a standard phone cord and turn on the modem.

4. Call your DSL provider and request activation. This may take several hours to several days.

5. Install the filters that came with your DSL modem on the telephone lines running to each phone handset. This will keep the two from interfering with each other. To install them, plug the phone into one end of the small filter box and plug the box into your phone jack.

6. Connect your modem to your computer. This can be done with an ethernet cable or wirelessly if you have a Wifi Hub. If connecting wirelessly, connect the modem to the hub with an ethernet cable.

7. Open your computer's network preferences. On a PC, click "Start" then "Control Panel" and "Network". On a Mac, click on "System Preferences" in the toolbar, then click "Network". In this control panel, click "Enable DHCP".

8. Configure your wireless network if you have one. Install any software that came with the wireless hub and use it to set a network name and password.

9. Confirm with your phone company that your DSL service has been activated and begin surfing.

Tips & Warnings

• The phrase "6MB" describes the 6MB/second maximum download speed. You are unlikely to get this speed all the time and uploads will generally go much more slowly.

References

• Indiana University Knowledge Base: What is DSL Internet Service?