Riviera Telephone Company

In effort to provide the best service to our customer base, Rivnet has deployed DSL to a large portion of our customer base where it is possible. We have been installing specialized equipment to enable us to reach farther distances. Below, are some frequently asked questions about DSL:

All About DSL

So you've heard the buzz about DSL as the next generation Internet access technology. But what is DSL? How does it work? Is it something you should get? Rivnet.com, South Texas ' premier Internet services provider, tells us more...

What is DSL?
DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line, a technology that uses the existing copper telephone wires to deliver high-speed data services.

What do you mean by high speed?
As an example, Rivnet.com's ADSL service is available at speed of 256kbps download 125 kbps upload. In the future, we will be offering speeds of 640, and 1300Kbps. The top speed (1300Kbps) is up to 50 times faster than a 28.8 Kbps modem, and up to 10 times faster than ISDN.

ADSL? What's that?
ADSL stands for Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line, a DSL technology in which the downstream/upstream speeds can differ to the same location, just by changing settings on network components, rather than installing a new line. Many Internet Service Providers, (ISPs) support ADSL because it is the easiest to implement for dedicated Internet access.

At this time, Riviera Telephone Company, Inc. is not providing these Ethernet cards for the computers.

Riviera Telephone Company, Inc. is currently taking orders from customers interested in ADSL service. Pre-qualification of these customer's lines will be performed to decide whether the line meets standards for ADSL service. There will be a line check to ensure we can reach the customer. There could be some delay to enable us to get the equipment into place to serve them with DSL. Should you want your line checked for acceptability or if you simply have questions, comments, or suggestions regarding ADSL, please send e-mail to rtc@rivnet.com.

The Minimum requirements for using DSL on a Windows PC are:

• Pentium Class processor, 166 MHz or faster (including Celeron and AMD K6-2, K7-x or faster)

• Windows XP or Windows 7

• Internet Browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator

• 125Mb of free hard drive space

• 32Mb of system RAM

• 10 Base-T Ethernet Card

Note:

• You need to have your Ethernet card installed and working before the DSL circuit is delivered.

• If you require assistance with configuration of your TCP/IP settings please call our helpdesk at 296-1295 from 9:00 a.m. thru 9:00 p.m.

Is DSL a good option for me?
You should consider DSL if you're tired of the length of time it takes to access graphic-intensive web pages or download email attachments. DSL provides a very fast, always-on connection. Another plus for DSL is you can be online and talk on your telephone line at the same time! No more missing calls because you were checking your email or researching something on the Internet!

For small to medium businesses that want to connect their offices to the Internet, DSL provides a dedicated connection at far lower costs than a T-1 line, and does not involve per-minute charges as with ISDN. DSL also facilitates functions that require a high-speed or dedicated connection, such as video conferencing or putting your own web or email servers on the Internet.

Is DSL expensive?
Rivnet.com's, 256kbps download 125 kbps upload ADSL service starts at $38.89 per month. This is the $28.89 tariff rate plus the $10.00 charge for Internet access. There is a one-time installation charge of $185.00 per DSL line which will be waived if you keep your DSL service for a period of 6 months; early termination of install agreement will result in a $25.00 fee in accordance to the guidelines set up in the tariff.

The DSL modem will be loaned to the customer, for the time you are a paying DSL customer. At time of termination of DSL, the modem is to be returned to Riviera Telephone Company, Inc., business office at 103 S. 8th Street. This is very cost effective for those who need a fast, reliable, full-time connection to the Internet. If the modem is not returned, the cost of the modem ($100.00) will be added to your monthly telephone bill.

Is DSL available in my area?
DSL service is available to Riviera Telephone Company, Inc. customers only.
The DSL customer must reside within 18,000 ft of a Central Office or 18,000 ft of a Digital Loop Carrier (DLC). Riviera Telephone Company, Inc. has a plan to provide DSL or the latest type of high speed Internet service to all of its customers in the future. Customers requesting DSL service exceeding distance requirements will be referred to our Engineering Department for special arrangements if possible.

Comparing Wireless DSL with Wired DSL
Wireless has become a common term in the world of networking these days. Everything seems to have gone wireless whether it’s your computer, your cellular phone or your laptop. But with all this excitement over wireless, many of our customers ask whether or not wireless is really that much better than the wired networks that have been around for years.

At its simplest the difference between a wireless network and a wired one is, well, the presence or absence of any cables. Wired networks use Ethernet cables and network adaptors to allow computers to be connected to one another. Computers can connect to each other directly or to a network through hubs, switches or routers.

The important factor is that cables need to run from each computer to the adaptor or to the other computers on the network. Setting up this infrastructure can be time-consuming and difficult since it usually a good idea to let the wires run through walls or roofs rather than underfoot. Advantageously the cables and hubs, routers or switches don’t cost all that much, making a wired local area network (LAN) relatively inexpensive to set up.

Additionally these cables and adaptors have been around for quite some time. Technology has come a long way in making hubs and switches reliable while cables have evolved at an amazing speed to offer reliable and speedy data transfer rates of up to 1000 Mbps (Gigabit) with Fast Ethernet technology. These cables can get damaged though, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on them from time to time to ensure they are still working at their optimum.

Wireless networks, on the other hand, tend to follow one of three Wi-Fi communication standards: 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g. The first is the most common standard used by most wireless LANS (WLANS), the second is usually used by businesses while the third is a combination of the two. For most home users, 802.11b is the best choice.

Most wireless networks work requires a central wireless device called the access point. This access point needs to be centrally located so wireless signals can easily reach it. Despite the wide range of most wireless adaptors (up to 30 m [90’] or more in some cases), walls and outside interference can degrade the signal. Additionally each computer that is to be part of the network requires a wireless network adaptor card to pick up the wireless signals.

All this equipment is relatively more expensive than the Ethernet equipment required for a network of the same size. Even though prices are coming down now that wireless networks are becoming more prevalent, one can still expect to pay more to set up a wireless network than a wired one.

It should be mentioned also that wireless networks are susceptible to interference. Distance from the access point and other wave producing appliances (like microwaves, radios, cordless phones, etc.) can affect the signal quality of the wireless network. Security is also an issue as nearly anyone can gain access to a wireless network that hasn’t been properly secured.

With wireless networks you are also looking at slightly lower data transfer speeds. Even the high end equipment can only boast about 50 Mbps versus the 100 Mbps offered by Fast Ethernet.

So which is better? Well, it all depends on your needs. While wireless networks certainly seem to pale in comparison to traditional wired networks they more than make up for it in convenience. It seems that though wireless networks are seeing more use the chances are that the near future will likely show combination of both wired and wireless networks in the home and office.

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Copyright © 2003 Rivnet.Com, Inc. All Rights Reserved