[lug] Linux with ISDN

Chris M chrism at peakpeak.com
Thu Apr 27 11:32:44 MDT 2000


> From: "Archer Sully" <archer at meer.net>
> Reply-To: lug at lug.boulder.co.us
> Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2000 11:09:02 -0600
> To: <lug at lug.boulder.co.us>
> Subject: Re: [lug] Linux with ISDN
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Chris M" <chrism at peakpeak.com>
>> 
>> This is not true.  ISDN has much wider coverage, and can use repeaters to
>> extend the distance even further.  It's also more reliable and is
>> circuit-switched, not cloud-switched, which has tremendous reliability
>> implications.
>> 
> 
> Ok, I'm confused.  RADSL as practiced by USWorst has a range of
> 15,000 line-ft, and ISDN isn't a whole lot further.

Yes it is.  ISDN can go much further.  And IDSL can go up to 50,000 feet
too.

> Furthermore,  ISDN is
> dramatically slower, and being circuit switched, uses more resources,
> hence the higher price.

ISDN has more features and versatility.  Two independent channels that can
be used for voice or data, and can be bonded.  It is not necessarily slower,
as STAC compression boosts it's effective throughput beyond 128K for certain
kinds of data. It can dialup anywhere, changing is instant.  Not 5-15 days.

ISDN is not "dramatically slower."  The Committed Information Rate for DSL
is 0.  Nada.  Even DSL outfits that "guarantee" uptime have clauses
determining what you get back, which equates to a couple bucks if your line
is out of service for an entire day.

> And while repeaters aren't yet available (or
> at least widely deployed) for DSL, they are coming.  The range
> will be extended, because if it isn't the Telcos know they are going
> to get slaughtered on broadband by the CATV people.

That does not make ISDN a less-attractive technology, it is here now, you
can have one shortly after you place an order.  DSL is not tariffed, ISDN
is.  There are huge regulatory differences between whether you get the
service or not just based on that.

It's pointless to talk about "what's coming" as extinction of the human race
is arguably on the horizon too.  DSL and cable orders will drop off
dramatically then.  The fact is, the DSL "solutions" to the problem have not
materialized in two years.  Two years.  It would be unwise to plan on this
enhancement.

> As for qualifying the line, remember that USWorst doesn't do a line
> quality test unless you really bug them.  They look up your line in a
> database.  If you ever had a mux on your line they will claim you don't
> qualify even if you're 200' from the CO.   So you need to get a distance
> measurement first, and once you've confirmed you are within area you
> have to really bug them until they fix they fix the database.  Its a chore,
> but I get 600+Kbps and believe me, its worth it!

You don't have to go to all that effort.  At least, we don't.  If you ask
the right people they can figure it out quickly.

> 
> And as for reliability, there are occaisionaly problems.  I've had to
> reset my router twice since I got it last July, and once my ISP
> (not USWorst) had to reset me.  I don't know if this is worse than
> ISDN or not.  I do know that even using an ISP other than USWorst
> it is less expensive than two pegged B-channels.

It's worse than ISDN, by a factor of 10.  When it is out, you just aren't
noticing :)

Chris





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