I've joined a music/video download site but my connection speed is 56k...?

Anyone know what this means and how to make it quicker?

 

56K is normally refering to a modem dial up connection - VERY slow by broadband standards. If you're downloading music / videos - you will spend a lot of time online!

56K = 56 kilobits/sec or 56000 bits per second - theoretical speed

512K broadband = 512 kilobits/sec or 512000 bits per second


Put another way - a typical 5 Mb file is going to take you about 13 - 14 mins to download on dialup. With broadband it will typically take about 1 - 2 mins

 

Put another way - a typical 5 Mb file is going to take you about 13 - 14 mins to download on dialup. With broadband it will typically take about 1 - 2 mins[/QUOTE]
Cheers Chris.

So really i need to get with the times and stop moaning about paying extra fiver for it!!

Do you what cable, T1, DSL is ???

 

- Simple answer - yes you should!

T1 refers to what are known as 'leased lines' - these are fixed connections installed by the likes of BT to commerical organisations. T1 is actually the US version. In Europe we have E1. A T1 line is about 1.5 Mbps and an E1 lines is approx 2Mbps. You could have a leased line put in your house, but it would cost you many thousands!

DSL or ADSL, stands for Asymetrical Digital Subscriber Line. What that means to you is that you can have a DSL connection installed in your house that uses your existing phone line - the signal is transmitted in a different frequency range to voice calls. DSL is an 'always on' connection - there is no need to dial up and connect as you do at the moment. You can also use the phone line at the same time to make normal voice calls.

The asymetrical part of the name means that you will have different upload and download speeds. Normally a 512k broadband DSL connection will give you 512K download with 128K upload. Download speeds are normally more important for most people. The actual speeds you will get will depend on your provider and the number of people sharing the connections to your Internet provider at the local BT telephone exchange.

You might hear people talk about contention ratios - this is simply the maximum number of users on your exchange that you will theoretcially share your ISPs bandwidth with. Normal home DSL connections have a 50:1 ratio.

Cable modem connections (what I have) are provided by cable TV companies like NTL and Telewest. The way the signal and connection is delivered to your home is different to DSL, but for the end user there is little or no difference. It is a broadband, always-on connection - costs and speeds are broadly similar - it's a very competative market.

A cable connection will depend upon whether you live in a cable TV area. The DSL connection will only be available if your local BT telephone exchange has been suitably equipped - most have now and most providers allow you to type in your postcode / phone number to check.

Price wise, it's a no-brainer. I think Wanadoo have a 1Mbs DSL package for £17.99 a month. There are loads of providers and offers though, so do a search on the topic, as it has been brought up many times before.

Chris