with open cover
To use DSL, you need to have inside wiring. In particular, you need to have wiring within your house from the Network Interface Device to the place where you want to put your DSL Modem. Here are photographs of typical Network Interface Devices. If you have not already done so, you should check around your house to find out where your Network Interface Device is located.
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| Network Interface Device | Network Interface Device with open cover |
Choosing where to put your DSL modem. Here is a photograph of a
typical DSL modem of the type which you may end up using.
This particular model is 8 inches wide, 5
1/2 inches deep, and 1 1/2 inches tall (other models are roughly comparable in
size). It uses an AC adaptor. You need to locate it by an AC outlet and by a
phone jack. This can't be any old phone jack; it needs to be a phone jack that
is connected (via the inside wire that we are talking about) to your Network
Interface Device. The DSL modem has status lights which can be very helpful for
troubleshooting. Thus you may wish to select a location for the DSL modem that
is convenient for inspecting the status lights.
How many computers do you plan to connect to the DSL? If the answer is "one," then a good place for the DSL modem is probably at the place where that computer is going to be used.
Does your house already have wiring for a local area network? If so, then the DSL modem could conveniently be placed at any location where there is a network jack, or could be placed at the wire center for the network.
Do you plan to use wireless networking in your house? (You can see a web page and an Agere Systems article and a Business Week article about Oppedahl & Larson LLP's use of wireless networking.) If so, then the best place for the DSL modem is the place where you plan to put the wireless access point (base unit).
Do you already have spare pairs in your existing telephone wiring? If the answer is "yes," then by far the most convenient place to put the DSL modem will be one of the existing jack locations for your existing telephone wiring.
Who will install my inside wiring? If you are comfortable with low-voltage wiring (e.g. phone wiring, stereo speaker wiring) then you could do the DSL inside wiring yourself. Another approach is to pay the phone company to put in an extra telephone line with the jack located where you want it, and then later cancel the service for that phone line. Still another approach is to use a private contractor such as an electrician. Finally, the Coop has volunteers who may be able to assist you, the price normally being a couple of bottles of expensive wine.
Related articles: Steps to follow when performing inside wiring and DSL modems that are compatible with the Coop's equipment and What the blinky lights mean.