Set-up and equipment
Regardless of your current set-up, Southern Communications will provide you with everything required for ADSL, or ADSL2 when you choose to have it installed.
As long as your premises have access to a BT phone line, the essential equipment required includes:
ADSL Broadband Modem or Router
Modem
A modem is the piece of technology that bridges the internet to your local network, and stands for modulator-demodulator. It allows for digital information to be encoded and transmitted on the phone lines, to be decoded when they reach their destination.
In essence, the modem allows you to connect to the internet and will have a standard Ethernet cable output to connect to a router or computer.
Router
A router is a piece of hardware used to connect computers and other internet enabled devices to the modem and the internet (or local network). They can be thought of as being gateways for internet access.
They are often wireless but have multiple ports to connect devices with Ethernet cables. Routers also provide security software, known as firmware. In recent years, combined modem and routers are preferred, giving you the same connectivity from one piece of hardware.
Microfilters
The microfilter is a small, cabled device, that lets you use the internet at the same time as the phone service. They prevent issues occurring, such as noise on phone lines and slow broadband speeds. A DSL splitter lets you connect two or more devices to one microfilter.
Additional equipment
To make the most of your internet connection, you require internet enabled devices, such as desktop PCs, smartphones, tablets, and should your connection be fast enough, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) handsets.
Before any devices are purchased, it’s worthwhile to double check that they are compatible with ADSL. For example, it may be an issue if you are buying older, second-hand devices, or are buying high-speed technology designed for superfast, fibre optic broadband. In the instance of the latter, you may not be able to use the device to its full potential on ADSL.
