The Internet for SME’s

What is ADSL? Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is high- speed digital connectivity over the existing, copper (or analogue) 'local loop' circuit. It enables Service Providers to deliver high-speed services such as Video, Audio and Internet directly to the consumer utilising the existing copper lines without resorting to laying more expensive lines such as fibre optic cable. Customers will still be able to use their existing telephones whilst enjoying the higher speed digital connectivity. The circuits are described as asymmetric because most of the bandwidth is used to offer fast 'downstream' speeds to the end-user whilst the remainder is used for 'upstream' data back to the Service Provider. The service is permanently connected or 'always-on' and is usually charged at a flat rate regardless of time on-line or data used.

When is it available? Depending on your location, within 7 days. Most large towns are now ADSL ‘live’ 99.8% of the UK will be ‘live’ by the end of 2005

Can I share the connection between computers? Yes - ADSL is ideal for connecting an office network to the internet. Connect your network to the ADSL router and all network machines will be able to access the internet. There is no need to buy expensive hardware. £40 is enough to share between 4 computers

How does ADSL compare with fixed leased lines and ISDN? A fixed leased line guaranteed bandwidth, in both directions, and is therefore suitable for any application that is expected to deliver consistent high-speed performance. However this is expensive. ADSL is 8 times faster than ISDN in its standard form Unlike ISDN, ADSL has no call charges associated with data traffic. Basic sites can be hosted on Leased lines and ADSL, but not ISDN

What hardware do I need to buy? BT standard phone line and account A dedicated wall mains socket for the Router A PC with the following minimum specification is recommended: Windows 98SE, Pentium 200 MHz MMX processor, 32 MB System memory, 1mb graphics card and a USB or Ethernet port You need a router for sharing between multiple computers, and switches if you intent to use more than 4. A server is needed if you are going to host a basic site. This needn't cost more than £300

Will I still be able to use my existing phone connections and equipment? Yes - you can use a telephone on the same line as the ADSL service - and while you are using the internet! ADSL requires a micro-filter to be connected to the line - the filter has outputs for both ADSL connections and standard telephones.

How fast will it go? BT ADSL is provided up to 2mbit. This means a 1MB download will take 8 seconds Areas of the south and London can receive 8mbit ADSL. This means a 1MB download will take 1 second. Cable speeds vary greatly and are subject to speed losses when near by homes and business are using the connection; due to the way the network is designed.

How much will it cost? All ADSL products carry a £50 + VAT setup charge Business ADSL 512k/sec - £32 + VAT Business ADSL 1024k/sec - £52 + VAT Business ADSL 2048k/sec - £82 + VAT ADSL is suitable for businesses who download more than they upload

How much will it cost? All SDSL products carry a £450 + VAT setup charge Business SDSL 512k/sec - £150 + VAT Business SDSL 1024k/sec - £222 + VAT Business SDSL 2048k/sec - £340 + VAT SDSL is useful for businesses who need to upload a lot of data, for example if they are hosting a website from the office

Is an always on connection secure? NAT (Network Address Translation) is a process whereby the ADSL router has a single, real, RIPE registered, IP address assigned to it. The PC's on your network are allocated IP's in the reserved range for private networks (10.x.x.x), either manually, or via DHCP. Using NAT makes your connection more secure, as the casual intruder into your network will only be able to access the router, and not your internal network. However, the ADSL router does not have a specific firewall included with it, and NAT is not completely resilient to all types of attacks. Also, if you wish to use SMTP to receive mail, or host servers on your LAN for external access (e.g. a website), then you cannot use NAT. If this is the case, then you should buy a hardware firewall.

How do I make my website secure for payments? Secured Sockets Layer is a protocol that transmits your communications over the Internet in an encrypted form. SSL ensures that the information is sent, unchanged, only to the server you intended to send it to. Online shopping sites frequently use SSL technology to safeguard your credit card information. To use SSL you need a trusted root certificate. These typically cost around £200 from Verisign

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