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How many Simultaneous Users on DSL? T1?

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6 replies

by getwild

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I'm interested in adding a small internet access area within a pre-existing business and I want to know how many computers I can simultaneously run off a 5M DSL line max before quality of internet experience is signifigantly affected. I inquired about a T1 but the cost is just too high at this time. I can even run multiple 5M DSL lines to spread bandwidth further, but am concerned that if each DSL line can only handle a small number of computers, I may need so many DSL lines that I put myself back up in the cost of a T1. So then I get around to the matter of a T1 and how many computers can that possibly run with simultaneous internet access? Can anyone please help? Although much of the internet will be general browsing, I have many kids who will be doing online gaming (Runescape, World of Warcraft, etc) so I need to keep quality up while staying within my start up budget for this additional venture.

6 replies

by wesley.chin

At my workplace, we were running DSL for about 17 computers. Some said they noticed slowness, esp. one person who was connecting to her workstation from home over the Internet. Recently management gave the OK to switch to T1. Now I notice slowness. Which is strange cause I did not notice it when it was DSL....

by getwild

Wow! That is very interesting! Although I think I heard that T1 is 5MB both upload and download where as 5M DSL is 5Mb download but only less then 1 mb upload. Did all 17 of these people use internet at the same time?

by wesley.chin

If are asking whether everyone was accessing the same webpage at the same time, no. I did not test that. But the potential use of the internet is there, as the connection is constant, and materials constantly have to be transmitted to clients.

But I will probably not be able to get input from the person who logs in remotely, cause she is moving soon and taking her computer. It is cause she was distressed at the speed of her connection when it was DSL.

So, if you have someone who is connecting remotely, from what that person's prior input, DSL is not the way to go...

by 1bn0

A T1 circuit is 1.544 Mb

http://www.bhumika.ca/telecom/voice_compression/t1_digital_voice_comression_tech.html

24 channels @ 56Kb each

DS1 "digital t1 uses 64Kb channels
DS0 is a single DS1 channel

DS3 is 28 X DS1

The next level is usually DS3 X ? Optical Carrier (fibre)

DSL in its original specification was always capable of 6m up and down. This is choked by the isp/telco to 1.5 down / ??? up (varied) to emulate the ratios used by most modem internet users which it primarily replaced.

If you did not ask for bandwidth capability along with pricing information, how do expect to evaluate the value of the service you are attempting to install.

A standard HOME router usually defaults to a configuration which allows 254 computers to share the internet access at one time. Bandwith does not determine your requirements.

Traffic (the amount of data, peak use, simultaneous access requirements) determines the bandwith required.

by phxz31

A T1 is actually quite slow by todays standards. The nice thing about T1 is that its guaranteed bandwidth, but the cost is quite high for only 1.554Mbit up and down.

DSL by contrast can give you as much as 5Mbit down and 1.5 up in most areas, and possibly faster in others. The cost is far less than T1. Even for a business DSL line with more reliable or faster service. I guess the only difference is that T1 is considered to more reliable, so if best effort service isn't enough and you need mission-critical service, then I guess you should consider T1.

If you're maintaining a business website from this site or many VOIP phones and need high upload bandwidth, then you may consider bonded T1 service. For example, you could get a bonded T1 with 4.5Mbit up and down, but the cost is about $600-$800 per month depending on your area. It is basically 3 T1's bonded together.

For internet browsing experience, DSL is fine, sometimes even preferable to T1, because its often faster.

If you're building a website, uploading large quantities of data to the internet, or have a cloud running from your office, then you want the higher upload speed from bonded T1 service.

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