Thinking about DSL, need some details.

[Emission]

Hopefully this is in the right section, wasn't sure where else to place this inquiry.

Anyway, I'm thinking about getting DSL service for my dorm room here at college. The internet inside the dorms is shittastic at best, and it's quite frustrating when you're trying to game or do anything worthwhile. From what I understand, verizon services our dorms as far as phone service goes. We haven't been told if any kind of DSL was available through verizon, but if we can get phone service then why not DSL?

My question to you guys, though: How easy is it to pick up a DSL modem and set it up with service? With verizon in this case. There are plenty on ebay, and some assorted ones at the local electronics stores (radioshack, best buy, etc), best buy advertises theirs as "self-installation kits."

The only weird part is that its impossible to properly look up the dorm's address through the verizon website to see what kind of services are available, and it keeps coming up with only the phone service. If the phone line is available to me, shouldn't DSL be able to work regardless? Another thing that seemed to hint at this is that I've been able to pick up a wireless signal that appears to come from a nearby dorm, and it links to verizon service, but I figured I would ask, since I'm not 100% acquainted with how DSL works.

Thanks guys .

 

[munkle]

I would call verizon or any other carrier of dsl, only they will be able to tell you if you can get dsl in your dorms.

 

[gimp]

just because you have phone service does not mean you can get DSL.

DSL requires the loop-length between you and their CO/DSLAM/wirecenter/etc to be under a certain length.

It also depends on how the phone system is setup in the dorm. If each room has it's own pair from the demarc, then it's possible. But of course, if it's setup through some PBX or the like then no.

 

[Emission]

Thanks for the input guys. I suppose I'll have to call and find out or something.

 

[Luxor]

I would call verizon or any other carrier of dsl, only they will be able to tell you if you can get dsl in your dorms.

-------------^

or an existing verizon DSL customer in your dorm, but you don't know any I assume?

You can get "dry-loop DSL" too usually, which is cheaper since it only gives you DSL (without phone service required)

AT&T has dry loop, and I'm pretty sure verizon does also. Also ask about FiOS from verizon, its super fast but limited to a few select areas right now (2010)....

 

[InvisiBill]

As far as setting it up, it's about one step more than setting up a cable modem. For some reason, the DSL companies thought that people liked dialup and would want their broadband to act just like it, so they added PPPoE. Essentially you have to login and connect to the DSL to use it. You can configure your PC or router to do this, but a lot of DSL modems have PPPoE support builtin, so you can have the modem handle that and just spit out "plain old Ethernet internet" like a cable modem does.

I've had great luck with the $15 Siemens SpeedStream 4100 modems from eBay on AT&T DSL. My friend's Motorola 2210-02 was easy to configure as well. The 2Wire modem/router that was free after rebate with my parents' DSL has been nothing but a huge pain.

Like the others said, DSL isn't available everywhere phone service is (one of the biggest caveats with DSL), so you should probably find out if you can even get it before you worry too much about other stuff.