Compare and contrast

WAN connection types and features.

Objective 106.04 Course Weight 2%

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 Internet Service Provider (ISP)
An ISP is a company that provides access to the
Internet. Think of it as a tiered system.
Where do ISPs get their Internet access from?
Tier 1
Doesnt pay anyone for connectivity.
Very large geographical presence.
Tier 2
Pay Tier 1 ISPs for connection to networks they cannot
access.
Share connection points with other Tier 2 ISPs.
Tier 3
Bring Internet connectivity to the end user.

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 What Kind of Internet Do You Use?
If you live in a residential area it is likely that your
Internet access is provided through one of these
methods:
Cable
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
Fiber Optic

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 Cable
Gets its name from the companies who deliver the
service.
Usually brought to the home on a coaxial cable (RG-
59, RG-6).
Densely populated areas often use Fiber to the Node
(FTTN) to disperse connectivity, then run coaxial
cable to the homes.

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 Cable
Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification
(DOCSIS) 3.1 standard calls for 10Gbps/1Gbps
(down/up) data rates.
Current DOCSIS 3.0 standards have tested
throughput of ~1Gbps/~250Mbps.
Average speeds: 15/1.5Mbps
Downstream/upstream refers to the direction of the
data transmission:
Down is to the user.
Up is to the Internet.

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 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
Lots of different types.
Asymmetric, ADSL most common.
Delivered across regular telephone lines.
RJ-11 modem connectivity.
Requires the use of filters on telephone lines.
May use FTTN like cable.

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 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
New G.fast technology could provide 1Gbps/100Mbps
connectivity.
There are interference and stability concerns.
Current VDSL2 standards provide 100Mbps @ 500m
max distance.
Typical ADSL speeds: 24/3Mbps.

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 Fiber Optic
Fiber to the Premises (FTTP)
Think Google Fiber
Luckiest people on the planet
Fiber optic cable is brought into your home
delivering true gigabit Internet connectivity.
Sometimes referred to as FTTB or FTTH where
B=Building/Basement and H=Home
1Gbps/1Gbps

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 Mobile Networks: Cellular
Cellular - All tower based, Internet is
fed to towers and then dispersed.
#G represents the technology
generation.
4G standard describes
100Mbps mobile/1Gbps stationary
LTE-Advanced is similar to 4G
150Mbps stationary

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 Mobile Networks: WiMAX
WiMAX - Also tower based, Internet
fed to tower.
The first 4G, think Sprint.
6 mile max radius @ 2 and 11GHz
30 mile max radius @ 66GHz
WiMAX 3-6Mbps
WiMAX2 100Mbps mobile/1Gbps
stationary

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 Less Common ISP Options
The Internet stretches to all parts of the world.
These connections are for more remote locations or
common in other nations.
Line of sight wireless internet service
Satellite
ISDN
Dial-up

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 Line of Sight Wireless Internet Service
Like a cellular data network.
Signals jump from tower to tower until
landing at their destination.
Low latencies like other terrestrial
broadband connections.
>1Gbps data rates have been offered
for special applications.
Cable and DSL speeds are commonly
offered.

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 Satellite
Extraterrestrial Internet access.
15Mbps down/3Mbps up
Great for remote locations.
Often used by military for base camps.

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 Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
Internet access through the Public Switched
Telephone Network (PSTN).
First to provide simultaneous voice and data
transmission over the same line.
Still common in Europe and East Asia.
Slowly being phased out over the next 10 years.
Offers network connectivity on a per channel basis
@ 64kbps per channel.

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 Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
Upload and download data rates are symmetric.
3 or 4 channels can be bonded together to achieve
rates of 384 and 512kbps respectively.
Business connections can achieve speeds of
1.5Mbps.

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 Dial Up Networking (DUN)
Internet access through telephone lines.
Most affordable, slowest.
RJ-11 connectivity
V.92 transmission offers data rates of approximately
56kbps.
With compression in a best case scenario it is
possible to approach 1Mbps.

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