Topic: ISDN HowTo and channels and compression

[Dan Thomas]

Hello, am about to get ISDN line installed in UK.  Have read the very nicely written HowTo for passive ISDN cards.  There's one thing that I don't understand:  I assume that this sets the card to use one of the B channels only?  Is it possible/necessary to alter the script/modifications to set the card to use both B channels?  Or am I completely confused.

My other (probably annoying) question is that I've read in a book that internal ISDN TAs are recommended as they allow for data compression whereas external ones don't. Is this true?  Do internal TAs compress data when in an e-smith box or is this compression dependent on MS Windows drivers etc???

I notice now though that internal PCI ISDN cards such as the ELSA Microling are about 40 UK Pounds but external TAs such as the Dynalink TAS200E or the ELSA Microlink ISDN Internet are now only 60 pounds or so.  In that case is it worth the hassle of me buying an internal TA or would I be better off with an external one?

Would be grateful of any advice.  Thanks!

[Norrie]

Hi Dan,

Dan Thomas wrote:
>
> Hello, am about to get ISDN line installed in UK.  Have read
> the very nicely written HowTo for passive ISDN cards.
> There's one thing that I don't understand:  I assume that
> this sets the card to use one of the B channels only?  Is it
> possible/necessary to alter the script/modifications to set
> the card to use both B channels?  Or am I completely confused.

Do you mean using 2 channels to get 128kb/s ?  Most ISPs I've seen don't support this "channel bundling"

>
> My other (probably annoying) question is that I've read in a
> book that internal ISDN TAs are recommended as they allow for
> data compression whereas external ones don't. Is this true?
> Do internal TAs compress data when in an e-smith box or is
> this compression dependent on MS Windows drivers etc???

Sorry,  don't know.

>
> I notice now though that internal PCI ISDN cards such as the
> ELSA Microling are about 40 UK Pounds but external TAs such
> as the Dynalink TAS200E or the ELSA Microlink ISDN Internet
> are now only 60 pounds or so.  In that case is it worth the
> hassle of me buying an internal TA or would I be better off
> with an external one?

I've an Asuscom PCI (hisax type 35) card which has been fine so far but it depends on what sort of hardware you want to use the card with.  If you go for an ISA card you'll have IRQ and I/O stuff to set too.

>
> Would be grateful of any advice.  Thanks!

Have you ordered ISDN yet?  I placed my order via www.solwise.co.uk who do a £40 cashback offer in conjuction with BT.  They have the above card for £25 + VAT and there's lots of ISDN info there too.  I'm in now way involved with Solwise.

I must mention that I've tried twice to set up my card under e-smith with no success despite following the howto!  I'm about to request more help so follow / contribute to the thread!

Hope this helps.

Regards...

Norrie
8o)

[Kees Blokland]

Depends what type of isdn you buy and from whom:
home highway is my choice because I get the 64k channel for internet, and the wife/kids get the other 64k channel split in 2 for 2 analog phones..
( also .. you get the 24*7 option for 15 quid, which is still not free, but at least is works)

You used to be able to use both channels bundled, but now bt monitors this and throws you off the line.

Pay lots more and you get same isdn, but 2 seperate channels  etc...
some isp's let you connect @128k

technically it's all the same isdn though..

external/internal: all ( very rough guess) the external ones are treated as modems:
internal ones can be used with an ipppd link..

Compression ? makes little or no difference for day to day surfing.
(in a different life I used internal ones on an NT server + external TA's for comparison: could see no real difference.. ( but that was not with BT or in the UK)