You can self-install DSL service with minimal skill.
Chad Baker/Photodisc/Getty Images
Self-installation of DSL may look complicated at first glance, but it is actually a simple process to complete as a DIY project. Your Internet service provider will ship you an installation kit that includes all items you will need to connect your new DSL service and to begin using it immediately. Your installation kit will also include a toll-free help desk telephone number just in case you run into any snags or you wish to verify that you are completing the process correctly.
Unpack Kit
After you order DSL service from your Internet service provider, you will receive an installation kit via mail or parcel delivery service in less than a week. When the kit arrives, open the box and inventory the contents. It is important to verify that the items in your box are the same as the ones listed on the checklist so that you can call your ISP immediately to have them replace any missing components. Kit contents vary, but at a minimum, you should have DSL line filters, an Ethernet cable, a telephone cord, a modem, a power cord and instruction booklet.
Connect Line Filters
The DSL signal feeds all phone jacks in your home and you use the line filters to prevent noise and interference on phone and fax lines. Each jack in use needs a filter. If necessary, your ISP can provide additional filters. To connect the line filter, unplug the phone cord from the jack, plug it into the telephone port on the filter, and plug the male end of the filter back into the phone jack on the wall. A port for the DSL cord runs from the filter to the modem.
Connect Modem
After the filters are in place, it is time to connect the modem to your computer. Select an area that is in close proximity to a phone jack as well as a power socket on the wall. Unroll the phone and Ethernet cords as well as the modem power cord and remove the plastic packaging from the modem. Plug one end of the phone cord into the DSL port on the line filter and the other into the DSL port on the back of the modem. Connect one end of the Ethernet cord, the one that looks like on over-sized phone line, to the Ethernet port on the back of the modem and the other end to the Ethernet port on the back of your computer. Finally, connect the power cord to the back of the modem and plug the other end into the wall socket.
Complete Service Setup
After you connect all the components, it's time to turn on your modem and computer to finish the setup. Press the power button on your computer as well as the power button on the back of the modem to turn on both devices. After your computer has booted up, wait 20 to 30 seconds for the modem to recognize the DSL signal. Open a browser window and your ISP will prompt you to follow some on-screen instructions to complete the service setup process. You will pick a user name and password as well as an email address. Your service is now ready to use.
References
Photo Credits
- Chad Baker/Photodisc/Getty Images
