Is a NID needed for DSL service?
RalphPa
Enthusiast - Level 2

I just signed up for "High Speed Internet" (aka DSL since FiOS is not yet available in Baltimore city).  I am doubtful I will get the promised speeds of Downloads up to 3 Mbps / Uploads up to 768 Kbps because the wiring is so old from the telephone pole to the house that I do not even have a Network Interface Device (NID) on the outside of the house.  I should add that I am about to install fresh wire on the inside of the house from where the phone line comes in to the point where the phone line will hook into the modem, so my inside wiring will be fine.  Do I have anything to worry about?  Will they definitely install a NID for me and redo the wiring from the poll to the house since it is 30+ years old?  I should add that I do not have home phone service and do not need it either.

I just called Verizon to try and schedule the DSL technician and the one lady told me they turn on the DSL from a central location and there is no need for the technician to even come to my house so they will not install a NID while another lady told me that the technician will come out to my house and test the signal.  I was just trying to be proactive today in calling to set up an appointment when I would actually be home since if they do install an NID they will possibly need access to the interior of my house to hook up my interior wiring to the NID.  They wouldn't even let me push back the appt to a few days past the due date and none of my questions were answered.

I have a feeling that no matter what happens, it will be a fight to get them to replace the 30+ year old wiring that comes from the poll to my house.  I am just assuming that this wiring is likely not new enough to get me the promised speeds (Downloads up to 3 Mbps / Uploads up to 768 Kbps).  Anyone have any insight or advice for me?

Message Edited by RalphPa on 08-19-2009 06:33 AM
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Re: Is a NID needed for DSL service?
jmw1950
Specialist - Level 2

No NID needed. I had DSL (moved to FiOS), and my copper pair ends with a porcelain block. My guess is the copper pair is upwards of 70 years old (the house dates from 1926).I had DSL service for about 15 months with Verizon before moving to FiOS. The service to this house long predates NID's.

 That's the good news. The bad news was that if I could hear thunder, my DSL service was down, and it also degraded substantially in bad weather. While on good days I could just about get to the 3mbps downlink, 650kbs was about the best I could ever do on the uplink. The modem reported horrendous losses (60+db) on the link, which mean fairly high transmit power on both ends which ultimately may impact modem life.

Anyway once you are installed, you can connect to the router/modem and see what the modem has been able to negotiate with the CO. It will be in the log everytime the DSL connection is initiated.

Ultimately the DSL performance depends upon how good or how bad the copper pair is between your premises and the CO. Even ancient copper can work quite well if the distances are short.

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Re: Is a NID needed for DSL service?
RalphPa
Enthusiast - Level 2
Thanks for the reply.  I guess I just have to wait for them to tell me my service is on and see what kind of speeds I get before complaining (haha).  It sounds like they won't install a NID for me then.  Your speeds sound fine to me.  That is really odd about the thunder, though, although I assume the issue was related to the rain and not just the thunder (or lightning) itself.
Message Edited by RalphPa on 08-19-2009 07:56 AM
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Re: Is a NID needed for DSL service?
jmw1950
Specialist - Level 2

 The downlink was just about on spec as long as the weather was good. The uplink never got past about 650kbs (it is supposed to be 768kb), but that was apparently all my well 'aged' copper pair could delivery.

Rain was definitely a problem, (it cost about 500kbps on the downlink), but it didn't take out the service. If you can hear thunder, lightning isn't far away, and lightning inductively couples energy to the phone lines, which disrupts the DSL signaling.

FiOS seems to be completely immune to both rain and lightning.

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