This document discusses various technologies used for remote connectivity over wide area networks (WANs). It describes how analog signals were originally used for long-distance telephone calls but lost quality over distance, requiring the development of digital systems. Common digital WAN technologies discussed include SONET, T1, T3, cable modems, DSL, satellite, wireless, and fiber connections. Fiber networks are presented as a technology that telephone providers are implementing to compete with cable companies in providing high-speed internet to homes and businesses.

1. Remote Connectivity
Chapter 14

2. Objectives
• Describe WAN telephony technologies,
such as SONET, T1, and T3
• Compare last-mile connections for
connecting homes and businesses to the
Internet
• Discuss and implement various remote
access connections

3. • Tier-1 ISP
– Most long-distance connections that make up
the Internet use the SONET signal type
– Originally designed for heavy-duty circuits like T1
– Most of the high-speed Internet backbone uses
old telephone technologies

4. • The Dawn of Long Distance
– Telephone operator made physical link
– Analog signals lost quality over distance
– Analog required many wires

5. • Long distance a series of trunk lines
– Operator had to connect each intersection
– Circuit switching
• a. Two phones physically on one circuit
• b. Only option for analog long distance
– From analog to digital
• a. Analog adequate through 1930s to 1950s
• b. New digital system needed for heavy load

6. • Types of wiring technologies
– Cable
• Cannot use your own equipment
– Fiber
• In big cities where metropolitan area networks of fiber
have been installed
• Fiber WAN connection easy to install
• Faster than T1

7. • Types of wiring technologies
– Satellite
• Costly solution
• Efficiency affected by weather
– DSL
• Only for Internet connections
• Really a last mile issue

8. • Cable Modems
– Added service from cable TV providers
– Cable TV industry modified infrastructure
– Cable modems now very common
– Theoretical speed: 10 to 27 Mbps

9. • Satellite
– 1. Only option for some remote locations
– 2. One-way
• Download from satellite
• Upload using a PSN connection
– 3. Two-way
• Download and upload via satellite
– 4. Slower than DSL or cable modem
– 5. Faster than PSTN
– 6. Requires satellite antenna
– 7. Connects to a satellite modem
– 8. Modem connects to PC NIC or network

10. • Wireless
– Two types of service
• Mobile data services (cellular network)
– a. GSM
– b. GRPS
– c. EDGE
– d. HSPDA
• 802.11
– a. Wireless LAN standard
– b. Not really a WAN solution

11. • Fiber
– Telephone providers lost share to cable
companies
– Fiber-to-the-home/fiber-to-the-premises
• Telco competition to cable
• U.S. providers
– AT&T (U-verse)
– Verizon (FiOS)
– Speeds will increase to over 100 Mbps