Understanding Flash Memory Cards

Removable Flash Memory Cards

There are a few reasons to use flash memory instead of a hard disk:

• It has no moving parts, so it's noiseless.
• It allows faster access.
• It's smaller in size and lighter.

So why don't we just use flash memory for everything? Because the cost per megabyte for a hard disk is drastically cheaper, and the capacity is substantially more.

The solid-state floppy-disk card (SSFDC), better known as SmartMedia, was originally developed by Toshiba. SmartMedia cards are available in capacities ranging from 2 MB to 128 MB. The card itself is quite small, approximately 45 mm long, 37 mm wide and less than 1 mm thick.

As shown below, SmartMedia cards are extremely simple. A plane electrode is connected to the flash-memory chip by bonding wires. The flash-memory chip, plane electrode and bonding wires are embedded in a resin using a technique called over-molded thin package (OMTP). This allows everything to be integrated into a single package without the need for soldering.

The OMTP module is glued to a base card to create the actual card. Power and data is carried by the electrode to the Flash-memory chip when the card is inserted into a device. A notched corner indicates the power requirements of the SmartMedia card. Looking at the card with the electrode facing up, if the notch is on the left side, the card needs 5 volts. If the notch is on the right side, it requires 3.3 volts.

SmartMedia cards erase, write and read memory in small blocks (256- or 512-byte increments). This approach means that they are capable of fast, reliable performance while allowing you to specify which data you wish to keep.They are less rugged than other forms of removable solid-state storage, so you should be very careful when handling and storing them. Because of newer, smaller cards with bigger storage capacities, such as xD-Picture Cards and Secure Digital cards, Toshiba has essentially discontinued the production of SmartMedia cards, so they're now difficult to find.

CompactFlash cards were developed by Sandisk in 1994, and they're different from SmartMedia cards in two important ways:

• They're thicker.
• They utilize a controller chip.

CompactFlash consists of a small circuit board with flash-memory chips and a dedicated controller chip, all encased in a rugged shell that is thicker than a SmartMedia card. CompactFlash cards are 43 mm wide and 36 mm long, and come in two thicknesses: Type I cards are 3.3 mm thick, and Type II cards are 5.5 mm thick.

CompactFlash cards support dual voltage and will operate at either 3.3 volts or 5 volts.

The increased thickness of the card allows for greater storage capacity than SmartMedia cards. CompactFlash sizes range from 8 MB to as much as 100GB. The onboard controller can increase performance, particularly in devices that have slow processors. The case and controller chip add size, weight and complexity to the CompactFlash card when compared to the SmartMedia card.

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Connectify Hotspot Pro + Dispatch 4.3.3.26694 Full With Serial

Connectify Dispatch is groundbreaking PC software that lets you connect to all available Internet connections simultaneously, for their combined speed, and increased reliability.

Experience the Internet, Faster

You already pay for high-speed Internet at home, data access on your smart phone, and mobile broadband on-the-go. Now, with Connectify Dispatch, you can combine those expensive connections to get the fastest Internet experience possible.

Connectify Dispatch gives you all of the bandwidth bonding capabilities of a hardware load balancing router at a fraction of the cost. No need to waste time and money configuring and carrying around another hardware device. Dispatch is a software Internet load balancer that offers premium features like 3G and 4G link bonding, at-a-glance Internet speed testing (via the Dispatch Analytics Dashboard), and much more. With Connectify Dispatch, you get all of these great features for thousands of dollars less than expensive hardware routers.

We all need faster Internet — to get our work done quicker, our game on sooner, and to download or share important documents as soon as possible. Get Connectify Dispatch today and get the Internet, faster.

Connectify Hotspot: Turn your PC into a real Wi-Fi Hotspot

Connectify Hotspot is easy-to-use Internet connection sharing software for your PC. With Connectify Hotspot, you can wirelessly share any Internet connection: a cable modem, a cellular card, or even another Wi-Fi network. Other Wi-Fi-enabled devices can see and join your hotspot just like any other Wi-Fi access point and are kept safe and secure by password-protected WPA2 Encryption. Use Connectify Hotspot on the road for 3G or 4G Internet connection sharing, or as a repeater to boost Wi-Fi at home. The possibilities are endless.

Connectify Dispatch is easy-to-use Windows software that lets you combine multiple Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G, and Ethernet connections into one super-fast connection. Try Dispatch along with our software router, Connectify Hotspot PRO, absolutely risk-free!

Multiple Connections, Maximum Speed

For the first time, you can connect to the coffee shop Wi-Fi and your 4G mobile device simultaneously, using both Internet connections for their combined speed, and increased reliability.

With Connectify Dispatch, you can even use two different Wi-Fi networks at the same time. Just connect a secondary USB Wi-Fi card (in addition to your laptopΓÇÖs on-board Wi-Fi card) and Dispatch does the rest. At the click-of-a-button, youΓÇÖll be cruising the web at warp speed, using the combined throughput of both wireless networks. Even if you lose connectivity on one of those networks, Dispatch keeps you online, moving all of your traffic onto the working connection until both networks become available again.

But thats only one scenario, with Dispatch you can connect to as many Internet connections as you have adapters for. Tethered smart phones, ethernet and wired connections, 3G and 4G mobile broadband adapters, Wi-Fi and MiFi - you name it, Dispatch can use it. The more connections you have, the faster you'll go!

Automatic Failover

Using multiple connections, Connectify Dispatch always gives you the most reliable Internet access possible. Furthermore, Dispatch allows you to select priority levels for your available Internet connections.

By setting a connection to "Backup" Dispatch will only access it in the event that you lose connectivity on all of your "Primary" Internet connections. This way, you can easily designate a metered 3G or 4G modem, tethered device, or other expensive mobile broadband connection to be used only when absolutely necessary or in case of emergency.

Accelerate Large BitTorrent Downloads

BitTorrent makes use of many network sockets by design, so it is a perfect application for Connectify Dispatch. With each Internet connection you add, Dispatch can increase the speed of your torrent downloads significantly.

Share your Super-Fast Dispatch Connection with Connectify Hotspot
Connectify Dispatch is even more powerful when you use it alongside our flagship software router, Connectify Hotspot PRO. Just start a Connectify Hotspot while aggregating Internet connections with Dispatch, and in an instant you'll be sharing your Dispatch super connection over Wi-Fi with all of your friends, co-workers, and other devices.
Supported Operating Systems : Windows XP/Vista/7/8
Language : English

Install Notes:

1] Install The App
2] Block The App in Fire-Wall
3] Enter Email and Serial
4] Register Yourself & Enjoy!!

Download Connectify Hotspot Pro + Dispatch 4.3.3.26694 Here:
Connectify Hotspot Pro + Dispatch 4.3.3.26694 Setup : Link
Connectify Hotspot Pro + Dispatch 4.3.3.26694 Serial : Link

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How-To Bond 2 or more NICs together on MS Windows

Teaming or Link Aggregation is likewise the term used for Bonding 2 or more network interface controller (NIC) card on Microsoft Windows such as XP, Server 2003, Vista and 7 that creates a new "virtual" interface which has the total speed of both cards together. Take note the Bonding should not be confused with interface "bridging".

The actual speed gain depends and is apparent when copying files to more than 1 client at the same time. In any case, if your network infrastructure supports it, it is always a good practice.

In order to achieve this you will need two (2) things:

1. A computer with 2 or more interfaces of the same manufacturer with drivers supporting teaming (most manufacturers do)
2. A switch that supports Link Aggregation (e.g. CISCO SRW series)

First install the latest NIC drivers (also download advanced & utility drivers if availiable)

• Intel - Download Drivers that include Intel® PROSet utility for Teaming & Vlan HERE
• Realtek - Download latest drivers HERE
• Marvell Yukon - Download Drivers & Network Control Utility HERE

Open the switch's Web interface or Configuration utility and navigate to teaming options. Option may vary depending on the manufacturer, so consult the user manual and search for teaming, bonding and link aggregation

Create a new Team and assign 2 or more switch ports to the Team, depending on your network interface controller (NIC) card, also enable LACP.

Next, go to control panel >network connections and right click >properties on one of the network adapters.

Create a new Team and select "IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation" as Teaming Protocol. Add the rest of the NIC to the team. A new Network card should appear in network connections. Any IPs should now be assigned to this interface.

Connect the NICs to the appropriate Ethernet ports.

You should now have a working NIC Team!

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Connectify Dispatch Bonded Your Available Internet Connections into One Fat, Super-Fast Pipe

Windows: Most people only have one internet connection at home, but what if you could merge your connection with the free Wi-Fi from the coffee shop down the street with your phone's 4G connection to create a super-pipe with tons of additional bandwidth? That's what Connectify Dispatch does, perfectly.

Connectify Dispatch came out a few months ago in beta, and so far testers have been getting some impressive results. The app essentially bonds multiple available internet connections around your computer into a single pipe, and manages the traffic among them for you. You can connect multiple Wi-Fi networks and adapters, a wired ethernet connection, even a tethered 3G/4G smartphone, and the service uses the combined throughput of all of those networks together. The service even promises to accelerate your BitTorrent downloads.

Dispatch also provides automatic failover among those networks, so if one of them goes down or is unavailable, your traffic is automatically shunted to another one—this is especially useful if you have an open Wi-Fi network near you and your cable goes out. You won't even notice the drop. The Connectify app also allows you to prioritize the available networks, so you can rank your personal connection at the top, and others in order of speed or reliability. If any of them are unavailable, Dispatch will switch to the next highest one available.

Connectify Dispatch comes with Connectify Hotspot Pro, which allows you to share the bonded internet connection that Dispatch creates with other devices in your home. The service isn't cheap: Dispatch and 1 year of Hotspot Pro will set you back $50, while Dispatch and a lifetime subscription to Pro will cost you $70. Dispatch isn't available on its own, unfortunately.

The folks at Connectify sent us a license so we could test, and it works as advertised—you just need to have multiple networks open and available to you for the app to really work. In my case, all I had was my cable connection, a coffee shop that's about a block away (and too weak to really contribute), and my 4G smartphone. Even so, with two networks combined I managed to see throughput averaging 40-50Mbps down/15Mbps up, where my cable connection alone was around 30Mbps down/5-10Mbps up. Downloading a test torrent was definitely faster with Dispatch enabled. If I moved somewhere with more open networks, I could probably do much better—good enough to even log into a VPN and encrypt my traffic without latency.

Hotspot also worked well, and sharing the connection from the Windows laptop with my Macbook Pro was easy. That said, Dispatch is the real star here: if you live in a place with multiple connections and hotspots available to you (that you can use—all warnings about hijacking random networks to use with this app apply), bonding them this way can get you some serious added bandwidth for downloads, gaming, or streaming video or music. To learn more, hit the link below, check out their FAQ, or visit their technology overview for a deeper dive.

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TM FTTH Immaturity: GPON vs GEPON

Implementing FTTH at this time doesn't guarantee that it's future proof yet. So to say that FTTH is the future is not true. The technology has not been finalized yet.

There're still 2 competing PON technology branches which have not been finalized yet - GPON and GEPON. TM would have to spend for another round of upgrades when they move on to newer PON technologies in future when 2nd generation 10gbps PON technologies are commercialized.

On the other hand, VDSL2 allows faster deployment and paves the way for future FTTH when need arises. You already have boxes which are placed less than 300m to homes fed with fiber. Further extension of fiber to homes is not a problem.

One (1) year ago I might tell you that GPON is winning the Passive Optical Network(PON) competition but it seems GEPON has started to gain back momentum.

Japan, Taiwan, China, Indonesia are all adopters GEPON and the next upgrade to 10GEPON shows good advantages over GPON. GPON on the other hand has started to see its decline with Verizon now slowing down their deployments.

What advantages do 10GEPON(IEEE standard) have over 10GPON(ITU-T)?

• GEPON is purely ethernet based and it was designed to accommodate full IP based services such as VoIP and IPTV - less complications.
• GEPON requires less trasmit power compared to GPON.
• GEPON will beat GPON in the next generation 10gbps based upgrades. Think 10GEPON (IEEE802.3av)
• GEPON equipments are cheaper.
• GEPON supports the defined standard for RF overlay called DePON whereas GPON RF solutions are proprietary depending on manufacturers.
• GEPON is more matured and had a better start than GPON.

Among the top companies supplying GEPON equipments are UTStarcom, Fujitsu, Sumitomo, NEC, Hitachi, FiberHome, Zyxel, ZTE, Arris, Huawei, Enablence, Corecess, Mitsubishi & Teknovus

http://gpon.blogspot.com/2010/12/gpon-vs-gepon.html

I believe TM went for the wrong technology again by supporting GPON.

Anyway can you tell me how much distance difference of fiber you have between VDSL2 and FTTH once again? Is it enough to justify the extra fiber length?

We don't need FTTH yet and the technology is still not matured yet. In fact it has been proven that even HFC cables for cable TV using DOCSIS3+ technology could achieve 1.5Gbps speeds.
Source: http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/C...-15-Gbps-113239

BT Next Generation broadband(NGN) is VDSL2 based.

Telenor Norway is implementing VDSL2 for its next generation broadband projects.

AT&T UVerse & Bell Canada also uses a mixed VDSL & VDSL2 technologies.

Taiwan's 光世代 Fiber Internet pare serviced by VDSL2.

1/2 of Japan's fiber internet is also served using VDSL2 especially in multi tenant buildings.

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ftth

Fiber is often said to be 'future proof' because the speed of the broadband connection is usually limited by the terminal equipment rather than the fiber itself, permitting at least some speed improvements by equipment upgrades before the fiber itself must be upgraded. Still, the type and length of employed fibers chosen, e.g. multimode vs single mode, are critical for applicability for future high gigabit connections.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber-optic_communication

In certain situations fiber may be used even for short distance or low bandwidth applications, due to other important features:

• Immunity to electromagnetic interference, including nuclear electromagnetic pulses (although fiber can be damaged by alpha and beta radiation).
• High electrical resistance, making it safe to use near high-voltage equipment or between areas with different earth potentials.
• Lighter weight—important, for example, in aircraft.
• No sparks—important in flammable or explosive gas environments.
• Not electromagnetically radiating, and difficult to tap without disrupting the signal—important in high-security environments.
• Much smaller cable size—important where pathway is limited, such as networking an existing building, where smaller channels can be drilled and space can be saved in existing cable ducts and trays.

I have to agree that eventhough VDSL2 is more value for money, but for the sake of future improvements, fiber is the way to go..

ADVANTAGES OF GEPON:

There are many advantages of the GEPON. They are listed and discussed here.

1. Service flexibility: The GEPON does lots of services and it is of very flexible type.
2. Easy, modular planning and rollout: The GEPON is the easiest mechanism and there is modular planning and roll out that is attached with the GEPON which adds lots of benefits to the GEPON differentiating from the GPON.
3. Highest density and availability.
4. Price. GEPON solutions at the time of writing are more cost effective
5. Much more easy configuration - easier to use, almost plug and play technology.

That's where GPON's advantage stops.

As I said, 1 year ago I recommended GPON due to its higher bandwidth but when it comes to future options, GPON is less attractive as a long term investment.

Why?

For the next update, 10GEPON's (future extention of GEPON) advantages clearly overshadows's GPON's 10GPON(XG-PON). You have the advantages of lower transmit power, better error correction features, more flexible bandwidth management - allows asymetrical/symmetrical speeds such as 10G/10G, 10G/1G, superior backward compatibility with older GEPON and simple Ethernet structure.

All these translates to cheaper cost.

GEPON is now proven to be matured having seen its success particularly in Japan, China, South Korea & Taiwan.

Top 10 FTTx operators around the world since the end of 2009 (in number of subscribers)

Rank # Operator / Main technology & architecture = FTTx Subscribers
1 # NTT (Japan) / FTTH/B GEPON = 12 779 000
2 # China Telecom(1) / FTTH - FTTx+LAN EPON LAN/DSL = 11 160 000
3 # China Netcom(2) / FTTH - FTTx+LAN EPON LAN/DSL = 5 590 000
4 # KT (South Korea) / FTTB EPON/GEPON = 4 630 000
5 # Verizon (USA) / FTTH BPON/GPON = 3 430 000
6 # SK Broadband (South Korea) / FTTB/LAN GEPON = 3 032 099
7 # ER Telecom (Russia) / FTTB = 2 140 000
8 # AT&T (USA) / FTTN VDSL2 = 2 100 000
9 # Chunghwa Telecom (Taiwan) / FTTB GEPON = 1 639 824
10# LG Powercom (South Korea) / FTTH/B EPON/GEPON = 1 566 206

Source: IDATE

Unfortunately, TMnut went ahead blindly with GPON and now they're STUCKED! Worst yet, this wouldn't happen if VDSL2 was deployed first, waited for the FTTH PON standard to finalized then only you extend fibers into homes.

The 3 largest FTTH markets in the world today are still China (largest FTTH market), South Korea and Japan.They all chose GEPON as their preferred standard.

No other continents have beaten them in subscriber numbers.

The only major countries which threw in the support for GPON were USA, Australia, Singapore and the Middle East. Even that said, Verizon FiOS which deploys GPON in the States are now facing difficulties expanding due to the high cost of GPON today. They seem to be halting their expansion plans as the economic crisis looms.

Most countries in Europe prefers P2P Active Fiber or ETTH at apartments. This includes HK where HKBN higher tiered 1Gbps package subscribers have dedicated 1Gbps ports at the switch located in the MDF room using AON.

In Malaysia:

TM Unifi: GPON
Jaring Flite FTTH: GEPON
OMNI: Active P2P Ethernet

Frankly, AON is the best future-proof technology.

Traditional dedicated copper pair->Hybrid fiber/ dedicated copper(ADSL2+, VDSL2, VDSL2 bonding)->P2P AON Fiber.

Taiwan CHT HiNet recently launched its 100M/10M FTTB via VDSL2 for approx RM140 per month. Other lower tiered packages include:

50M/5M for approx RM99 per month
20M/4M for approx RM94 per month
12M/3M for approx RM89 per month
4M/786k for approx RM80 per month

Among the 5 packages, they are promoting 50M as the mainstream package.

Most cases if you're subscribing to a package above 100M, it's safer to take the AON/ETTH route where you have dedicated lines. Passive optical networks such as GPON/GEPON will less likely give you the extra speed unless you're the ONLY few sharing the same line.

Maybe if there's less than 5 people sharing the same line in the apartment but very unlikely because those who subscribe to such high speed packages are normally heavy downloaders who are keeping their lines busy almost every minute in the day.

Thats exactly why I wonder. 20mbps seems to be enough for now. Blu-ray 3D streaming rate is about this area too. I cant brain why would any regular user currently need >20mbps other than transferring large quantity of media files to a friend on the otherside of the world.

Until then the media industry need to move up from 1080p again b4 the bandwidth require kicks up again. lets dont talk 3D 1080p yet. We dont even have a wide scale of normal 1080p IPTV implement yet. ( for ex. broadcasting international HD channels for International user not just Unifi IPTV) Need HULU for Malaysia biggrin.gif

even now using a VIP5 Unifi, I hardly able to use up >200GB per month, thats 1/5 of what a VIP5 can do for 1 month = 1TB. I would be more than happy to enjoy the fiber line ping time than the bandwidth they offer. I just wish TM have a smaller bandwidth package for a cheaper price.

China is GPON?

Interview with Dr Shen, Director of Broadband Division, China Telecom

Standard China Telecom Home Setup in Shanghai

Fiber port labelled EPON

You can buy one of this unregistered stray units from Taobao Auction Site China for spare:

FTTH plans in China are now going from minimum 10mbps to maximum 30mbps. Towards end of this year expect a new 100mbps package to be launched. China Telecom have already made official announcements for it.

Economics is about saving and putting resources to optimum use.

NTT Japan and China has no interest in using GPON because they are building an entirely new fiber optic network which is purely IP based. Unless you plan to shift any old telephony services or cable tv over to the new network, there is NO need for GPON's unless you need multi protocol standards such as ethernet, ATM and TDMA to run simultaneously over it.

EPON/GEPON (ethernet PON) keeps operation simple because the ONLY protocol they need to handle is Ethernet transport since everything is IP-based. Internet data, IPTV and VoIP.

Less headaches and no need for complex management of operations.

China is the largest FTTH market today. NTT Japan has the highest EPON FTTH subscribers followed by South Korea. Taiwan will be following them soon but they rather prefer FTTB with VDSL2.

Only adopters of GPON is Asia?
Etisalat and STC of Saudi Arabia

GPON FTTH installer staffs in UAE:

Three (3) methods which we'll see them take place starting in early 2012..

Pair bonding, Vectoring & Phantom Pairing

Previously those who live around 0.5-1km range from the fiber cabinets such as in UK, they were only getting 40mbps MAX.

Just last month, AlcaLu released a new technology called vectoring which effectively doubles that easily boosting speeds of 100% for the same distance ranges at 80mbps average. It's a breakthrough in DSL technology because vectoring could simulate ANTI noise waves to cancel out noises in your copper wire.

BT OpenReach as well as many European operators will implement this technology starting next year. ZTE is expected to follow.

Think of it, 80mbps DEDICATED bandwidth per user port.

If you combine more pairs by bonding, you can get 300mbps+ without spending a bomb on pulling fiber into your homes.

AlcaLu Presentation On VDSL2 Vectoring - 5mins video

You are right that high rise apartment uses VDSL2 but it's connected to Fiber from the exchange box in the apartment onwards for HSBB. Anyhow, your latency is bottleneck by the VDSL2 in the apartment which is under the management of the apartment not TM.

I understand that condo in Korea is mandatory to have fiber connection by default by the government to every single units.

So in Malaysia, in the future our maximum throughput offered for condo will be lower than landed property because VDSL2 max at 250Mbps meanwhile fiber at 2.5Gbps.

I remember TM did a trial on EPON at the same time they starting the GPON roll out ... maybe the trial didn't went well so they proceed with GPON ...

found this from google http://www.tmrnd.com.my/PR%20FTTH%20Showcase%2017July07%20ver4_12July07.pdf

The only reason for direct fiber cabling is when they need to go beyond 1gbps in the near future but the FTTH technology which Korea is trialling is different from what TM is using.

Korean broadband has limitations in some way that its international connections can be crappy. Given a country that has a population size of double Malaysia and such high broadband subscriptions, they have lower capacity links to the US compared to a small island such as Singapore. Korea is shadowed by neighbouring countries such as Japan, Taiwan and HK which directly faces USA across the Pacific.

Their local server connections is only as good as it gets. Malaysia should never use them as a good role model for internet infrastructure.

If you take notice, all the speedtests which they always show to public are usually local based servers? It's more like a local intranet to them without the great firewall that China puts in place. -LowYat

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ADSL Line Bonding - Bonded Broadband

Bonded ADSL is where multiple broadband lines are joined together to form a single larger pipe.

Bonding is not the same as load balancing, which would require a complicated algorithm to keep the lines in balance. A bonded connection operates as one pipe and the data going down that pipe is automatically shared proportionately over the individual ADSL lines.

Mature technology

The industry standard way of achieving this is through the use of MultiLink PPP (ML-PPP). This is a tried and tested technology and has been used by Internet Service Providers for many years. It is the very same technology used to provide ISDN internet connections larger than 64k.

Whereas with ISDN multiple 64k channels could be combined to make a larger (128k or 256k) connection, with DSL we are combining multiple high-speed ADSL or SDSL lines.

Special requirements for bonding ADSL lines

ADSL lines have certain properties that pose particular challenges to when it comes to bonding. Unlike ISDN lines, ADSL lines do not have guaranteed or even predictable levels of bandwidth. Different ADSL lines at the same site can also have varying latency. Naive bonding implementation that do not take account of these factors will be problematic and will provide a poor quality bonded connection. At Netservers we use an enhanced form of MultiLink PPP called "Quantum Bonding". This technology is been created specifically to address the unique challenges of DSL line bonding and is the foundation of our ADSL bonding service.

Required Equipment

Ordinary consumer ADSL routers are not capable of bonding ADSL lines. A more sophisticated router such as Cisco or FireRack is required to perform line bonding.

The FireRack equipment supplied by Netservers is available with 2, 4, 6 and 8 ADSL 2+ interfaces. Cisco routers that take WIC modules can be similarly configured by adding the appropriate number of ADSL2+ WIC cards.

The technique used by Netservers is true bonding of PPPoE or PPPoA DSL connections. Some Virtual Internet Service Providers (VISPs) claim to provide a bonded ADSL service without utilising ML-PPP. Typically the technique that they use is to bond multiple VPN connections together, rather than bonding multiple DSL lines. This is not true line bonding and is a technically inferior solution with a number of disadvantages.

Increased resilience through ADSL bonding

The most obvious benefit of ADSL line bonding is the increase in download and upload bandwidth. Less obvious is increased fault-tolerance and resilience that that bonding provides. The bonding service provided by Netservers will utilise however many lines are available at a given time. If for instance you have a four-line bonded service, and one of those lines fails, your service will continue to operate over the three remaining lines. Naturally you will see a reduction in available bandwidth, but the service as a whole will continue to operate.

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FireRack Dual-Mini - ADSL2+ Router / Firewall

The FireRack Dual-Mini is a firewall/router designed for bonding two ADSL/ADSL2+ lines.

Hardware Specification

• AMD Geode LX800 500MHz processor
• 512MB DDR400 RAM
• 2 x ADSL2+ Ports
• 2 x 10/100 Ethernet Ports
• 2 x USB ports (one external)
• Mini PCI socket
• Compact Flash socket
• RS-232 Serial

Industry standard line bonding

Although most of our customers use the FireRack Dual-Mini on the Netservers ADSL network, the device itself is compatible with any ADSL service that supports the industry standard Multilink-PPP protocol (MLPPP). This is the very same protocol used by Cisco and other standards compliant routers.

Annex-A and Annex-M support

Up until relatively recently, all ADSL in the UK was "Annex-A". This provides up to 24Mbps download and up to 1.3Mbps upload rates. The difference with Annex-M is that the upload rates can go as high as 2.5Mbps. This is done by trading some of your download bandwidth for additional upload bandwidth.

Comparing Annex-A to Annex-M

	Max. Download Rate (per line)	Max. Upload Rate (per line)
Annex-A	24Mbps	1.3Mbps
Annex-M	16Mbps	2.5Mbps

The FireRack Dual-Mini fully supports both Annex-A and Annex-M standards.

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Jazztel Bonding the new alternative to VDSL

Since the launch by Jazztel of 30/1.5 (now 3) over VDSL, users are away from their central longed for access to this service in order to obtain maximum performance in their lines.

But the strict conditions of employment for VDSL so far have not allowed that dream can become a reality. The only hope for these users on copper pair, almost the majority, and not eligible modalities Cable / FTTH, is that ADSL operators implemented the ADSL bonding as an alternative.

At this point, all plants covered Jazztel VDSL are prepared and ready to start offering turn bonding. As confirmed by the Director of the Division of Residential and CMO Jazztel, Luis del Pozo, in an exclusive interview to bandaancha.eu (and soon to be available on the cover of this page) from the first half of the next 2011, Jazztel plans to launch its marketing Bonding + service, which will offer its existing users synchronization values ​​similar to those enjoyed by lucky customers with coverage for VDSL2.

Bonding +, the alternative to VDSL Jazztel

According to the Well, Jazztel "always attentive to the suggestions of its customers, has decided to launch this new modality, to bring those most affected by the distance factor solution both an economic and high quality. Currently our team technical closely with Huawei technicians, working around the clock for final tuning of Jazztel DSLAM and interesting alternative to offer this in the first third of 2011 "

Recall that the ADSL bonding involves using two lines on copper loop, doubling the theoretical maximum speed of ADSL2 +. This, in addition to the core, and require two physical copper pairs connected to two DSLAM ports, the subscriber must have a router compatible with this standard, from which hang two microfilters, one per line.

Net equipment: Comtrend NexusLink 5631Hg

The company chosen to provide new equipment for customers who sign this new option has been, as it was almost predictable, Comtrend which in turn is working hard to adapt their new NexusLink 5631Hg to the requirements of the operator and the deadlines set by this.

Thus, the new router must support IPv6, be compatible with the standard N and take at least one Gigabit Ethernet port, which lacks elements Based Comtrend model, which itself has two USB port ready to connect external storage devices or usb printer.

Until then, the limited beta tester of this new modality being used to test the latest tuning its predecessor, the NexusLink 5631 , the same team that the British operator BE is provided its users with bonding.

Source photo beusergroup.co.uk / technotes / index.php? xusLink_5631 you ...

Note that although the new method is not intended Bonding + exceed benefits Premium VDSL2 mode, in some lines in tests has achieved up to 40 Mbps in the downstream channel, as we can see here

The price

The trading prices of Jazztel Bonding + are defined yet, but according to the Well, should not exceed the service VDSL, although the cost of keeping the two lines and the launch of the service in the customer's home could reach somewhat expensive product, but, in his own words "along with the usual policy of Jazztel try to strive, as far as possible in the least possible impact these costs to the end user"

Recall that the cost of Jazztel VDSL, right now (final price and without promotions) only exceeds in just 2 € to 20 Mbps service to the operator's intention would then be to not beat this price for users Bonding + hire.

In the coming days we will have more details and information on this interesting scoop that we advance here more summary, on the cover of bandaancha.eu

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How-To Bonding Tomato/MLPPP Router

Tomato/MLPPP is a fork of the popular Tomato firmware (http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato) for consumer broadband routers. The primary goal is to enable users to bond multiple DSL connections using MultiLink PPP (MLPPP), and/or to circumvent Bell Canada's DPI-based throttling by using MLPPP on a single DSL line.

This documentation will only cover differences between this fork and the original Tomato firmware. For information on things not covered here, please consult the Tomato website (linked above).

Obviously, your ISP must support MLPPP in order for this firmware to be of any use. Currently, TekSavvy (http://teksavvy.com), Velcom (http://www.velcom.ca), Acanac (http://www.acanac.ca), Caneris (http://www.caneris.com), LOGIX (http://www.logix.ca), and NetFlash (http://netflash.ca) are known to support MLPPP, while Electronic Box (http://www.electronicbox.net) is currently working on enabling MLPPP support. If your ISP supports MLPPP and you can confirm that you have it working, please contact us and we'll add it to this list.

This video shows how to (real) bond two DSL lines using Tomato/MLPPP on a Linksys router. Your ISP must support MLPPP (few do).

Attached to this post, you will find v1.19-mp1 of the firmware, as well as the source.

This firmware has only been tested on the WRT54GL v1.1, but should run on the following routers:

- Linksys WRT54G v1-v4, WRT54GS v1-v4, WRT54GL v1.x, WRTSL54GS (no USB support)
- Buffalo WHR-G54S, WHR-HP-G54, WZR-G54, WBR2-G54
- Asus WL500G Premium (no USB support)

Download Tomato/MLPP firmware tomato-mlppp-1.19-mp1.rar

Download Zeroshell/MLPP firmware zeroshell-mlppp-mz1alpha1.tar.bz2

Attached to this post you will find the first release of Tomato/MLPPP, a fork of the popular Tomato firmware for various consumer broadband routers. It allows you to bond two or more DSL lines to multiply your speed, and also circumvents Bell's throttling even if you only have one DSL line.

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Motorola SURFboard SB6121 Cable Modem

A new and improved version of the world's most widely deployed DOCSIS cable modems. For the residential cable subscriber who wants a powerful modem capable of delivering a high-speed data service at blazing fast speeds.

Specifications Motorola SB6121 SURFboard DOCSIS 3.0

• Brand Name: Motorola
• Model: SB6121
• Hardware Platform: PC
• Width: 6.40 inches
• Weight: 0.00 pounds
• Product Dimensions: 2 x 6.4 x 8.7 inches ; 1.4 pounds
• DOCSIS 3.0-certified (EuroDOCSIS 3.0-based)
• Channel bonding of up to 4 downstream and 4 upstream channels
• 1 GHz capable tuners
• Supports IPv4 and IPv6 to expand network addressing capabilities
• Compatible with Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX computers.
• Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45) data port enable flexible, high-speed connectivity with Auto Negotiate and Auto MDIX
• Enhanced security: supports Advanced Encryption Services (AES) traffic encryption
• Remotely configurable and monitorable using SNMP and TFTP

System Requirements The SB6121 is compatible with the following operating systems:

• Windows 7
• Windows Vista, Service Pack 1 or later
• Windows XP, Service Pack 2 or later
• Mac 10.4 or later (Ethernet connection only)
• UNIX (Ethernet connection only)
• Linux (Ethernet connection only)

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Ericsson tests 500-Mbps VDSL2 technology

Line bonding, noise cancellation solutions could enable high-speed broadband access, mobile backhaul over copper lines.

Ericsson on Monday announced it has successfully tested high-speed VDSL2 technology at speeds of over 500 megabits per second.

The Swedish equipment vendor achieved the high data transfer rates over twisted copper pairs using new line bonding and crosstalk cancellation technology, which it calls 'vectorised' VDSL2.

Six lines were bonded in order to reach speeds above 500 Mbps at 500 metres. Crosstalk cancellation technology reduces the effects of noise from other copper pairs in the same cable bundle, enabling Ericsson to extend the capacity and reach of the signal to more people.

The company said standards for VDSL2 line bonding are already available, while standardisation of vectoring is expected by the end of 2009.

VDSL2 enables operators to offer access to the latest high-speed broadband services using their existing copper lines.

"With this technology, operators can enhance fibre access deployments with copper access in the last mile and thereby maximise the reuse of existing infrastructure," the vendor said in a statement.

"It also proves Ericsson's abilities to provide future mobile backhauling, which will enable quick and cost-effective introduction of Long Term Evolution (LTE) solutions," said Hakan Eriksson, CTO of Ericsson.

Ericsson said VDSL2 will allow a larger number of consumers to access demanding services including HDTV and video-on-demand (VoD) via their broadband connection.

Eriksson said the demonstration confirms Ericsson's "commitment to the continued research and development of DSL technology to improve operators' business with new access solutions." - source

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Opening the Door to In-Building Copper Network Upgrades

Many communication services providers have made the decision to deploy fiber-to-the-building (FTTB) networks to multi-dwelling-units (MDUs). This hybrid approach, in which the existing in-building copper network remains active, can be a cost-effective and viable approach for delivering the high-speed services subscribers demand while keeping costs in check.

Yet, providers must ask themselves: Will this strategy work 5 years from now? What about 10 or 20 years down the road?

Enhanced services are in their infancy in terms of adoption and development. Social networking, cloud computing, high-speed file transfers, and streaming audio and video will continue to change the way bandwidth is used.

Copper has so far proven its ability to support high-speed services. Many providers, both large and small, have successfully deployed broadband over Last Mile copper networks. However, providers must prepare those networks for the future.

Below are 6 steps to upgrade your in-building copper networks to meet the ever-increasing demand for enhanced services.

Step 1. Improve performance and density of in-building entrance terminals (IBETs).

Network reliability is more important than ever because degradation of the network is more noticeable than ever. Higher bandwidth services operate at higher frequency electrical signals in the copper network. These higher frequency signals are more prone to imperfections in the legacy network, which can manifest in higher crosstalk, higher signal loss, and unbalance. Today, with multiple channels of HD video and high-speed Internet, and higher subscriber expectations, those imperfections are unacceptable. Pixelation or delays during a favorite TV show leads to angry customers.

The connectivity or cross-connect solution chosen for the in-building entrance terminal (IBET) directly affects the quality of service to subscribers. Contact integrity provided by the connector is critical to ensure reliable service, not only at the time of installation, but over the life of the connector.

Replacing a building’s aging 66 blocks with VDSL-compatible and Category 5 (CAT5)-compliant blocks can help achieve network reliability. Choosing a gel-filled, easy-to-install, insulation displacement contact (IDC) block, goes even further to protect reliability. Gel encapsulation helps protect the connection against moisture and corrosion, preserving a high-integrity, reliable connection for long-term broadband performance. The ideal IDC block could be installed without stripping wires or using tools, helping reduce the risk of it being installed incorrectly. It would also be able to be re-opened for visual validation of the IDC connection.

Where space is a concern, consider equipment that will increase density in the IBET. A typical indoor building entrance terminal today is configured with the terminal blocks installed along with separate 5-pin protective devices that shield equipment from transient voltage and current surges. Copper cables connect the individual subscriber blocks with the protection devices.

Recently, 3M introduced an innovative terminal block design (3M™ Quick Connect System 2814) that integrates the protection into the block. (It is currently deployed in other regions of the world and is anticipated to be release in the U.S. later this year.) (See Figure 1.) With the block, the entrance terminal holds just 1 device per subscriber instead of 2, essentially doubling density. Now, a 50-pair box can hold 100 pairs, allowing for more subscribers or additional services. The dual-purpose block also supports better signal integrity by eliminating the connection point between the terminal block and the protection device, where signal can degrade, potentially interfering with service.

Step 2. Optimize POTS splitter management for better service quality and greater efficiencies.

FTTB/VDSL2 applications with a remote DSLAM at the premises commonly require the installation of 2 sets of DSL-dedicated terminal blocks and equipment cables to and from the DSLAM at the building’s main distribution frame (MDF). To provide DSL service to a customer, 2 jumpers -- POTS IN and DSL OUT -- will run between the existing MDF and the DSL terminal blocks (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. FTTB/VDSL2 applications with a remote DSLAM at the premises commonly require the installation of 2 sets of DSL-dedicated terminal blocks.

For larger, non-”pizza box” remote DSLAM applications (typically 50 or more subscribers), it is possible to achieve a higher density infrastructure with lower installation costs by using a VDSL2-ready block with integrated POTS splitters with just 1 equipment cable between the DSLAM and the MDF.

Besides creating such a high-density system, a well-designed integrated splitter block can also help deliver enhanced VDSL2 service. Individual wire guide channels can help maintain the wire pairs’ tight twist up to the base of the block’s Insulation Displacement Contacts (IDC). Sustaining the twist throughout the cable length reduces the potential for crosstalk and supports VDSL signal integrity. POTS splitters mounting on the block’s rear side will reduce the chance of accidental disconnections.

VDSL2 POTS splitters need to be fully compliant with the requirements of ANSI T1.413-1998 Issue 2 Annex E, ITU-T G.993.2 and designed to include robust ring trip protection with full compliance to the Broadband Forum TR 127 Issue 2 to support quality multimedia transmission.

Step 3. Provision a DSLAM port to every living unit.

For larger deployments where a high subscribership rate is expected, pre-deploying a DSLAM port to every living unit can reduce installation costs down the road. By using a VDSL2-ready block with integrated POTS splitters, a DSLAM port can be assigned up front to each living unit. To activate DSL, the technician skips the step of removing the POTS jumper and installing 2 new jumpers because it’s already done. The technician simply connects the already-installed jumpers to the splitter block.

Providers have shied away from taking this tact, and rightly so. Assigning each living unit with a DSLAM port requires a big initial investment in materials and labor. However, in buildings where DSL service is typically high, such as high-end apartments or college dorms, pre-deployment helps make activation easier and is cost-effective over time.

Step 4. Upgrade your copper cable to at least CAT5e.

The conduit that carries signal from the building entrance terminal to the individual subscriber is obviously an essential part of the in-building network.

Category 3 (CAT3) cable is primarily used for POTS wiring and still widely deployed today. CAT3 cable can support low-speed data applications with frequency transmissions up to 16 MHz and data transfer rates up to 10 Mbps. That simply won’t cut it for high-speed services available today and in the future. When deploying DSL, CAT3 should be replaced with a higher performing cable (i.e., CAT5 Enhanced [CAT5e] or better).

CAT5e cable is specified for transmission frequencies up to 100 MHz and can support data rates up to 1 Gbps, providing optimal performance for all data and phone systems.

CAT6 marks the next step up from CAT5e and carries a higher price tag. CAT6 cable raised the bar for operating frequencies to 250 MHz and can support data rates up to 10 Gbps.

The newest cable specification, CAT7 cable, is now also available, although it has not yet been widely adopted except for some government and manufacturing applications. It can achieve 600 MHz and 10 Gbps.

The difference is in the twist. Generally speaking, the tighter the wire pairs within the cable are twisted together, the better the signal integrity. When wires are laid side-by-side, the electromagnetic signal traveling through can jump from one wire to the other. The resulting crosstalk interferes with the signal, causing data errors, service interruptions and unhappy subscribers. At low frequencies, crosstalk usually doesn’t cause many problems. But at high frequencies, crosstalk can degrade the signal enough to interfere with service. Twisting the wires together has a canceling effect on crosstalk. The more twists per inch of wire, the better the cancellation effect.

For instance, CAT3 cable wires are twisted 3 to 4 times per foot of cable. CAT5e cable contains 3 to 4 twists per inch of cable, 12 times the twist of CAT3, leading to significantly better signal integrity (and happier subscribers).

Step 5. Train technicians to inspect for proper bonding and grounding.

As building communications closets become crowded with more and more equipment, proper bonding and grounding becomes increasingly important to ensure safety of people, property and the network. Proper bonding and grounding ensures that foreign voltage safely drains to the earth ground. Poor bonding and grounding can lead to service outages, damaged equipment, and, worst of all, the possible injury or death of a person.

Most operators have their own procedures for bonding and grounding based on industry guidelines. Still, due to lack of training and oversight, it is not uncommon to find improperly grounded telecom equipment in the field. To avoid dangerous situations, communications providers should properly train technicians on proper bonding and grounding, and continually stress its importance.

Before installing service, technicians should make sure that the building developer has provided a proper ground source. The utility/communications room should be equipped with a copper-clad, fire-rated multi-grounded neutral (MGN) conductor source that is #6 American Wire Gauge (AWG) or larger, and in good condition. The ground wire should be installed as straight as possible or make sweeping bends. (See Figure 2.) Tight bends or kinks increase the risk of foreign voltage jumping off the conductor and energizing surrounding metal. If the ground wire does not meet these minimum requirements, technicians should report the situation to their supervisor and delay installation until the grounding components are brought up to standard.

Figure 2. Ground wire should be installed as straight as possible and ensure the building developer has provided a proper ground source.

The MGN ground wire source should be connected to a bus bar. Telecom equipment on the wall is also connected to the bus bar to create a path to ground. If the bus bar is full, the technician should install an additional bar (or ask the building manager to do so) and strap the 2 bus bars together. The bonding conductor for passive equipment should be jacketed, fire-rated #6 AWG or larger. Active equipment should be bonded using, at minimum, #2 AWG tinned copper conductor. Again, bends should be sweeping and not tight or kinked.

Of note, some technicians may believe that because the building terminal cabinet contains protection coils, it is safe from foreign voltage regardless of the ground wire. However, if the building terminal is not properly bonded to ground, the metal cabinet protection may prove ineffective.

Step 6. Ensure a multiple-free network.

In-building copper networks should be multiple-free to ensure high-quality service now and in the future. That means each subscriber has a dedicated pair leading from the cross-connect cabinet to the building terminal to the living unit.

Many older networks were built in a bridge-tap configuration in which multiple living units are connected to a single pair running all the way from the cross-connect cabinet. Cable counts in multiple make it easier and less costly to add new subscribers, and it may have worked just fine for POTS; however, it doesn’t work for broadband. Each tap siphons off signal strength, leaving subscribers downstream with degraded service. Imagine a garden hose with holes punctured in it every few feet. By the time you get to the end of the hose, not much water is coming out. That’s essentially how it works with bridge tapping.

New networks should be designed multiple-free and old systems reconfigured to prevent bridge tapping. One possible way to ensure a multiple-free network is to choose a cross-connect block that does not allow bridge tapping. - source

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