DSL Line Filter – Get the Best Possible Signal

It may be painful to think about, but most of us can still remember when the only real option for logging onto the internet was dial up. The long waits to connect were followed by horrendously slow connection speeds and frequent disconnects. Time has been kind to the internet, and today high speed internet is much more common than dial up. While T1 and cable internet connections are certainly the fastest, many homes are now equipped with DSL internet service which is still light years ahead of the dial up days we're slowly but surely leaving behind. Since a DSL connection utilizes the phone lines that are already installed in a home, there's little installation involved with adding DSL to a home. One thing that you will need, however, is a DSL line filter.

A DSL line filter is a required device for anyone using DSL to connect to the internet. Essentially, a DSL connection uses the highest frequencies of a phone line to connect to the internet. The phone aspect of the line, by contrast, uses the low frequencies for communication. The two can function simultaneously since they use totally different frequencies and don't require the others. However, interference from one frequency can bleed into the other frequency and create serious problems with the phone or with the DSL service. The DSL line filter solves this issue.

Every device that runs off of the same line will need to have a DSL line filter placed on it. The filter goes between the device and the phone service. Everything using the phone line with the exception of the DSL modem needs to be connected to a DSL line filter in order to ensure that the system works properly. This includes phones, answering machines, satellite or cable TV services that use the phone line, fax machines, caller ID boxes, and anything else. If a device is connected without a DSL line filter, noise will be a major problem. Phone conversations will be filled with static and other devices may take longer to perform basic functions. Even the DSL service itself will be affected.

The reason that these issues occur is that even though the DSL service and the phone operate on separate frequencies, there is still bleed over. Some of the high frequency from the DSL can bleed through to the lower frequencies of phones and other devices, causing buzzing and static as well as other problems. Conversely, the low frequency signals and echoes used by the phone and similar devices can move into the higher frequency that the DSL utilizes. In these cases, service can be slower than normal and can even stop working altogether.

DSL filters are inexpensive and come in numerous styles. There are in line, wall mount, flush mount, and more. All of them are easy to install and in most cases take nothing more than a few seconds. Tech workers for phone and internet providers report that improper setup of DSL filters are among the most common reasons for problems with either a phone or DSL service. Taking the time to ensure that all of your filters are installed properly will ensure that your services all work as they're intended to.