What is DSL?
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) is a technology for bringing high-bandwidth information to homes and small businesses over ordinary copper telephone lines. xDSL refers to different variations of DSL, such as ADSL, HDSL, and RADSL.

What is PPPoE?
PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet) is a specification for connecting multiple computer users on a Ethernet local area network. The PPP protocol information is encapsulated within an Ethernet frame. Basically, your IP address is leased when you log on with PPPoE software using a username/password combination. Also, PPP over Ethernet provides a major advantage for service providers by maximizing integration with - and minimizing disruption of - service providers' existing dial network infrastructures. Through tight integration with existing back office automation tools that ISPs have developed for dial customers, PPPoE enables rapid service deployment and cost savings. From authentication, accounting and secure access to configuration management, PPPoE supports a broad range of existing applications and services. It gives you control on whether you want to leave your computer connected to the Internet, or if you prefer to disconnect your Internet connection while using your computer (and use your system resources for other applications).

How do I know if I can recieve DSL service from Primus?
You will have to check our availability tool and enter the customer's phone number to verify if they can have service with us. It will be available from the support site. This is called the Loop qualification: it is the process used to determine whether a specific copper pair will support Primus DSL. It will query a database that will tell you if the central office has a DSLAM installed, whether Primus offers DSL service in the area and whether the customer is within a serviceable distance from the CO.
DSLAM used at the CO Different DSLAMs supporting different DSL types have different capabilities. Primus will only be launching in areas serviced by Alcatel DSLAMs.
Distance from the CO DSL is distance sensitive. The wire distance between your premises and the CO is a critical factor of determining whether you can get DSL service or not. Most ADSL services will be provisioned if the customer's premises are under 4,5 km of distance.

How fast is DSL compared to my modem connection?
Given that a 56k modem typically connects at 48 000bps, our 1 Meg connection is up to 20 times faster than a modem connection, while our up to 7 Meg connection package is up to 124 times faster.

What is the difference between Cable and DSL Internet services?
Cable service uses digital or analog signals transmitted through the same coaxial cable that usual cable television services use. DSL technology uses normal phone line technology to send digital signals to the DSL modem.
One of the major advantages of DSL over Cable Modems is that the line is not shared to the Central Office; however, the slow connections are rarely associated with this segment of your connection. Cable Modems have higher bandwidth, however the connection is shared and as a result the performance is similar to DSL. Generally, Cable Modems can achieve better throughput, which varies a lot, while DSL usually provides a more constant feed, with lower latency.

What are the system requirements for Primus DSL?

	Windows	Mac OS
Processor	Pentium 4 or equivalent	PowerPC
System	Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7	Mac OS 10.0 and above
Memory	Windows Vista requires 1Gig Windows 7 requires 2 Gigs	32MB
Hard Drive	75 MB Free	75 MB Free
Display	256 color at 800x600 resolution	256 colors at 800x600 resolution
Network Card	Ethernet NIC	Ethernet NIC
CD-ROM Drive	Required	Required

What kind of hardware will be provided to me by Primus?
A modem is required for your Primus DSL Service and Primus will provide a choice of 2 models (Regular or Wireless) to choose from.

Which software packages will be installed on my computer?
There will not be any software installed on your PC – All connections and emails are done online!

Must I use PPPoE?
You do not have to setup a PPPoE Connection on your computer. The connection is all done by the modem (Routed PPP). PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet) is a specification for connecting multiple computer users on an Ethernet local area network. The PPP protocol information is encapsulated within an Ethernet frame. Basically, your IP address is leased when you log on with PPPoE software using a username/password combination. Also, PPP over Ethernet provides a major advantage for service providers by maximizing integration with - and minimizing disruption of - service providers' existing dial network infrastructures. Through tight integration with existing back office automation tools that ISPs have developed for dial customers, PPPoE enables rapid service deployment and cost savings. From authentication, accounting and secure access to configuration management, PPPoE supports a broad range of existing applications and services.

What if I want to use other software packages or hardware?
You can use any hardware or software package of your choice; however Primus Technical Support only supports hardware shipped with your Primus DSL plan.

How do I know if my DSL service is activated?
Customer service will give you an activation date. When this date arrives and you've installed all of your hardware, you have to attempt to connect to the service to see if it works. Power on the modem and wait 30 seconds for it to warm up. If the DSL Sync light becomes steady green (and not flashing), and the internet light is green, your internet is ready to setup. Open your browser and go to dsl.primus.ca. You are now ready to go through the DSL setup guide which takes only a few minutes.

Can I protect my DSL phone line with a surge protector/UPS?
Surge protectors interfere with the DSL signal and should not be used to protect the telephone signal. This doesn't affect the protected power outlets available on the strip. You can protect the electrical component of your system, just not the telephone line.

I have an alarm system in my house. Will my DSL work?
DSL will work if you put a filter on the alarm system.

Your alarm system uses your phone line in order to send signals to your alarm company. Ensure that you put a telephone line filter between your alarm system and the phone jack it is connected to. If there is no phone jack and the alarm system is permanently wired into your phone line, call your alarm company and ask them to send a technician to add a phone jack so that you may plug in your DSL filter. Note that your alarm company may charge you for the service call.

If I move but keep the same phone number, will the DSL service follow me to my new house?
No. The DSL service is associated with your phone line, NOT the phone number. If you move, you will need to contact Primus Customer Service and advise them of your move, your new address and let them know that you would like to move the DSL service to your new address. They will need to put in a request to provision your new line with the DSL service. This could take 7-10 business days.

Can I use my DSL modem from another location, for example: my cottage?
The Primus Canada Internet High-Speed service is a line related service. That means that the service works only on a line that has been programmed accordingly and to which the Internet high-speed (DSL) modem is connected. The two components must be present for the service to work. The Internet high-speed modem does not provide dial up capability and therefore is not portable outside your home. However, if you have a regular modem, you can use this to dial up to the Internet when you are away from home. The Primus Canada DSL service gives you 10 hours a month of dial up access.*
* Dial up remote access is available where technology exists

Is my DSL connection "Always On"?
Yes, your connection is always on.

Can I still talk on the telephone / send faxes when I'm online?
Yes, DSL technology uses frequencies other than the ones required for voice communication. Both can co-exist on the same telephone line. Faxes and modems use voice frequencies and are thus unaffected by your DSL service.

Does DSL work with an ISDN line?
DSL services will not work with ISDN. DSL is designed to work with voice grade circuits over copper cable facilities. Services that are compatible with DSL operation include: Direct Data Services (56/64 Kbps) and standard analog telephone services.

Will my IP address change while I'm connected?
Service without a static IP address: Your IP address will not change unless you disconnect and reconnect the modem.
Service with a static IP address: Your IP address will not change.

Can multiple computers share a DSL connection?
Without a router: Your DSL service plan is not designed to support multiple connections unless you purchase a 3rd party router. It is possible to have multiple computers share the DSL connection though a router but Primus Technical Support will not offer any assistance with 3rd party routers.
With a router: Yes it is possible to have multiple computers share the DSL connection.

How does DSL service work?
DSL uses the same copper wiring as regular voice telephone service. DSL equipment at each end of the line transforms the telephone line into a high-speed digital connection. The DSL provider is the telecommunications company that supplies the DSL portion of your high-speed Internet access. The Internet service provider (ISP) adds the Internet Protocol (IP) networking services that ride over the DSL connection. If you are using ADSL, your DSL service runs over the same telephone line as your voice service. The data service is split off from voice service at the CO. Your voice communications goes to the telephone network and the data goes to the DSLAM (DSL Access Multiplexer) of the DSL provider and on to the ISP. COs house DSLAMs, which consolidate data traffic from individual DSL connections into large high-capacity backbone networks (like the ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) that Primus is currently building.
In the case of an ISP like Primus, we need access to copper wiring, which the Telco has mountains of. ISP's need to lease the copper wiring from the client's home to it's point of presence or from the client's home to the CO, which would entail renting co-location services. With the rules insuring competition in the Telco and Internet markets, Bell Canada must open it's lines to competition.

What is the top speed that my connection can support?
Advances in DSL technology now allow speeds of up to 7Mbps. That is 124 times the speed of a normal 56k modem connection. Of course the actual speed limit is dictated by the type of plan that you have purchased from Primus. For instance if you purchased a 1mb connection, your maximum speed would be 20 times the speed of a 56k modem.

Is my computer safe from hackers / viruses while I'm connected through DSL?
People who make the jump to broadband often leave themselves open to online prowlers, hackers and identity thieves. In the old days, a computer with weak security was vulnerable only during the short periods it was on the Net. But with "Always On" broadband service, it's like leaving a door wide open around the clock.
So how do you protect yourself?
The solution is to develop safe Net habits: Don't open attachments you aren't expecting, especially when they come from people you don't know. Use anti-virus software and install a firewall on your computer, especially if you have a broadband connection. A firewall keeps the Internet from peeking into your computer and your computer from reaching out to the Internet. You decide which programs, such as your e-mail package, get free access. Among the personal firewalls available are Black Ice Defender, Norton Personal Firewall, Jammer and ZoneAlarm, and for the Mac, DoorStop.
Another solution would be to ask about our Business DSL products with routers.
Please visit the following sites for information about security:

http://www.zonelabs.com

http://grc.com/

Are traffic management practices applied to Primus Internet services?

Primus offers High Speed Internet service in two different ways, based on your household location: on our Primus network and, where such network is not available, by using a wholesale arrangement on a network that passes though other major ISPs.

Wholesale network segments controlled by other ISPs are subject to the policies of the respective providers as approved by CRTC and may include bandwidth caps and/or limitations placed on specific Internet applications.

For our Primus network we use a sophisticated Performance Management tool to prioritize time-sensitive Internet applications and ensure sustainable quality of service to all our customers. Performance Management does not apply any caps, but makes sure that during extreme demand periods, if congestion occurs in a section of the network, these applications are not swamped by resource-intense (but not very time-sensitive) activities like file downloads.

For more details on the traffic management practices that are applied to Primus Internet services click here.

How do I disable File sharing and Print services from Enternet? Is this a security risk?
Many users express surprise to find that the File and Print sharing for Microsoft Networks component becomes enabled when adding the Enternet software. This is actually enabled by Windows when the Ethernet or DSL adapter is added. When Enternet is installed, these services will also bind over the Enternet adapter (as they will over any adapter).
This is usually not as serious a security risk as one would think, since the NetBIOS and SMB packets that comprise the File sharing are normally discarded by your network routers. They are a concern for performance reasons, and if possible should be removed for that reason. How to do this?
From your Control Panel -> Networks, verify that the service "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" is not configured. If it is, remove it. If you require this service (for sharing over a second Ethernet card), Select the TCP/IP -> Network TeleSystems. PPPoE Adapter, click Properties, and uncheck any services in the Bindings tab. For Windows98 systems, you may want to consider replacing the "Client for Microsoft Networks" with the "Windows Family Login" client. This will prevent unnecessary broadcasts over the Ethernet card.

Server Communication Failure (or) timeout while connecting to server.

• Ethernet cable not connected
• Network Server or service identified in Properties didn't respond to Discovery Request. In other words, NO SYNC
• DSL modem or network connection is not working
• Could be a network issue

Authentication failed

• User Name or Password not configured at server (check for case-sensitive)
• Make sure the username has @1mm.primus.ca

Internet Explorer warns that the connection isn't available or webpage not available

• Make sure that in the Internet Options, Connections tab, "never dial a connection" is selected
• Under Internet Options, connections, LAN settings, advanced, make sure Automatically detect settings is selected
• If the message keeps coming up, try Refreshing, sometimes restarting the browser works. You might also want to try another site; their home page might be experiencing some problems