Help with DSL in Germany

I have just bought a PC for home, and obviously wanna get DSL.
Seems there are a few options, but I am going for a T-Online package. As far as I can tell, it looks dead easy to set this stuff up yourself, and that would be best, because I really do not want to take loads of time off work waiting for an 'engineer' to come round and do a 20 second job.
Anyone have any advice on this? Anyone set one up before? Once I order from T-Online, what happens? Do they take months to send me a modem and stuff, or can I go and collect it? I am not a patient person, and as far as I can see it, all Telekom have to do is flip some switch theior end to activate the service, and I plug all the bits in my end. Sounds like a 10 minute job, but telecom companies are reknowned for being absolutely shite when it comes to service, especially with (A)DSL it seems.

I realise that I could phone T-Online with these questions, but my German is nowhere near upto that.
Any help/comments are very very welcome.
BTW, I have checked that the service is available in my area. We have an analogue line, but I beleive the socket itself could be used for ISDN if that makes any difference.

You'll get the modem, splitter and software through the post. If you're not at home when they arrive you'll have to fetch them from the post office because they make you sign for them personally (seems they won't even give them to a neighbour).

I'm not sure if you'll be able to get it up and running without having an engineer round to mess with the wires in the connection box in the basement of your building. If you have access to the room where the box is, I imagine you could do it yourself, but I wouldn't risk it if you're in a shared building. If someone in your building already has DSL, it might not be necessary. You're probably best asking Telekom about that.

The splitter comes set up for ISDN as default. You have to open it up and move a dipswitch back to analogue if you're on an analogue line.

Don't bother with any of the T-Online connection software or customised browser. It's a pile of crap - slow, unreliable, and all in German. It's better, IMHO, to just use your normal browser & mail program and manually enter the server details.

However, if you don't use the T-Online connection software, you have to either install some 3rd party SW to do it, or use an external router. I used the software for a while (will post a link later when I find it) and it worked very well - much more reliable than T-Online's. I use an external router now, which is even better - no connection SW at all on the computer, and I can connect up to 4 computers to the DSL. Not that I actually have 4 computers, mind.

Malcolm, are you going into the porn business?

Make sure you use the service regularly though. I'd ordered mine before I built my computer, cause I heard getting service was slow. Took about 3.5 months, as they missed connection times, and phone support lost my previous order on several occasions. When they finally installed it, I had a test computer for the connection, and it worked fine. I returned the test computer to the friend I borrowed it from, and built my own a month later. Come time to plug in the dsl, it turned out DT had disconnected my access (but still charged me for it) - because they noticed it was inactive. Took another 2.5 weeks to restore access. Punks.

Huh? What you on about?


If you have an external router, you can set it up to maintain an open connection. In effect, you'll have an "always-on" connection.

True, I only put in a router at xmas time, and it's been all good...

I set up my own DSL back home in the States and it was pretty easy. DSL, as I understand it, runs over your phone line. So I didn't need anyone from the phone company to come over and mess around with my phone or the scary looking connection boxes in the basement or on the telephone pole outside my building. They may, of course, have done this in the middle of the night without my knowing.

I just installed the software and the drivers for the DSL modem and plugged the line into a phone jack and voila. No problems.

I'm just wondering about the nefarious uses you are going to put fluffykittens to, that was all, but since you don't seem to be the owner of the domain I could just shut up

Oh, that... I only put that as my website because I got complaints about my http://goatse.cx.safed-link.


True, usually, but for reasons only known to themselves, Telekom saw fit to come round and mess with the wires in my basement. Maybe they were setting up a wiretap on my connection... I should probably stop surfing to the Stile Project and rotten.com then.

don_riina

I tried emailing you, but your email doesn't seem to work. If you are still looking around for DSL, try the 1&1 guys. I really didn't have any problem with them and the service was quick and reliable. If you do order, try going through my page: http://www.profiseller.de/shop/P6080438 as I may get a couple of bucks out of it and will buy you a beer if it happens. 8)
Just click on the T-DSL link, second from the left on the bottom of the page.

Cheers showem, I'll check it out and tell you how it goes.

I have stopped using that emailaddress, hence mail not working. I'll update it soon enough...

read these posts, they pretty much deal with everything you need to know:

ISDN, DSL, & Cable: Broadband Internet in Germany

Getting an Internet Connection in Germany

DSL internet in Germany - Deutsche Telekom