Hi All, Frame Relay in used in conjunction with a Private Virtual Circuit (pvc) is perhaps the soundest connection available. Direct line from you to your broker, absent of any and all Internet traffic. Combing FR with a PVC is a professional solution to the electronic mishaps of the Internet, also guranteeing bandwidth to you, and you alone. Initial setup cost's are higher, contractual agreement, mid range router & monthly cost. The aforementioned represents my opinions and experience. -Hoyler A mini education exist on the link below http://www.bell-atl.com/makeithappen/htm/exp_what_vc.htm
Thanks everyone...you've helped me tremendiously. At least I know what the Verizon sales guy is talking about. Also thanks for the url to Bell Atlantic. Those of you who have read my posts on satellite service for trading know that it really is a poor choice for order entry. Yesterday, Starband dumped me twice. It didn't cost me any money but one of these days it will, just as sure as Murphy's law in in force. I'll post at alater time what solutions I've found to my communications hassles. Remember, out here in the sticks we have no ISDN, dsl, or cable modem service. It is either the dish or pots lines that are realistically good for about 49k. Plus they have a way of dropping my modem connection at, you guessed it, the worst possible time. Again, thanks for the informatiion! Best regards and good trading today! Jim
Question to El Cazador, I have been using a cable modem ever since I started trading and I don't see myself using anything else (DSL maybe). I am thinking about relocating and I am now looking at different offerings. My current provider offers speed of 128Kbps/3Mbps, the other providers I am looking at now go with 128Kbps/512Kbps or lower. DSL up/download speed is about the same. I know that the 3Mbps download speed advertised by my current provider is probably not the actual speed but how much of a difference will I experience with only 512 Kbps download? Thank you you're da man!
In my opinion it's really not the absolute speed of the connection but how accurate and fresh the data arrives. You should make sure your ping times are reasonable and you have no packet loss although you probably all ready know this. https://www.dslreports.com has some interesting tests that you can perform on your line. Just to the site and look for DSLR tests tab... Leland
"how much of a difference will I experience with only 512 Kbps download? ".... Hard to say but you will notice it. There was a study a few years ago at University of Virginia, I think, that conclude the "diminishing returns to additional bandwidth" at about 80K. Somewhat faster than 56K frame relay but way less than DSL. I had ISDN BRI (128K) for a year and it was not nuch different than being at the office when I was using both channels... when I used one channel for voice and the other channel for data it sucked. DSL screams by comparison... and it is the best deal out there. I have about 40 frame relay circuits and routers in my network and it is a very good solution as well. Good Luck ~EC
Okay, I have some numbers from Verizon...here's their pitch: El Cazador, maybe you can help me get a handle on this. For example, are they talking kilobits per second or kilobytes per second? Their email didn't say but I'm guessing it is "bits," which really bites. (Sorry, it has been a long, tough day and I couldn't resist the pun, sad as it is) 128K Frame with one-year term: Internet Access $600 setup $417 monthly Circuit $495 setup $202 monthly 128K Frame with three-year term: Internet Access $100 setup $362 monthly Circuit $495 setup $187 monthly 256K Frame with one-year term: Internet Access $600 setup $470 monthly Circuit $495 setup $286 monthly 256K Frame with three-year term: Internet Access $100 setup $407 monthly Circuit $495 setup $271 monthly Equipment: We recommend the Cisco 1605R router with csu/dsu built in. You can purchase it from Verizon for $1595 or purchase it on your own. ***********************\ Well, that is their pitch. You know, from the $$ standpoint, it really isn't so bad. I could dump Starband and two of my pots lines plus two ISP's and I still would have a trusty (sure) pots line and modem. Hey, I appreciate all the help you all have given me on this!! Hope I can repay the favor some day. Best regards, Jim
Find a private ISP and get a quote from them on the internet service. They will usually facilitate installation with GTE as well. The price seems pretty high for internet charges at least in this part of the country (North of Seattle). I doubt that you have to bundle the circuit and the internet together. Check it out. Good Luck. The $200.00 a month is in the ball park. Good Luck ~EC Oh yeah.... look for a router elsewhere too. You can get one for far less. Get a "used" one that hasn't been plugged in yet for very little. With Cisco make sure it has the ID on it or you will not get tech support from them.
Close El Cazador, but the CIR is actually not guarranteed but based on best effort because the Frame Relay cloud is so oversubscribed that SLAs no longer cover that kind of guarranty...but ATM cloud is a lot better because hardly anyone uses it except for DSL if you can get it (you must live close to a CO), DSL will be the last mile connecting to the DSLAM at the CO and dropping it into the ATM cloud, so definitely better if your DSL part of your connection is good. T1 has 24 channels of 64Kbps and some overhead which gives it 1.544Mbps.