ISDN-BRI digital telephone line on the LAN
This network gives
more than you can imagine for its low, low cost -- at least in Texas.
(In Texas, the price of an ISDN-BRI line is about the same as for two
analog telephone lines and can replace two existing regular telephone
lines with additional powerful features). Leap
to a state-of-the-art system with huge benefits and expandability
without increasing your monthly bills.
The best thing about this system is that it converts your existing
dial-up Internet account to a 128 Kbps digital connection very
similar to an always-on DSL line. Then it provides the same fast
connection to all the computers on the network. It also allows for
bridging of two or more geographically separate, similarly setup LANs
into one. Such an expanded network is known as Wide Area Network
(WAN). The following diagram illustrates a LAN with an ISDN
connection.
The (orange) ISDN router is used to connect to an ISDN-BRI line. An
ISDN-BRI line comes with two data channels that double as pure
digital channels and analog telephone lines. There is a separate
smaller channel used for call management. This unique setup provides
two telephone lines plus a fast, 64 Kbps + 64 Kbps, digital Internet
connection virtually at the same time.
You (or we) would order the ISDN line from the Telephone Company
specifying the proper mix of line provisioning that match our
requirements. The preprogrammed ISDN router that we ship to you would
do all the magic - two telephone lines and 128 Kbps clear-channel digital Internet
access using your existing dial-up account (in most cases).
Recall that you have two analog telephone lines inside one ISDN line.
Now, if you buy the feature, 'forward on busy', to forward calls from
analog Line One to Line Two when the first is busy, you can answer
two calls at the same time. The monthly Telephone Company charge for
this feature is about $3.
Answering system and fax receiving
In our diagram, we have shown a red horizontal line on one computer
box. This represents the fax/modem card that ships with most
computers. Some of these modem cards also have a 'call discriminator'
that detects fax calls. These modems can handle both voice calls and
fax calls coming to the same line. If you have a program such as
'Ring Central', you probably have a modem with this capability. In
this situation, you can make this computer double as your answering
system as well as your fax machine. You can now publish the first
number as your voice line and the second as the fax line while at the
same time using both lines for voice calls.
The benefits
You cancel and recover the cost of two existing telephone lines and
pay it for an ISDN line instead. This immediately upgrades the
dial-up Internet connection to a 128 Kbps digital line at no extra
cost. Then you get to use both the new telephone lines
interchangeably for multiple purposes while reaching the Internet
digitally from every computer on LAN!
ISDN to bridge Networks
Networks installed similarly can be bridged together by ISDN to make
into one combined network. This is ideal for businesses that have
multiple locations in the same local calling area. It is also ideal
to connect the owner's home to the office to function as a disaster
backup or telecommuting station.
The following graphic shows three locations connecting over ISDN or
over the Internet using a VPN setup.
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