So how do I apply for your service?

• Make sure your phone number is connected to an ADSL-enabled exchange (use the telephone number checking tool we have here). You can proceed providing that tool says that ADSL is available at your telephone exchange.
• Signup Online. Alternatively you can download the PDF application form, print it out, fill it in and send it to us via fax or post.
• If you run into operational questions filling that in, or you want to talk to our staff about your options for hardware etc etc, please just contact us during office hours and speak to one of our sales staff about it. You can even signup over the phone!
• Track the progress of your order, online!
• Note that if your order can not be provisioned by us for any reason, no charges will apply. You only pay us if the service works.

How can I find out if my exchange is ADSL enabled?

ADSL is available in an increasing number of areas - and via our relationship with Telstra Wholesale, Internode ADSL is available everywhere that ADSL is available in Australia.

Please consult our coverage information pages for information about our current ADSL coverage regions. Chances are that your area is either enabled for ADSL already, or will be enabled very soon! You can check for yourself, right now, using our Online ADSL Coverage Checker.

You should also be aware that ADSL is not available on all telephone lines. There are a number of technical limitations (including the physical length of the copper line from your house to the phone exchange) that can prevent the delivery of ADSL.

• If you find that ADSL is not available, we have alternative broadband solutions including our very popular NodeMobile-Data 3G services.
• For other business links requiring high speed symmetric services, Internode can deliver SHDSL and Ethernet services nationwide, at speeds of up to 1,000 Megabits per second!

What are the possible 'technology blockers' that mean that I might not be able to get ADSL on my phone line?

There are a number of these. ADSL is a technology designed to re-use the old copper phone lines in a new way. In some cases, that new way just isn't possible to achieve. As a result, some customers who ask us to set up ADSL on their line will be disappointed to have their request rejected.

• Transmission Loss Too High
• Incompatible Infrastructure - RIM
• Incompatible Infrastructure - Pair-Gain
• Incompatible Service on the line
• Incompatible Service type (ANT1)
• Other miscellaneous reasons (e.g. address does not match phone service)

Note that you pay nothing in cases where we are unable to deliver ADSL to your chosen phone line.

We do have some other alternatives available for people in this situation, including 3G mobile broadband, and even old school dialup access (local call nationwide). Note also in some cases (such as transmission loss), a NakedExtreme ADSL2+ service will work where a normal ADSL service would fail.

And increasingly, the high speed 3G broadband available from NodeMobile Data provides an excellent solution for the ADSL 'broadband blackspots'.

What ADSL devices can be used with the Internode ADSL service?

Pretty much any ADSL device should work with our service. If its on sale in Australia, chances are that it is fine.

We sell and support the ADSL modems and routers listed in the respective Hardware sections of our website. However any that are listed on this page should work with our service as well.

Providing the ADSL device you are considering has an Australian certification, you can be reasonably confident that it should work. But for a 100% confidence level, we suggest you buy your ADSL device from us - and if it doesn't work for you, we'll simply change it over for one that does.

So what happens behind the scenes when I order ADSL from Internode?

Well, here are 'some' of the things that happen behind (and in front of) the scenes...

A new device called a DSLAM has to be installed in your local telephone exchange before ADSL can be ordered for your phone line. So if your exchange isn't ADSL enabled yet, it is worth checking back later, because it just might be enabled soon. This applies for rural townships, as well as for capital cities!

The DSLAM (probably named just as an excuse to make a device with the word 'SLAM' in it!) is the 'head end' of multiple ADSL connections in your local Telstra exchange.

Each DSLAM supports a number of connections to customers. These devices are very expensive

On the 'upstream' side, this device is attached to a very high speed data network link, which connects from that exchange back to an in-state aggregation point for the provider concerned (typically somewhere in your states' capital city).

The DSLAM is capable of transmitting ADSL. And it sits there, waiting for you to order an ADSL service into your local exchange.

When you order ADSL from Internode. orders are placed into Telstra to connect your line to us. A technician at the exchange will then 'jumper' your copper telephone line to a 'port' on the ADSL DSLAM and then back to the telephone exchange switch (the thing that does normal phone calls). Your phone line will also run through an ADSL filter, in some cases this can be a separate device, and in others, for example Internode (Agile) DSLAMs, the filter is built in to the DSLAM.

The splitter/filter is essentially identical to the one that you need to fit at your own home at your end of the line. It makes sure that only 'sound' goes to the devices that expect 'sound' on the wire, and only 'high speed computer data' goes to devices that expect 'high speed computer data'.

The DSLAM line concerned also needs to be configured so that when data is moved to and from your line, it gets routed to the correct part of the aggregation server back in your capital city. The configuration done at this point makes sure that when bytes go in from your place, they get routed to your chosen ISP's broadband link to the same aggregation point.

Back at your house, you attach a filter/splitter to your phone line to (again) make sure that the 'sound' (only) makes it to your 'sound' using devices (phone, fax, answering machine, modem etc). Importantly, the splitter also ensures the reverse is true - that the ADSL device is not adversely affected by the use of your telephone at the same time. This is critically important for ADSL2+ and we highly recommend that you get a central ADSL splitter installed by a licensed cabler when using ADSL2+

The ADSL box connects directly to the copper exchange line (without a filter) so it can experience the happy non-sound high frequency mess which is ADSL, and turn it back into Internet packets for you.

Meanwhile, all the way back at the other end, Internode connects your account up to the Internet via its authentication servers and its routers and switches and servers, and moves all your data to the greater Internet and back again. And the world is a happy place.

At least, that's the simple version!

If I use my own ADSL device, what do I need to configure in order to use Internode ADSL?

If you are using an ADSL device that we did not supply, it might need to be configured to work with our service.

The only configuration that typically needs to be done is to set two configuration 'magic numbers', which are called the VPI and VCI numbers. Somewhere in your ADSL device (or in some cases, in the driver software that comes with it), there should be a couple of boxes for you to fill in or change these values.

The correct values for use with our service are 8 and 35 respectively (sometimes in separate fields, sometimes in a single field, specified as 8/35 )

Once your ADSL device is set for 8/35, you can plug it in to your phone line and you should see 'line sync' after several seconds (maybe up to 30 or so).

'Line sync' means that your ADSL device 'sees' the ADSL DSLAM at the telephone exchange and is ready to use it. On most ADSL devices this means that an appropriately labeled light goes solid green (after initially flashing merrily while it waits to get that signal lock).

Perversely, on some ADSL devices, line sync is actually indicated in exactly the opposite way - a solid green light that starts flashing once line synch is achieved. So the message here is that you should check the manual for your device if you are not sure it indicates that it has line synch, lest you report a fault that doesn't exist, or think there is a fault when there is none.

If you have phone or other non-ADSL devices on your line - any such devices at all - they need to have line filters installed to protect them from the ADSL line noise (and to protect ADSL from interference from the phone and/or other devices, too - which can stop ADSL working). We discuss this issue in more detail elsewhere in this document.

Once you have line synch, you can get your computer or in most cases, your ADSL Router to log in to our ADSL service over your line.

Your Internode assigned login name will be : someusername@internode.on.net

(where, obviously, you should replace someusername with the user id we assigned for you).

Internode will also assign an initial password to you for your ADSL access. You should have received this via SMS Text Message prior to your ADSL service being activated.

You need to plug that username and password into your PPPoE/PPPoA client software or ADSL Routers web-based configuration page. That software can be in one of several places:

You can obtain other Internode configuration settings from our support web pages.

Start at http://www.internode.on.net, or in particular see: General Settings for other information like mail server access data, NTP server, news server, etc etc.

Note that your email address is of the form someusername@internode.on.net (and this is also your login name for dialup access, with the same initial password).

So you undoubtedly support Windows users. What about Macintosh users? Or Linux? Or FreeBSD? or other operating systems?

Internode prides itself on being highly supportive of the use of the Internet on any computer system that you have which runs TCP/IP.

We are pleased to support most flavours of Windows. But we also strongly and explicitly support Mac OS. And we also support the use of Linux and FreeBSD to access the Internet using ADSL.

If you have another operating system entirely, and it runs TCP/IP, we'll do our very best to support it with our ADSL service.

Will a PCI card ADSL device work better or worse than a USB ADSL device, or an Ethernet one?

For overall compatibility with your computer, regardless of its operating system, and for the best long term chance of compatibility remaining if you replace your computer, we strongly recommend the use of Ethernet based ADSL devices. All ADSL hardware sold by Internode is Ethernet based.

Almost all computers have an Ethernet port, or can have an Ethernet port added for a very small cost.

In almost all situations, the only reason to use a non-Ethernet ADSL device is hardware cost. Ethernet ADSL devices are typically just marginally more expensive than USB or PCI devices. But this apparent cost saving can be easily decimated by spending hours, or days, wrestling with software drivers and configuration problems in these units. There are a wide variety of compatibility issues specific to certain combinations of operating system and USB ADSL device. Some combinations work really nicely, but others are hugely frustrating.

This advice holds almost regardless of the operating system used - be that Windows, Mac OS, Linux, FreeBSD, or something completely different.

Does ADSL use extra wires in the phone line, or does it use just the 'normal' ones?

The phone wires used by ADSL are exactly the same (two) wires used by your normal telephone handset.

You do need to install a line filter. This filter (they also come in 'central filter' and 'central splitter' versions and we highly recommend you get one of these installed) separates the audio signals used by your phone (or fax, or modem, or answering machine) from the high frequency digital signals that ADSL uses.

You need to ensure that every device in your home or office which shares the line with the ADSL device has a line filter fitted to it.

I would like to change to Internode ADSL from Telstra BigPond ADSL. Will that cause me any problems?

Its easy and very cost effective, to move to Internode from BigPond, or from any other provider participating in the 'fast transfer/churn' process.

Please consult the ADSL Churn FAQ available in this section for further information.

I have an alarm system on my phone line. What does that mean in terms of ADSL access?

It means you need to get your Alarm company to come out and organise the installation of a central splitter, so that it keeps working properly with ADSL, and so that ADSL keeps working properly with the alarm system.

Specific details vary between alarm companies. But the point in general is that an alarm system is essentially like another phone or fax or answering machine, and it needs a line filter installed in front of it. The thing about alarm devices is they are (deliberately ) wired into your house in a way that hides them from view and from easy access. So you just need to get your alarm company to help you to make it all work right by doing the appropriate wiring of a line filter into the alarm box.

Please be 100% clear that we take no responsibility for the correct operation of your alarm system in the presence of ADSL services. This is entirely a matter between you and your alarm system vendor.

Note: Naked ADSL services are not compatible with Alarm Systems that use your phone line to call 'back-to-base'.

How long will my sign-up process take?

It varies. What we say, on an indicative basis, is that a typical time frame is less than 20 days from receipt of your order to the provision of a working ADSL service (providing your service can be provisioned by our carrier - sometimes it can't, and in this case, you don't pay anything for our making the attempt).

There are a lot of reasons why some individual connections can take longer to turn on in some cases, or be faster in others.

We are finding the typical time frame for connecting an ADSL service is currently 10 days. However, we cannot guarantee that time frame, and for that reason we still specify 20 days as the indicative time frame.

Once we have received and entered your order into our provisioning system, you can track the progress of your service provisioning process using our online tracking tool.

Does it matter which brand of ADSL device I buy? Will some work faster/slower/better/worse than others?

There are many ADSL routers available in the market today.

We have a selected range that we sell and recommend. You can find a list of these on our ADSL Hardware section of our website.

If you are unsure of what to purchase or find this all a bit too technical, we highly recommend that you purchase your ADSL hardware from us, that way, you won't need to configure anything or worry about support. Our modems are shipped pre-configured, all you need to do is plug it in!

Our Technical Support staff are very familiar with the hardware we sell, so will be able to provide you with the best support, if you need it.

You can, however select your own ADSL hardware and purchase it from elsewhere. If you do this, we recommend you purchase one with the following features:

• Australian telecommunications approval. (A-Tick)
• Support for ADSL and ADSL2+
• Ethernet based router with built-in PPPoA/PPPoE client.

I checked my phone number, and my exchange is not yet 'ADSL enabled'. Will that change?

Exchanges are enabled for ADSL on a continuing basis. So it is worth your while checking back with us (via our web site) to see if your phone number has magically 'become enabled', from time to time. You just might get a positive surprise.

Meantime, a NodeMobile 3G service represents an excellent alternative for you.

Does Internode support PPPoE or PPPoA for ADSL services?

You can use either one. The service works with them both.

When I check my provisioning status with your online tool, what are the stages I can expect to see the service move through?

Pre-Order

Data entered into our system and order not yet submitted for ADSL testing and connection.

Ordered

Order for the underlying ADSL exchange enabling work submitted to Telstra.

Received

Order for the underlying ADSL exchange enabling work has been received by Telstra and awaiting initial processing.

Confirmed

We have confirmed that the service is deliverable (yay) and it's being set up for you now.

Provisioned/Fully Active

Your ADSL service is now fully provisioned and connected to your telephone line. You should be able to connect now!

Held

Your order has been suspended for some reason, usually due to Transposition or no available ports. (see below for explanation). This does not mean that you cannot get ADSL, it just means that your order is on hold for one of the reasons below:

Awaiting ETA Advice

Occurs when Telstra have acknowledged your order, however they have put it on hold for one reason or another and have not given us an ETA. This may be an early indicator of one of the states below.

If your order stays in this stage for some time, you might like to give our Sales people a call to check the exact reason as to why your order has been held.

Transposition (Alternate Path Check)

Occurs if your line is on a RIM or Pair Gain System. A search is done to find a spare copper run or a way around the technology blocker. Transposition typically adds about 5 to 6 weeks to provisioning time, as it involves manual search and survey steps by Telstra.

Success rates are entirely dependent on your exchange and can vary greatly.

Port availability (No DSLAM Ports)

Occurs simply when there are no spare ADSL ports at your exchange. Note the delay until more DSLAM ports are installed - it is typically a few weeks, but it can be a shorter or a longer period depending on a number of factors.

The installation process automatically resumes as soon as more ports are installed into your exchange. Your Internode order status should change to reflect this status automatically.

Network Build Investigation

Occurs when the copper telephone network in your area is currently not able to provide you with ADSL services, and Telstra are investigating the demand and possibility of modifications to the network, in order to provide you and others in your area with ADSL. At this stage, your ADSL is not confirmed.

Your order may stay in this state for several weeks or longer whilst Telstra carry out their investigations.

Network Build Underway

Is the next progression from Network Build Investigation. This means that Telstra have identified enough demand within your area to warrant modifications to the copper network, in order to enable support for ADSL services. An ETA may be provided at this stage of when the Network Build will be completed.

Once your order progresses to Network Build Underway, Telstra have confirmed that you will be able to obtain an ADSL service once the Network Build is completed.

Cancelled

This is the one we wish never happened, but unfortunately it does. The service could not be set up on your line for some reason. You need to call us to find out the reason and talk about any options you have (some blockers can be overcome - others can't).

Don't despair until you've talked to us to clarify the reason for the issue in your case - there are a number of potential reasons (discussed briefly elsewhere in this FAQ).

Network Build Will Not Proceed at this Time

Occurs when the copper telephone network in your area is currently not able to provide you with ADSL services, and Telstra have investigated the demand and possibility of modifications to the network, in order to provide you and others in your area with ADSL. But at this time they are not proceeding with modifications to the network in order to allow you to get ADSL.

At this stage, your ADSL order is canceled. You may like to re-apply at regular intervals in-case Telstra decide to proceed with a Network build to enable ADSL within your area.

Wrinkles

The low level provisioning is done by Telstra. At times, we find that Telstra may provision a service and have it live before they've told us about it, and hence before we can tell you about it. If you plug your ADSL device in and you get 'line synch', this is a good sign and in most cases your service will probably work even before our systems flag it as being 'active'.

It is possible that faults in the installation process may result (in some cases) in the service not working when you initially try to use it. In such cases, please immediately report a line fault to Internode and we will arrange for the service to be repaired as soon as possible.

While we regret any inconvenience if you are notified that your service is ready but you discover that it is not initially working, this is beyond our control.

In all such cases, we pursue remedying of the line fault absolutely as rapidly as we possibly can - just log a fault with us, and we'll chase it with Telstra and get it resolved.

What does Internode ADSL cost?

We charge a setup fee (which is discounted if you choose a 24 month contract term) and a monthly fee based on your choice of peak download speed, and your included monthly download allowance.

On our Home and SOHO plans, if you exceed your quota you will be slowed down to non-broadband speeds for the remainder of your monthly cycle.

You can buy your ADSL equipment for your service at the same time as you order your service, or use an existing, approved, device if you already have one.

Any ADSL hardware which is legally able to be connected into the Australia DSL network on the Telstra copper telephone network can be used on Internode (any ADSL device that has an ACMA approval and an 'A-tick' mark). However, we do recommend that you purchase a modem that we actively support.

Please note that Internode strongly recommends that you buy and use an Ethernet based ADSL device rather than a USB or PCI based unit. This is because there are widespread problems with software drivers in some combinations of USB or PCI card ADSL devices and some operating systems.

Practically all modern computers either have an Ethernet port, or can easily have one added.

Why do your ADSL equipment prices seem high?

Actually, they aren't!

Prices quoted by some other ADSL service providers are subsidised, and are being paid for through higher installation and running fees (or lower included downloads).

We feel that it is better to give you the freedom of choice to select the model of ADSL equipment that best suits your needs, without a locked in service contract. This simply means that the ADSL equipment pricing reflects the true hardware cost with our service - and you'll notice that our service installation fees are correspondingly lower.

You are welcome to source any ADSL device approved for use in Australia and to use that instead of purchasing ADSL equipment from us, especially if one of those devices has a feature or benefit that you especially want to have as a part of your ADSL service.

However, installation technical support and site visits may incur additional costs if you need us to help you with hardware that you didn't buy from us. This is because we might not be fully familiar with how that model works.

Do I have to have a working voice phone service on my ADSL line?

For our Easy Broadband, Extreme ADSL2+, ADSL Standard and ADSL Fast, the simple answer is 'yes you do'.

However for Easy Naked and NakedExtreme ADSL2+, no voice line is required!

Does it matter which phone provider I use?

No, it doesn't matter at all. So please select the telephone service provider that suits your needs the best.

There is no need for that provider to be Telstra, despite the physical copper line being a Telstra line. In fact, we can now provide your telephone service as well - save money on calls, enjoy the convenience of one supplier, and benefit even more from bundlng discounts - check out NodeLine!

My ADSL order got rejected by your carrier. What does my rejection reason mean?

Here are the most common rejection causes we see.

If your service order is rejected, please contact us to discuss your situation, to see what we can do to try to get the service deliverable in your case.

Sometimes we can help with even the apparently un-fixable cases (but, also, be prepared to accept that usually we can't fix those - in the end, the underlying copper activation is done by Telstra, and is subject to the state of their copper line network in your exchange area).

One important thing to remember, is that Telstra regularly alter their copper network; If you've submitted an order with us in the past and it has failed to be provisioned, You may like to resubmit the order. You can do this very easily, by checking the status of your failed order using our status checker, and click on the "Resubmit my Order" button.

Invalid service number - non Telstra service

This means that perhaps you have Optus 'direct connect' service, which means that it isn't a Telstra copper line, and we can't provision ADSL on it. The service has to be a Telstra copper phone line service in order to activate ADSL on it.

Transmission loss too high

This means that the copper line to your premises is simply too long for ADSL to work properly on it. Sometimes your distance-to-exchange can be a lot longer than you might rationally think it is, because the distance that matters is 'street distance', not 'crow-flies' distance, to your local exchange.

Currently, all 'Telstra Wholesale DSLAM' based lines are 'service qualified' to 56db of loss at 300Khz, this roughly equates to an average of about 4.5km of line length (though it can vary).

Internode DSLAM based services are subject to different constraints which mean that we may be able to provision services on Internode DSLAMs where they would ordinarily fail on Telstra DSLAM based qualifications. In particular, NakedExtreme ADSL2+ is very well suited to delivering ADSL over long lines.

Incompatible Product

There is some sort of incompatible product installed on your phone line which is preventing our ADSL application from progressing. This could be the caused by a number of things; such as :

• there may already be an ADSL service or codes on your line, from an old application
• there may be a phone 'product' on your account - for example a Pre-Paid home phone account, ANT1 or ISDN service, call diversions, or even a phone fault logged on your phone line - there can only be one order on a phone line at any time. In most situations you will need to contact your phone carrier to investigate what the specific issue is with your phone line that is preventing our application.

Service Number not yet connected

According to Telstra Wholesale's database the phone number is not active in their systems. There are a number of situations where this may arise. Most commonly when a new phone line is connected it may take a couple of days between the point where you can use your phone, and when the database reflects that this number is connected. This also may be that the phone line is running over another company's infrastructure which would be why the number cannot be found in Telstra's systems.

Presently, our ADSL services can only be accessed over Telstra-owned copper lines, therefore if your phone service is delivered over hybrid fibre-coax cable or another company's copper, then our ADSL services are not available. If you are unsure, you can contact your phone carrier directly to investigate what is the issue with your line.

Network Build Will Not Proceed at this Time / Alternate Path Not Available

In general this means that our ADSL services are not available at your premises, because there is not a continuous 'copper line path' between your premises and the Telstra Exchange concerned.

The typical reasons for this are that your phone line is attached to a Pair-Gain System or a Remote Integrated Multiplexer (RIM) unit. These are systems that Telstra install when they run out of copper in a physical area; since they are a lot cheaper than ripping up streets to run new copper pairs all the way from your area to the nearest telephone exchange. Unfortunately, in many cases this blocks the ability of ADSL to function.

RIM units are common in new housing development areas or new industrial development areas, where there has been a large rise in the number of phone lines required, in an area where this was not 'originally' the case.

In this situation, Telstra investigate and conduct a 'network build investigation' to assess the demand and possibility of modifications to the network, in order to provide you and others in your area with ADSL. In some situations these issues can be overcome - for example some RIMs have been fitted with a 'minimux', a minature DSLAM that can provide broadband to some customers on the RIM, at the usual Telstra ADSL bandwidths.

However in other cases, Telstra may decide not to proceed with modifications to the network in order to allow you to get ADSL. At this stage, your ADSL order is cancelled (and there is no charge to you). You may like to re-apply at regular intervals, in case Telstra decide to proceed with a network build to enable ADSL within your area, as testing criteria continues to change and areas across Australia continue to be upgraded.