I've got a cable modem now. I just received a flyer in the mail stating that DSL is available. Is DSL significantly better than a cable hook up? I have heard that cable is dependant on the number of users in the area and that DSL is dependant on your proximity to the switch. When both connections are optimum which is better?
OT: Cable vs. DSL
- Thread starter AndABeer
- Start date
The general consensus among my friends who have one or the other is that DSL is better. The ones who have DSL chose it over cable, and the ones who have cable wished they had the option of DSL. I live in a crappy neighborhood, so I have access to neither- apparently high-end ISPs have yet to find a market in the 'hood. 
Both are a MASSIVE improvement over dial-up.
Mike
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"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert Heinlein
Both are a MASSIVE improvement over dial-up.
Mike
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"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert Heinlein
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
In a perfect world - Cable would be better.
Since we live in the real world, get the DSL.
I'm now running DSL form home and because of shared bandwidth issues - its faster than my T1 at work.
Since we live in the real world, get the DSL.
I'm now running DSL form home and because of shared bandwidth issues - its faster than my T1 at work.
I don't have a cable modem, but complaints I've heard from those who do is that speed does fluctuate with the # of people you are sharing with, and that performance will degrade over time as more users are added.
I am the network administrator for a company with 3 sites using DSL, and couldn't be happier with the performance. Excellent value, and the only snag was in the initial set-up, which was fixed after an hour on hold and 10 minutes with the tech support rep (they gave me the wrong IP scope)
I am the network administrator for a company with 3 sites using DSL, and couldn't be happier with the performance. Excellent value, and the only snag was in the initial set-up, which was fixed after an hour on hold and 10 minutes with the tech support rep (they gave me the wrong IP scope)
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
US WEST has a neat system which will dynamically assign the IP. I had absolutely ZERO problems getting it running.
The coolest thing - since DSL does run over the phone line - is that you can still use your phone normally with no problems with your connection.
The DSL technology is very cool.
The coolest thing - since DSL does run over the phone line - is that you can still use your phone normally with no problems with your connection.
The DSL technology is very cool.
DSL and cable both offer high speed connections to the initial router. If there is a problem with the Internet at large, that high speed connection isnt going to do anything for you. OTOH, when everything is running fine on the Internet, you'll be moving fast either way. With DSL your connection will be more stable, speed wise, than cable modem. With cable modem, your speed will drop as more people come online. With that said, unless you're running a 100 M/bit Ethernet card for your computer hookup to the cable modem or DSL modem, chances are that you arent using the FULL capability of the DSL or cable hookup. I dont have either, living out in the boonies...but when they finally DO get out to where the house is, I'll be going with DSL. Hope this helps...
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Mike
mnealtx@yahoo.com
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Mike
mnealtx@yahoo.com
The drawback of cable modem is that you share the bandwidth with others who are surfing at the same time. Of course, even DSL doesn't guarantee a particular throughput. My DSL service is 768/128 Kps maximum; that doesn't mean I'll get it all the time (and I don't.)
You may want to compare the price of DSL vs. cable modem in your area to see which is the better deal for you. There's a lot of price competition right now as the DSL providers are trying to make inroads against the cable providers. My DSL dropped $10/month a few weeks ago.
[This message has been edited by Ken51 (edited September 13, 2000).]
You may want to compare the price of DSL vs. cable modem in your area to see which is the better deal for you. There's a lot of price competition right now as the DSL providers are trying to make inroads against the cable providers. My DSL dropped $10/month a few weeks ago.
[This message has been edited by Ken51 (edited September 13, 2000).]
No matter what type of connection (DSL, cable modem, dial-up, etc.) you use, it's fun to check your speed.Here are a couple of links for that:
Computing Central
2Wire.com
Numbers
[This message has been edited by Numbers (edited September 13, 2000).]
Computing Central
2Wire.com
Numbers
[This message has been edited by Numbers (edited September 13, 2000).]
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>unless you're running a 100 M/bit Ethernet card for your computer hookup to the cable modem or DSL modem, chances are that you arent using the FULL capability of the DSL or cable hookup[/quote]
Not entirely true. Even a 1-2Mb wireless LAN is not likely to bottleneck a cable or DSL connection. A 10Mb LAN will be more than enough throughput between the router/modem and the PC.
Cable service varies widely from area to area, and over time. DSL tends to hold it's throughput more consistently, but also tends to be more expensive and is not capable of providing quite the burst rate that cable can (for similar prices).
Talk to people with DSL in your area and see how they like it. Are they getting good service from the company? Good tech support? What are their download speeds typically showing? Does it change throughout the day or tend to stay pretty consistent? Any hidden setup fees?
Customer reviews can be a great help. Good luck and have fun!
- gabe
Not entirely true. Even a 1-2Mb wireless LAN is not likely to bottleneck a cable or DSL connection. A 10Mb LAN will be more than enough throughput between the router/modem and the PC.
Cable service varies widely from area to area, and over time. DSL tends to hold it's throughput more consistently, but also tends to be more expensive and is not capable of providing quite the burst rate that cable can (for similar prices).
Talk to people with DSL in your area and see how they like it. Are they getting good service from the company? Good tech support? What are their download speeds typically showing? Does it change throughout the day or tend to stay pretty consistent? Any hidden setup fees?
Customer reviews can be a great help. Good luck and have fun!
- gabe
Mr. Blonde
New member
All are correct here. Try out the cable modem if you live in a somewhat desolate suburb.
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"Are You Gonna Bark All Day Little Doggie, Or Are You Gonna Bite?"
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"Are You Gonna Bark All Day Little Doggie, Or Are You Gonna Bite?"
In the Denver area, DSL is usually quite fast as it's based, under the covers, on a switched, high speed, ATM network. With a switched network, each attached node, in effect, has the full bandwidth of the network at their disposal at all times. Cable modems are typically shared segments where all users share the same bandwidth. With cable modems, the more nodes on the segment the slower it runs. This can happen with a switched net as well but it takes a hell of a lot more nodes connected to reach that saturation.
Another great thing about DSL is that you can hook your computer up to it anywhere in the house you have a phone jack. I don't know enough about the cable modem hardware to say if this is true with cable modems or not.
Another great thing about DSL is that you can hook your computer up to it anywhere in the house you have a phone jack. I don't know enough about the cable modem hardware to say if this is true with cable modems or not.
What are the going rates around the country for DSL?
Here in Iowa USWest (Qwest?) wants about $80/month for 768 Kbps service (depending on the length of contract). That does not include ISP service. If one steps it down to 256 Kbps it is about $19.95/month or $29.95/month depending if you want always-on. Seems kinda expensive to me. Add in ISP service and we're talking at least $40 for the low end service, close to $100 for 768.
Here in Iowa USWest (Qwest?) wants about $80/month for 768 Kbps service (depending on the length of contract). That does not include ISP service. If one steps it down to 256 Kbps it is about $19.95/month or $29.95/month depending if you want always-on. Seems kinda expensive to me. Add in ISP service and we're talking at least $40 for the low end service, close to $100 for 768.
This is like a 9mm vs .45 debate.
Comon'!
Pick one and stick with it.. The grass is NOT greener on the other side.
With cable, you supposively share bandwidth with other people.. but I have a Cable modem from MediaOne (now AT&T) and my server splits incomming traffic between myself and two roommates. We basically all pull about 200k/sec (each of us) at the same time on most instances.
On a side note.. my "portion" of the bandwith averages between 190kbs and 210kbs.. However, the server has clocked burst rates (for a sustained time of several minutes) of over 2 megabytes a second on more than one occassion..
With DSL.. people think its better.. but it really isn't. Its not as reliable, and you will never get the rate they guarantee you.
Bottom line, is its a win-win situation either way you go. You probably will never find a web site out there that will match your hi-speed access. To put to plainly, you won't be looking at web pages (HTTP) at the fastest speed your modem allows. Realistically, its been my experience that most web servers max out at 40k/sec. However, other protocals (like FTP) are an entirely different story.
I only wish most people experienced the joys of modems that were 2400 baud or less.
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God, Guns and Guts made this country a great country!
oberkommando sez:
"We lost the first and third and now they are after the Second!(no pun intended)"
[This message has been edited by KaMaKaZe (edited September 13, 2000).]
Comon'!
Pick one and stick with it.. The grass is NOT greener on the other side.
With cable, you supposively share bandwidth with other people.. but I have a Cable modem from MediaOne (now AT&T) and my server splits incomming traffic between myself and two roommates. We basically all pull about 200k/sec (each of us) at the same time on most instances.
On a side note.. my "portion" of the bandwith averages between 190kbs and 210kbs.. However, the server has clocked burst rates (for a sustained time of several minutes) of over 2 megabytes a second on more than one occassion..
With DSL.. people think its better.. but it really isn't. Its not as reliable, and you will never get the rate they guarantee you.
Bottom line, is its a win-win situation either way you go. You probably will never find a web site out there that will match your hi-speed access. To put to plainly, you won't be looking at web pages (HTTP) at the fastest speed your modem allows. Realistically, its been my experience that most web servers max out at 40k/sec. However, other protocals (like FTP) are an entirely different story.
I only wish most people experienced the joys of modems that were 2400 baud or less.
------------------
God, Guns and Guts made this country a great country!
oberkommando sez:
"We lost the first and third and now they are after the Second!(no pun intended)"
[This message has been edited by KaMaKaZe (edited September 13, 2000).]
Ron Ankeny
New member
Many factors influence throughput. Some of the posts are correct some are not. You just need to decide how much bandwidth you want and what you are willing to pay. In theory cable can be faster. However, it is shared. On the other hand, an ISDN connection is dedicated from the ISP to your computer. The real issue becomes what happens between your ISP and his connection. If you have DSL and your ISP is saturated, chances are your present cable will win out. Then again, if there are lots of users on your cable, even a saturated DSL can be faster. In reality DSL usually wins. It is a long road to go down to explain why. A very good article on the topic is located at: http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/1999/09/23/cable_dsl/
and I took the liberty of having it e-mailed to you.
Don't let discussions about dynamic host configuration, Web servers, routers, protocols and the like muddy the water. Either connection is better than my crappy 56k modem and as long as you have a decent provider you will be happy. If you like your cable and it is cheaper, then do you really want to change?
KaMaKaZe:
HTTP and FTP both run over TCP. Maybe you are thinking of TFTP which runs over UDP as does SMTP and DNS. BTW, I am a CCNA.
[This message has been edited by Ron Ankeny (edited September 14, 2000).]
and I took the liberty of having it e-mailed to you.
Don't let discussions about dynamic host configuration, Web servers, routers, protocols and the like muddy the water. Either connection is better than my crappy 56k modem and as long as you have a decent provider you will be happy. If you like your cable and it is cheaper, then do you really want to change?
KaMaKaZe:
HTTP and FTP both run over TCP. Maybe you are thinking of TFTP which runs over UDP as does SMTP and DNS. BTW, I am a CCNA.
[This message has been edited by Ron Ankeny (edited September 14, 2000).]
KaMaKaZe, try editing source code on a CYBER using a dumb terminal with a 300 baud modem. Type a line, go get a drink of water, come back and see if there were any typos, repeat as necessary...
I can't wait to move on to my next job so I can buy a house and get cable TV and some sort of high-speed access; even 56k is too slow.
I can't wait to move on to my next job so I can buy a house and get cable TV and some sort of high-speed access; even 56k is too slow.
MrBigglesworth
New member
Cable is not better than DSL.
DSL is not better than Cable.
What is best, is what is best for YOU in any given circumstance.
In my area of Oklahoma City cable came first.
Cable
1.5MB down 768kb up $55 a month
DSL
1.5MB down 128kb up. $40 per month.
So with cable in my situation coming first I jumped on it and have a higher upload speed to boot.
Now had DSL come first I likely would have had it instead!
Another issue with cable is sharing of data lines.
Yes EVERY cable company shares them. But as some DSL zealots would have you think that since cable is shared that automatically makes DSL better.
Not so. It depends on your broadband provider. In my instance since having cable since June of 99 my speed has been steadily increasing on downloads. I use it at all hours of the day and never have any sharing issues.
This is due to 2 factors.
1. noone else has cable access in my area.
or more than likely
2. My cable ISP is properly managing their bandwidth!
Anywho your mileage will vary.
Check out www.getconnected.com to see what options are available.
And whichever you get be sure to go to www.speedguide.net for registry and system tweaks that will help you get the most out of your connection.
In either instance. Both are better than dialup!!!
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Try to take away my gun...and you will see my 2nd Amendment Right in ACTION!!! -Me
FOR THE CHILDREN!!!!
DSL is not better than Cable.
What is best, is what is best for YOU in any given circumstance.
In my area of Oklahoma City cable came first.
Cable
1.5MB down 768kb up $55 a month
DSL
1.5MB down 128kb up. $40 per month.
So with cable in my situation coming first I jumped on it and have a higher upload speed to boot.
Now had DSL come first I likely would have had it instead!
Another issue with cable is sharing of data lines.
Yes EVERY cable company shares them. But as some DSL zealots
would have you think that since cable is shared that automatically makes DSL better.Not so. It depends on your broadband provider. In my instance since having cable since June of 99 my speed has been steadily increasing on downloads. I use it at all hours of the day and never have any sharing issues.
This is due to 2 factors.
1. noone else has cable access in my area.
or more than likely
2. My cable ISP is properly managing their bandwidth!
Anywho your mileage will vary.
Check out www.getconnected.com to see what options are available.
And whichever you get be sure to go to www.speedguide.net for registry and system tweaks that will help you get the most out of your connection.
In either instance. Both are better than dialup!!!
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Try to take away my gun...and you will see my 2nd Amendment Right in ACTION!!! -Me
FOR THE CHILDREN!!!!
What's really a kick in the shorts is that no matter how fast the connection to your ISP is, things can get really slow and it isn't the fault of your ISP. Network speed is dependent on all the Internet segments you have to pass through to get to your intended target system. For those who have it on their systems, try running traceroute when things seem slow. You might find that your packets pass through 10 intermediate networks to get to your intended target and most are pretty fast but its the one in New Jersey, or maybe in Arizona, that is the bottleneck.
Then, on the other hand, you might have to call US Worst to find out that their one (!??) connection to the backbone is overloaded and dropping packets on the floor... for the last three days (been there, done that).
This is one of the major things that drives your ISP's tech support people crazy.
Then, on the other hand, you might have to call US Worst to find out that their one (!??) connection to the backbone is overloaded and dropping packets on the floor... for the last three days (been there, done that).
This is one of the major things that drives your ISP's tech support people crazy.