Cable modem or DSL? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

suginami · #1 10-31-2005, 11:02 PM

I currently have a cable modem with Adelphia Cable (soon to be Comcast, I believe).

I am moving into a new home soon, and was on the phone with Verizon today telling them about my move and to transfer my phone service to the new address.

They informed me that I can get their "fast" DSL service for $29.95 / month at speeds "up to" 3.0 Mbps.

With Comcast, I can allegedly get speeds "up to" 6.0 Mbps.

I ran a modem speed test with my current connection, and am connecting at about the 1.5 to 1.6 Mbps range.

Is DSL really as fast as a cable modem?

Waddya think I should do?

Emmerich · #2 10-31-2005, 11:08 PM

I had SBC DSL and now have Comcast cable. Cable seems a bit faster WHEN IT WORKS. I had long outages on cable, took 3 triies before a guy could come out and confirm what I already knew: their system was screwed up and they did not know how to fix it. They had "upgraded" something, and screwed up people somewhere else. I am on the verge of dumping them next time it burps, mainly because they are so incompetent.

Check out Verizon FIOS service, CALL them and see if it is in your area. Don't trust their online calculator that will tell you if it available based on your address.

Brian Carlton · #3 10-31-2005, 11:22 PM

I can tell you precisely.

I had the DSL for two years and had to listen to the BS from Verizon for the entire period. "They were just as fast as cable and they were cheaper."

Well, the facts are as follows:

DSL depends on the distance from the central station. The practical limit is about 15,000 feet. The closer you are to the limit, the slower the speed. Mine would run 768K on downloads using the speed test. This was when everything was running perfectly. Some days it fell to 350K. The system would frequently go down, once or twice per week, and calling them would result in the same BS every time:

We don't show any outages in your area so it must be your computer.

Troubleshooting my computer never solved anything. They sent me to buy line filters, sent a new modem. Nothing ever solved the problem until time passed. Then, magically, 10 minutes to six hours later, the system returned on its own.

It was one of the most frustrating two years that I ever experienced. I now know why people go postal.

However, there are folks that have DSL on fiber optic cable and it's fast as hell............faster than the cable. This is the way to go, if you can get it.

If you can't, then find out exactly how far you are from the central station. If you are more than 10,000 feet, the tell Verizon to stick it and stay with the cable. You'll never get a reliable connection at 1500K at that distance, no matter what they tell you.

The cable has gone out twice, for about 10 minutes each time, in the last six months. Very fast and very reliable. The lack of stress is worth the additional cost.

#4 11-01-2005, 06:58 AM

It depends on your area, check out www.dslreports.com and do a service search and browse the forum. Comcast is one of the best cable systems around but their are areas that have problems.

Ask some computer savvy neighbors what they use.

boneheaddoctor · #5 11-01-2005, 08:33 AM

I have had good results from Verizon DSL but its a YMMV thing...speed is directly related to the distance from your house to the Central office...closer is faster...

But its not shared bandwidth so you have it 24/7 cable modems are shared bandwidth so if you have a few neighbors who are like me sucking up the bandwidth 24/7 your throughput will be sucky...

G-Benz · #6 11-01-2005, 08:49 AM

The posts concerning DSL vs cable are pretty accurate so far. Verizon FIOS pioneered their service right here in Keller, TX a couple of years ago. And they did a HUGE marketing push to get subscribers.

Since I was using a 56K modem and my office no longer supported the ISDN line they installed, ANYTHING was better than what I had.

FIOS is fiber optic, and the distance from the central station is moot. I paid for the 1.5 MiPS service, and for the most part, it hovers at that speed (Keller is a small community). No outages to report after a year of service.

If FIOS is available, get it. But unless you've seen guys plowing up easements in your area and running underground cable, you may not have the infrastructure in place. If you do, Verizon has to connect you to their network (i.e., another dig from the easment to your house)...seamless if done right.

suginami · #7 11-01-2005, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

If you can't, then find out exactly how far you are from the central station. If you are more than 10,000 feet, the tell Verizon to stick it and stay with the cable. You'll never get a reliable connection at 1500K at that distance, no matter what they tell you.

I checked the site that Medmech posted, and apparently the new house is 15,330 ft. from the central station. Not good.

Maybe I should stick with the cable modem.

boneheaddoctor · #8 11-01-2005, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by G-Benz

The posts concerning DSL vs cable are pretty accurate so far. Verizon FIOS pioneered their service right here in Keller, TX a couple of years ago. And they did a HUGE marketing push to get subscribers.

Since I was using a 56K modem and my office no longer supported the ISDN line they installed, ANYTHING was better than what I had.

FIOS is fiber optic, and the distance from the central station is moot. I paid for the 1.5 MiPS service, and for the most part, it hovers at that speed (Keller is a small community). No outages to report after a year of service.

If FIOS is available, get it. But unless you've seen guys plowing up easements in your area and running underground cable, you may not have the infrastructure in place. If you do, Verizon has to connect you to their network (i.e., another dig from the easment to your house)...seamless if done right.

I'm waiting for FIOS in my neighborhood.....will move to that immediately from DSL when its availible. I've got far too many issues with the Cable company to consider tgiving them another dime of my money...(try $90 a month for cable with only HBO as a premium)

Brian Carlton · #9 11-01-2005, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suginami

I checked the site that Medmech posted, and apparently the new house is 15,330 ft. from the central station. Not good.

Maybe I should stick with the cable modem.

You probably should.

I am 15,000 feet away and the service was very poor. I also suffered from a 60 year old infrastructure of copper that is in the neighborhood.

If the price is attractive, try the DSL, but don't sign for any contract. It's as simple as plugging in a telephone line and a modem. That's what was so attractive to me in the first place. No stringing of cable wires to the office. But, in the end, I did it anyway.

croftynsteph · #10 11-01-2005, 12:51 PM

I had Comcast for their 6 month/19.95 deal. Being a student I dropped them right before that deal ended. I searched around for a DSL company that was reasonable, and Yahoo/SBC has a great price but isn't available in my neck of the woods. I went with Verizon DSL and I don't notice any difference in speed compared to cable. I download music and all sorts of encyclopedia related videos and it is more than fast enough for me. I don't do any gaming and very rarely upload anything large, so I don't have a comment regarding the upload speed disparity.
I think the whole bandwidth thing is what computers are supposedly getting into. At a certain point, the technology is so much faster than what you need that you won't notice a difference. Only after media catches up to the speeds offered will you notice a huge difference between the speeds. Of course I'm not big into computers and have no clue what my distance is from the central station and all that. All I know is that DSL works just fine for me and is half what cable costs. For what I need, I can live with not having the "fastest" internet available. A 5 MB song typically takes 15-20 secs through Sony Connect. Best of luck.

sfloriII · #11 11-01-2005, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boneheaddoctor

I'm waiting for FIOS in my neighborhood.....will move to that immediately from DSL when its availible. I've got far too many issues with the Cable company to consider tgiving them another dime of my money...(try $90 a month for cable with only HBO as a premium)

FIOS won't be available in my neighborhood. Neither is DSL. DISH won't work because I'm right up against the forest.

Guess I have to keep gettin' rammed by Comcast and their monopoly.

Botnst · #12 11-01-2005, 07:16 PM

I tried DSL but thsi ragged house has too many phone wires floating around the attic acting like a giant EMF antenna, I guess. Anyway, phone company said it was too noisy. So I have the appropriately named Cox Cable. When it is fast, it's really, really fast and when it is slow, it is still faster than 56K modem. Making me a Cox-sucker.

MikeTangas · #13 11-01-2005, 07:25 PM

Well Paul, you could just go back to being "so dial-up" like the rest of us. Somewhat slower than the rest of the world, but it always works.

BTW Bot...once, and you're labeled for life

Botnst · #14 11-01-2005, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeTangas

Well Paul, you could just go back to being "so dial-up" like the rest of us. Somewhat slower than the rest of the world, but it always works.

BTW Bot...once, and you're labeled for life

I have heard at least 3 versions of that joke and laugh everytime. My favorite was set in Scotland.

Bot

Botnst · #15 11-01-2005, 07:53 PM

here it is.

A tourist is on a walking holiday in the Scottish highlands. It's a misty day and, his mind having been on other things, he realizes he is hopelessly lost. It's late in the afternoon and he's desperate to find a village with a pub, where he can have a drink and stay the night. Luckily, after about half an hour, he spies a passer-by, who turns out to be a local who agrees to show him the way. They set off at a brisk pace. They pass a beautiful, though clearly quite recently planted, forest.
"D'yer see those trees?" asks the guide, " I planted all of them. And d'yer think I'm called Jock the Forester? Am I hell."
A little later, they pass a really pretty, finely built cottage.
"D'yer see that cottage over there?" asks the man again. "I designed and built it all on my own. And d'yer think I'm called Jock the Builder? Am I hell."
Further along, with the village just in view, they pass a fine looking garden surrounded by some magnificent railings. "D'yer see those railings?" asks the man. "I forged them all by myself. And d'yer think I'm called Jock the Blacksmith? Am I hell." "But" he continued, "you hae sex with just one sheep only once......."