Cable v. DSL Internet Service

[Ambulance Chaser]

I am ready to enter the 21st century and get internet service at home. I have a choice between Comcast cable and Verizon DSL. Please help me with this choice by laying out the pros and cons of each. Right now, I am leaning toward DSL, as the room in which I will be using the internet has a phone jack. The room also contains a flat-screen TV connected to cable, but the cable outlet is in a closet in the back of the wall unit on which the TV is mounted. I think there may be some construction needed to split the cable and extend the outlet into the room, not to mention possible signal degradation issues with splitting.

 

[Lucky7]

I have Verizon FIOS..I've had it for business since it first came out, now I have it at home.

 

[JasonC8301]

+1 on Fios. I have had cable for a few years and service sucked due to the other folks on the pipe hogging all the bandwidth while DSL is too slow in this flash based internet heavy age. Heck my computer is getting slow on handling some software.

 

[batorizer]

i had dsl about 4 or so years ago and the service sucked. i've been using cable since then and when i moved to atl i got on with comcast. i was using cox in okc, which was a little better, but that could be because i now live in a large apartment complex. oh yeah, just get a wireless router if the outlet location is an issue.

 

[jagmqt]

I've had both comcast and dsl (but through AT&T)...i haven't noticed much difference in speed. (I don't do any gaming or any of that crap).

If I must choose, I would choose not to send any money to comcast...I loathe that company and their piss poor company service...so I currently have DSL and am satisfied.

jag

 

[briancl]

fios > comcast cable > dsl

 

[fredfred]

briancl has it right. If fios if available to you (verizon offers it) it will give you the "highest power" internet (fastest). They also package it with a ton of digital TV stuff... so if you have tons of money you can get a ton of channels, HD TV, etc. I don't know the pricing, but I'd assume it is expensive.

However, if you mostly just use email, and "surf" a few websites - and don't plan on watching lots of video content, then it won't matter which of the 3 you choose. Go with the lowest price.

But in terms of performance, fios is better than cable internet - and cable internet is better than dsl.

Finally, both Verizon and Comcast are thieves. Too bad they are allowed to screw people over like they do. Comcast is coming out with MUCH faster cable modems in some markets. But they and all the others are exhibiting monopolistic behaviour and conspiring to exclude others from offering service, etc.

 

[Get Smart]

I've had cable and DSL, between the two, I think cable is faster (better)

 

[visionology]

Cable is faster in most places I've been to. Here especially it's MUCH faster. Just tested my cable speed the other day for an internet phone service I'm using and it came out to 32Mbit down and 8Mbit up which is pretty incredible.

To show how fast, I just purchased Adobe Creative Suite which is around 4GB a couple weeks ago through their download method and the entire thing finished in well under an hour.

Most of the people I know who have had DSL either switched to cable or complain of slow speeds, especially when uploading.

 

[Agnacious]

I use Skype and noticed my calls were being dropped on my Comcast. The phone has its own router, this one:

http://www.buy.com/prod/philips-voip...204113458.html

so it was not computer related, and I tested with nothing else attached.

Drops occured anywhere from a couple of minutes to 30+ minutes into the call. Just started happening in the last 6 months.

The grassy knoll theorists claim that comcast is allowing this to happen (not fixing the problem) so as to promote their own internet phone.

Something to keep in mind of you want it for skype. Other than that, I would recommend cable.

 

[Dmax]

Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser

I am ready to enter the 21st century and get internet service at home. I have a choice between Comcast cable and Verizon DSL. Please help me with this choice by laying out the pros and cons of each. Right now, I am leaning toward DSL, as the room in which I will be using the internet has a phone jack. The room also contains a flat-screen TV connected to cable, but the cable outlet is in a closet in the back of the wall unit on which the TV is mounted. I think there may be some construction needed to split the cable and extend the outlet into the room, not to mention possible signal degradation issues with splitting.
What are the advertised Download/Upload speeds from both providers? Generally, but not always, cable internet service offers faster download/upload speeds but you should still compare. A lot of times DSL may offer a lower speed tier of service at a reduced price. If you do go with DSL you may need to install small noise filters inline to your regular phone sets. One of the few possible disadvantages to cable is the shared line. Your peak download speeds may be impacted if you have neighbors who also have cable internet and decided to transfer a lot of data all at once (download movies, etc.). You setup sounds fairly simple so I don't think you have to worry about signal degradation as much. Just make sure to use newer RG6/U cabling and not the older RG59 type.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

DC is getting Verizon FiOS within ten years.

I plan on using the internet primarily for checking on e-mail and posting on SF. Will DSL be adequate for those purposes?

 

[Manton]

I too have had both, and think that cable is better.

 

[countdemoney]

Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser

DC is getting Verizon FiOS within ten years.

I plan on using the internet primarily for checking on e-mail and posting on SF. Will DSL be adequate for those purposes?

Yes, DSL will be more than adequate.

I prefer DSL because you can VPN much easier with it, and DSL usually has higher upload speeds than cable, should you ever choose to work from home.

I think cable offers it, but I believe you get some access to wi-fi networks with your DSL subscription. Very useful should you ever decide to surf styleforum at the local starbucks and impress the ladies:

"Wanna come up and see my apparel arts collection? With original fabric swatches..."

 

[Mauby]

In the past and soley for research testing purposes on internet speed only of course, I have borrowed my neighbors' wifi connections. I noticed the ones with RCN's cable internet were much faster than ones with Comcast's DSL.