Author Topic: Cable to DSL or Vice Versa? (Read 459 times)

Halo · « **on:** March 16, 2007, 10:09:27 PM »

Any of you ever switch from cable to DSL? If so, do you still like DSL better or would you rather have cable again?

I periodically reconsider the issue but so far have concluded better to stay with cable than switch to DSL. Am I missing something?

Mini D · « **Reply #1 on:** March 16, 2007, 11:40:24 PM »

I ran DSL for about 5 years. I just switched to cable last year. DSL could not compete with the cable prices on a bandwidth comparison. Both seem to be about as stable with a slight edge going to the cable connection... though this may just be the fact that my DSL provider hadn't gotten the latest equipment in our area yet.

MrRiplEy[H] · « **Reply #2 on:** March 17, 2007, 04:05:43 AM »

Usually cableconnections are worse for gaming. Their architecture tends to be different, namely more customers behind one node which may cause intermittant lag due to consumption peaks. Cable connections also have major technical problems with all clients interconnected through the same loop. This means that whenever the company extends the service and connects another house to the loop, any technical problem that is caused by the new client are reflected to all the traffic. Been there, done that.

Cable may provide more Mb for buck but DSL usually provides more steady ping times which is what gamers expect.

I would never even consider going back to cable. Afterall 8/1 DSL is only $55 a month.

Roscoroo · « **Reply #3 on:** March 17, 2007, 04:48:39 AM »

depends on the area , and the condition of the phone lines . are they trying to get dsl to work good on 60 yr old corroded lines ... ???

or are you sitting in a old cable area ???

Blagard · « **Reply #4 on:** March 17, 2007, 07:51:32 AM »

I have cable because it is was a new installation and infrastructure less than 10 years ago.

The alternative is the overhead telephone line that connects to my house (built 1937). I just do not see how an ancient overhead telephone line is going to give a clean signal for modern day equipment. Heck, 20 years agoI had to replace all the telephone cable in the house as the insulation was just falling off the wires! - That was of course before I went cable for my telephone as well. So from my point of view there is no real choice unless some-one can convince me old overhead cables will give good connections!

Skuzzy · « **Reply #5 on:** March 17, 2007, 08:19:01 AM »

It really does depend on the area you live in.

From a pure technical stand point. DSL is better, in terms of consistency and security. However, it is in the implementation which makes the choice for you. It is difficult for cable to be consistent due to the very nature of the shared physical line architecture.

The best way to determine which could be best for you is to solicit opinions from your neighbors.

In my neighborhood, DSL blows cable away in every category. But I know that is not true in all areas of the country.

detch01 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 17, 2007, 10:31:07 AM »

I switched from cable to DSL two years ago when the phone company started to offer tv & internet in my area. Since the switch my tv and internet have been completely reliable. Real-world DL capacities are at least equivalent of what we could get through the cable company. The service is less expensive here, has more tv channels and I can talk to a real person in customer service who actually knows what the hell they are talking about in about 5 minutes at any given time. Add to that a rock solid connection to AH

.
I'll likely never switch back to cable if I can avoid it.

YMMV

Cheers,
asw

Wes14 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 17, 2007, 11:00:51 AM »

i Have cable connection now(ISP will be dropping service here soon)
Yahoo DSL and AT&T DSL still have service..both cable and phone lines here r about 2 years old(and underground).only bad thing is that the whole county here seems to be on one cable node.which on summer break or certain times on weekends cable seems to resemble my old dial up service

so here DSL is a tad bit slower but more reliable:aok

my 2 cents

Hoarach · « **Reply #8 on:** March 17, 2007, 11:37:43 AM »

wes...fyi yahoo dsl and AT&T dsl have combined if you google sbc dsl they are the same thing. SBC Yahoo and AT&T merged.

Wes14 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 17, 2007, 12:23:50 PM »

oh,my bad:o

Reschke · « **Reply #10 on:** March 17, 2007, 07:31:46 PM »

For me cable has been the way to go for the last 4+ years. When I moved back to Birmingham from California it was DSL because the townhouse we lived in had just gotten new updated phone lines run into it due to something the phone company was trying. However once we moved into a house the DSL went downhill and cable has been significantly better and more stable in the three houses we have lived in over 6 years.

In the first house and the second house DSL was tried unsuccessfully twice and it was up and down more than a hooker giving $5 jobs on Saturday night during fleet week.

Ghosth · « **Reply #11 on:** March 18, 2007, 10:20:00 AM »

Where your located and who your providers are makes a huge difference.

Some area's cable is better, others its DSL.

Best bet is to find someone using each in your area, then do a trace, ie ping plotter, or Visual Route to HTC on each system. See who's got the best connect, fewest dropped packets, etc.

Also the time of day you fly can make a big difference.
Cable tends to overload their loops, esp in prime time when everyone is home & surfing. DSL tends to not have this problem as its physically limited to 8 users per circuit. But if you fly in the daytime, or late at night this is less likely to be a problem.

Halo · « **Reply #12 on:** March 19, 2007, 05:01:06 PM »

Verizon promptly shipped a DSL kit to me. I examined it, considered where it might be installed, and thought more about my telephone home wiring. More than 30 years old. No phone outlets in the two rooms where my computers are; they're connected with 20-foot Radio Shack phone extension lines.

Doesn't seem conducive to optimum DSL, does it.

In contrast, my cable lines are only a couple years old, originally designed for their load, not like having DSL on old phone lines and regular phone extension cords.

Duh. I thought maybe Verizon would offer some wire upgrading and new inside phone outlets, but nope. They're not THAT competitive although the cable company did all its upgrades and new outlets at no cost, nothing obvious, anyway, except usual high rates.

Verizon got its revenge today by bouncing me all over for FORTY-FIVE minutes before someone finally agreed to cancel the DSL I never started. Ordering that service was a nearly instant connection. Coincidence, huh?

Providing DSL speed can match or exceed cable speed, I'm still considering eventually switching to DSL to avoid some of the "party line" cable degradation that several of you have mentioned.

But not yet, not with my ancient wiring and inadequate outlets.

Roscoroo · « **Reply #13 on:** March 19, 2007, 08:17:41 PM »

my dsl (verzon) was so bad at my new place ... that they couldnt even keep it hooked up or the phone working ... then due to there screw up in the lines up the street .... they had to reroute my phone onto another line ... well they get the phone setup ... but guess were the dsl was .. on the dead line ...

Now comes the 3 triple billing , multi hook up charge all over Verizons Frelling bad lines / mistakes ...

well i get that all settled even though they Ripped me off ,,, they send me a balance check for 2 bucks ... LOL after i canceled them ... Want more ???

8 months later Verizon sends me another bill outta the blue for 100 bucks . Aurgh .... Gods there frelling STUPID @ verzon ..

now Cable is a better deal tv /phone/intardnet all in one package w/ free long distance . it dl's faster then dsl and is pritty stable connect most of the time .