Author Topic: Cable or DSL  (Read 707 times)

Offline DR00

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Cable or DSL
« on: September 12, 2000, 01:58:00 PM »
Well, that is the question. Would appreciate any feedback/comments on the two choices.

Offline Skuzzy

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Cable or DSL
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2000, 02:46:00 PM »
DSL and Cable connections bith have pluses and minuses.

From what I have been able to discern from the various reports I get, it appears to be inconsistent.  That is to say, the geographical region you are located in might show DSL as a better choice over Cable or vice-versa.

From the technical point of view, DSL would be the preferred option for real-time Internet gaming.

Cable networks suffer from 2 potential problems, as it relates to real-time Internet traffic.
1) The cable networks are laid out using regionalized gateways to the Internet.  Anyone with a cable modem can test this by doing a traceroute to a common Internet site, such as www.yahoo.com.   Usually, there are 6 to 7 hops (routers), before you actually reach the Internet gateway.  These gateways have marginal connections to the Internet and can cause your real-time connection to have a very wide swing in ping/response times.
2) Your neighbors cable modem connection will effect your connection.  That is to say, you are sharing a single network line with up to 200 other homes in your area.  The more they do, the less bandwidth you have and thus even a wider swing in performance occurs.

Now note, you will see and hear cable modem users proclaim they have incredible download rates and Web sites load instantly, but this is due to the transparent caching technology the cable networks use.  This helps to offload thier gateways, but real-time traffic cannot be cached, such as Internet gaming.

On a positive note, cable modem access is cheaper than DSL service, but if your cable Internet company is lousy, you cant switch to another one.

DSL suffers from bandwidth sharing problems as well, but they are controlled by the ISP you connect to.  If the ISP oversells thier DSL service, performance can be as bad as cable modem service.
But, you can change providers with DSL, if you chose to do so.

It really boils down to priorities.  If your priority is real-time Internet gaming, such as AH, the DSL, would probably be a better choice.
But, if WEB browsing and such is a higher priority, then cable may be a better choice.

Just note, that if you choose DSL, do not choose the cheapest provider you can find.  There is a reason they are cheap.  Either they are in a hurry to build a client base so they can sell out, or they are just flat overselling thier service.

A reasonable ISP, looking to make sure thier clients have enough bandwidth for thier connections, usually charges around $25.00 (U.S)/month.

Hope this helps.  

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Offline Toad

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Cable or DSL
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2000, 03:49:00 PM »
I just went cable about a month ago.

Simple choice...my neighborhood is too far from the switching center for DSL. They said they'd be ready for us in about 18 months. LOL, 18 months in this biz will be all new technology!

Cable is working OK for me...but it has just hit and I don't think the load is that high yet.

I CAN say this...it's way better than my old dial-up ISP was. Why? Because it's rare that the average modem in this neighborhood can get over 28.8. I finally found a USR that could get to the hi 30's most times...but I went through 4 brands/modems looking for it!

Good luck!
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!

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Cable or DSL
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2000, 05:34:00 PM »
DSL

Offline Sancho

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Cable or DSL
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2000, 11:21:00 AM »
DSL means consistently lower latency.  Lower ping times translates to smooth gaming.  I have DSL and I love it.

Cable can have varying latency, sometimes good, sometimes bad, depending on usage.  Cable beats DSL in outright throughput; you can download large files faster.

Cable is far, far easier to have installed than DSL.  Most ILECs are unable at this time to meet the soaring demand for DSL service, while cable providers have had time to develop their service more, and don't have to share their lines with other ISPs.  So expect a week or so to get cable...maybe less.  DSL can take months to get installed, if you qualify for it.

Either is better than dialup.  

Offline maddog

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Cable or DSL
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2000, 11:37:00 AM »
Have cable in Silicon valley and just downloaded new rev in 28 sec,(2.x meg).. no complaints.. tryed to get DSL but they told me you have to be within 3 miles from CO... now I think they sell DSL further away from the central office but you don't get the full bandwith... something to be watchfull of...
doc

Offline Vermillion

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Cable or DSL
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2000, 11:49:00 AM »
DSL is preferable for gaming, but cable is a good alternative.

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Offline Sancho

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Cable or DSL
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2000, 12:12:00 PM »
 
Quote
Originally posted by maddog:
now I think they sell DSL further away from the central office but you don't get the full bandwith... something to be watchfull of...
doc

This is most likely IDSL, which goes up to 22 000 feet from the CO, but at a max rate of 144kbps.  Still, the ping times with IDSL are consistently low.  So for gaming purposes, it is definitely good to go.  I think if I had to choose between IDSL and cable, I'd have to go cable, just because I can't deal with 144kbps max throughput.  

There are developments to bring ADSL service to customers further out from the CO, like Southwestern Bell's Project Pronto (basically deploying mini DSLAMs in remote areas), but these initiatives could be a year or longer in reaching customers due to litigation between Bell and CLECs (Covad, NorthPoint, IPC, et. al).  If only Bell would play nice with the other phone companies.


Shade324th

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Cable or DSL
« Reply #8 on: September 15, 2000, 04:28:00 PM »
If I order a cable modem, will I be able to download duke nukem 2 faster than on my 2400baud modem?
 

Offline pugg666

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Cable or DSL
« Reply #9 on: September 16, 2000, 10:55:00 PM »
all i can say is....up here in the great white north i get consistent 100k/sec downloads...and i ping at 35 average to the ah main server on my adsl

Offline Sancho

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Cable or DSL
« Reply #10 on: September 17, 2000, 12:59:00 AM »
Wow.  I get 65ms average over my ADSL.  And I'm only a few hundred miles south of HTC.  You're up in Canada.  That's a good ISP.  

Offline pugg666

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Cable or DSL
« Reply #11 on: September 17, 2000, 10:31:00 AM »
odd i know...i only ping 60-70 to the chessapeak server of ultima online and that is a lot closer than htc!