Your recommendation for me: cable or dsl

[peterd]

Hi,
I've been thinking of possibly switching to something besides my dial up 56k modem since it appears that I can get some different services now.
I'm not sure which of these would be recommended for gaming, so I thought I would ask you folks.
I can get a cable connection through Charter Pipeline (I would need to get cable tv then at $15/month for the basic channels, just the major networks and nothing else which I don't care for). The speed would be a max of 256kb/128kb and would cost $34/month for that (this includes their ISP).

Or

DSL from Qwest without ISP for $22/month, or with MSN internet for $40/month with speeds up to 256kb/256kb. Until may 31 it says they let you use their dsl modem for free, and the activation is free.

I checked on dslreports.com and they say that I am 1320 feet from the CO.

I just don't know enough about broadband, so I thought I would ask some of you. Thanks for any help.
Pete

[Johan Gielen]

I use DSL here in Holland and it works fine for me. Got 60kpbs download speed. Not extremely fast. But fast enough for me (10x faster then a 56k) I need to pay about $51 a month (not sure about the dollars, but I think I am close.....). Pretty expansive if I compare it with your prices, but here in Holland cable and DSL are getting through since a little while, so they haven't got many concurrency, which I believe the US does.... Here in Holland it still is expansive, but DSL is just fine. Cable runs good here too, I believe you can get speeds up to 300kbps down. Now I can't wait 'till it's available in my home town . So about DSL, I'm pretty positive, especially with your prices ! Not expansive at all and you can surf the web pretty fast and downloading doesn't take ages neither

Don't know too much about cable, but DSL is pretty good !

[TwoRails]

HI peterd,

I like DSL and went for it over cable. (I wish I could get cable for only $15!!)

Actual speeds can vary widely from area to area, with DSL beating Cable and visa-versa. One reason I went with DSL is because I read several articles about how easy it is for a neighbor to hack into the cable if they wanted to. I feel more secure with DSL.

HTH

TwoRails

PS: my download speed is 640bps

[Johan Gielen]

Originally posted by TwoRails I like DSL and went for it over cable. (I wish I could get cable for only $15!!)

Me too ! That's so cheap

[jca08]

looks like i'm the only pro cable so far, i decided on cable over DSL due to the relatively higher reliability of the cable lines as opposed to the old telephone lines DSL runs off of because we live in an older neighborhood, where the phone line quality may not be excellent. so far, i'm exceptionally pleased with my cable service from AT&T which i get for about 35$ (USD) per month not including the LinkSys modem which i bought seperately for about 100$ (USD). normally i get speeds of about 1000kbps to 1200kbps which translates to about 130kbps or so download speeds. also, normally DSL tiers their broadband options so that you pay a standard price for about 786kbps. anyways, either option is better than dial-up so just go for the cheapest and most reliable in your area. good luck...

josh

[DragonBreath]

I think he meant 15.00 just for cable tv and whatever extra it is for the cable internet. Thats how mine is. I pay 30.00 U.S. for my cable internet with ISP. I love my connection. I find it more user friendly than DSL to set up. They say the more people on your node with cable the slower your connection will be. This may be true but I have never experienced any slow downs with mine, but not all providers are the same. I would go back dsl reports and see what kind of ratings each provider has there. Take care, DB

[audiyoda]

Well I've had both -- DSL with Northpoint and them Ameritech and cable with AT&T. I love the spped of cable when there is little traffic on my node -- which is rare. DSL with Northpoint was very fast but they are DOA, Ameritech's speeds are about 1/2 as fast as Northpoint's. DSL speeds are consistant -- and that is important to me.

As for service, the 'techs' at AT&T don't know any more that a newbie on this board -- same with Ameritech. The techs at Northpoint were sharp, but then they were a DSL servicer like Quest is, not just a provider like AT&T or CLEC like Ameritech. But if I had a problem, once I got Ameritech to actually believe it was on their end, they responded within hours, Northpoint would have to get one of their contractors out and that could take days.

So there are pluses and minuses to both -- re-visit dslreports.com and check the various forums they have from the two providers you are considering. See what others think about the services they are getting. Also, if Quest can offer DSL in your area, check with your telco, I'd more than bet they can offer you DSL as well -- and most likely faster than they offer from Quest.

BTW, I have AT&T right now because I have no other choice after we moved. If I had my choice, I'd have DSL.

-Craig

[SARGE]

All things being equal, cable blows DSL out of the water. However, with cable you share with others and speed could resemble the freeway at 5 p.m. on a Friday. With DSL you have your very own 2 little wires, but this is where line quality is a must. With cable, if the line has trouble, everyone has trouble and the fix is easy; not so with the telco unless the telco cable is cut plumb in half.

[LawyerRon]

Really depends on the service in your area. I'm on cable and very pleased so far. In other areas, cable is terrible. Same with DSL; good in some areas, bad in others. If the service is good and dependable, you'll be satisfied with either one.

[doubledragon5]

ALSO IF YOUR MORE THAN 11,000 FT FROM THE STATION WERE YOU DSL ORIGINATES FROM YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE IT FOR YOUR INTERNET AND IF YOU ARE JUST BELOW A HAIR THE DOWN LOAD RATE WILL BE JUST LIKE DIAL UP SUCKY

[RayCom]

Peterd.

I'm on charter pipeline and in my area they have a 3-tiered level of service. I have the the top level which is guaranteed 1Gbit/sec. Many times I get 1.2 to 1.4Gbit/sec. Rarely it will dip down in the 900's.

Ray

[SARGE]

http://www.geocities.com/dmz1967/dsl.html

[RayCom]

check this,

http://bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/stats.html

click on "connection type"

[shecky981]

it was simple for me, i had to get cable becuase i could not get DSL. Now, my dad has DSL and they love it because the speeds are consistent. I love cable because i get INSANELY fast speeds on off peak hours (at the moment i am hitting about 3.1 megabit download speed)

[peterd]

Thanks a lot everyone for your replies. With the cable connection, I would be picking the lowest tier which is 256kb download maximum and 128kb upload max. It sounds like it would flucuate on me, but would be better than my dialup anyways.
If I'm playing some games online, would it make a difference between this plan and the dsl plan (which is 256kb download max and 256kb upload max)? When I'm playing online games will the higher upload rate give me better ping rates?
I might just try one and see if I like it, and if not try the other, since they both don't have any time limit on how long I need to keep their service (I think the cable service said I need to keep theirs for 3 months though which is fine). And of course, I'll take your suggestions and links and do some more research.
Thanks for all the help everyone.
Pete

[morriswindgate]

Well I went with cable, since I am too far from the last hub to get DSL. But I am pleased with the service from Roadrunner and in light of the fact that if I could have gotten DSL it would have been through PACBELL and given their history with DSL, I am extremely glad I got cable.
Of course you forgot to mentioned the newest no cost broardband option. Namely getting a wireless setup and moving next door to someone who has DSL or Cable thru a wireless router.

[RayH]

If you don't need cable TV service, then you have to include $15 on top of the cable internet charge. MSN subcontracts for the DSL service. If the subcontractor goes belly up, MSN will make some adjustment.

But however you go, stick an ethernet card in your computer and dont' use a USB connection.

[crow]

I have PacBell DSL & I just run the test.
download = 1301 kbps
upload = 136 kbps
-
Crow

[RayCom]

peterd,

Another thing to consider is whether or not you can get the service without getting locked into a long-term contract. The only DSL provider in my area wanted to lock me into a 2 year contract.(Or I could take 1 year and pay almost $300.00 for the modem.) My cable is month to month service. Good luck on whatever decision you make.

Ray

[glc]

With those 2 options I would go with the DSL because Charter's service can be terrible depending on region. The download speeds are capped the same and speeds up or down have nothing to do with ping times. Being that close to the switch means that your DSL line will likely be VERY clean. I would anticipate Qwest staying in business for a good long while.

[Billkt49]

I have cable and love it when it is not crowded. The problem is the signal is split with everyone on your "node" It can be the freeway at rush hour in the late afternoon and evening time. The good thing is it never goes down and even when it is busy, it is still several times faster then dial up

[troysvihl]

And I've run two different addresses on dslreports, and the first time they told me you have to live within 18000 feet. The second time, (different location and phone #) they told me 12000 feet. And doubledragon5 quotes 11000 feet.

What gives with the varrying distances from the CO?

[doubledragon5]

I think it all depends on who your ISP carrer is I have SNET here in CONN and that's what they told me before I signed up. Luckly I'm less than a 1000 ft from my Phone station so I have one of the best services around. I know a fellow who I work with and he told me he could not get DSL because he live at least 12000+ ft from his phone station where his DSL would come out of.

[wolfie]

hi
i got cable. with buying my own modem i pay 34.95 a month.
speeds are great. games to download usally took 10-12 hours now takes seconds. i have att. then i use msn explorer to get around.

[hollywood]

I'm using DSL 1500/256
Sprint Fast Connect/Earthlink
$49.99 month
have no problems very fasst!
Florida USA

[SARGE]

The telco down here has restricted the distance to 12-14k on straight copper (distance from office to home). In the beginning they had around 18k, but too many problems. If you go through a different ISP, telco is obligated to try and make it work up to whatever the ISP is advertising.