DSL or Cable Internet???

[Fella]

I was told by Verizon, that DSL had better firewall. Is that true? I have Norton's firewall and XP's firewall is that enough? And is Cable faster than DSL?

Thanks!

 

[beansbaxter]

Dont rely on DSL having a "better firewall" cause you have to protect yourself. When your always on with broadband connections, get a good firewall (I use Zona Alarm Pro personally).

As for cable versus DSL...

Cable is cheaper because you are sharing the capacitor with everyone on the block, hence there can be peak times when the bandwith is not as fast it usually is. Still though, cable has improved so much over the years, that there are hardly every any slow times. It is hella fast all day and night long, but I do get better download times at night when less people are competing with the bandwith.

DSL is more expensive because you are paying for your own exclusive capacitor, and you are not sharing it with anyone. Speed can be faster all day every day, and even faster if you want to pay more for additional bandwith.

I prefer Cable because it is cheaper than DSL, and with cable television, they have some combination packages that dont make it that much more. With DSL, you have to pay your cable television bill and for your DSL.

 

[FreakyGuy]

Cable cost more here in Dallas. $43 compared to DSL for $27. DSL requires a home phone though which can add up to more and cable is about $10 more if you don't subscribe to cable. Also Cable here in dallas is rated at about 3500k compared to DSL is about 1400k. If you sign up for Comcast cable they give you a one year subscription to Mcafee Firewall Plus for free. Also you can download excellent free firewalls like zonalarm or sygate.

My vote is for cable since their twice as fast and offer twice as much upload bandwith. DSL usually is only 128k upload and cable is 256k. Faster to send files to your family and friends.

 

[JackMDS]

May be this can Help: Cable/DSL Routers - NAT & Ports.

Security has very very little to do with the ISP (DSL Cable waht ever), it is you and your computer that are in the front line.

Link to: Basic Protection for Broadband Internet Installation.

:sun:

 

[Xtremist]

What beansbaxter says is mostly true. The biggest difference between cable and most DSL service is WHERE you share the bandwidth with other users. DSL users have a dedicated line back to the telco CO and from that point on is shared with other users back to the ISP and over the net. Cable brings that point of sharing closer to home in that everyone in the same area shares the same piece of pipe. What does this mean in noticable terms?

Cable has a higher liklihood of becoming saturated and slowing down. DSL generally avoids this problem. Cable is also generally rated at faster speeds than DSL though so you have a higher high as well...

I've always preferred DSL as a technology personally and have had it since it was available here (about 4 years).

As far as the firewall issue, protect yourself, don't rely on your ISP to do it. Cheers!

 

[FreakyGuy]

I had DSL for over a year and switched to Comcast cable and the pings are the about the same since the Comcast speed upgrade last year. I've had Comcast over a year now and play online Everquest, Counterstrike, Tribes etc and notice it's faster in downloads. Pings are similar if not faster. I share the connection with my roomate and we can both play on different servers with a low ping.

I used to be like you Xtremist and preferred DSL. Cable nowadays is so fast I wouldn't consider going back. Check it out.

 

[beansbaxter]

I too use to have DSL, prefferring it over cable because I had too many times on cable internet where it would lag when everyone was checking their email at peak times in the afternoon. Since then, cable has gotten incredibly fast 24/7...and I wanted to save a few more bucks so I got rid of the DSL.

It is nice that the cable company will save you about $10 overall a month if you combine your cable television and cable internet packages....what sucks is the phone company wont save you anything when you sign up for DSL.

Plus, I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico. If only they threw in free high-speed internet...then the world would be a better place.

 

[PCHPlayer]

Originally posted by: beansbaxter
I too use to have DSL, prefferring it over cable because I had too many times on cable internet where it would lag when everyone was checking their email at peak times in the afternoon. Since then, cable has gotten incredibly fast 24/7...and I wanted to save a few more bucks so I got rid of the DSL.

It is nice that the cable company will save you about $10 overall a month if you combine your cable television and cable internet packages....what sucks is the phone company wont save you anything when you sign up for DSL.

Plus, I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico. If only they threw in free high-speed internet...then the world would be a better place.

All of this is relative. In my area (Torrance, CA) RoadRunner is $45/month where Verizon offers DSL (1500/384) for $35 less $5 if you get it with a phone service package. Since Time/Warner has the audacity to charge $55 for basic cable, there is no way I will give them another $45 a month.

 

[Fella]

Thanks!

The prices are about the same for Cable internet (Comcast) and DSL (Verizon) with the specials that they are offering.

Based on the information everyone provided I will get the Cable internet.

So, is Norton's Internet firewall or XP's firewall enough or I should get another firewall like the ones mention (eg. Zona Alarm Pro or sygate)?

 

[imported_FishTaco]

Don't forget, DSL speed will vary depending on your distance from their equipment.

 

[mboy]

Cable is generally faster on the AVG. OOl (cablevision in Metro NY area) is THE fastest in the coutnry @ 9mb downloads and 1mb uploads.

 

[Concillian]

I feel cable is good if you fit into their mold and can deal with the fluctuation issues that have been discussed here.

DSL is much more flexible depending on the ISP, cable is usually a 'one size fits all' package. DSL generally has more stages (6000 kb down to 128 kb), most DSL ISP will give an option for static IPs so you can serve information from home, etc...

Cable is often cheaper, and for the normal home user, adequate. I use a server at my house for various little things, and have a static IP, etc... so for me DSL is better. For the average person, who has no problem with a dynamic IP, whatever's cheaper is probably best. But if you go with either the telco (verizon) or cable, you will get cold shouldered on a lot of issues...

example:
I know someone who has about 4% packet loss through his cable line, it causes problems playing online games, but in normal browsing and such is unnoticeable. His provider (Cox) has 15% packet loss allowance. .. if it's below that, they won't do anything for you. Umm 15% is a HUGE allowance, and gaming becomes "un-possible". I'd be surprised if the local telco is any different in these kinds of policies. But a good independent ISP will work with you on these kinds of issues. In this case DSL is better, but only because there are good ISPs with DSL, but with cable you have only one option.

In any event, as has been said before, use your own firewall. If verizon is configuring a firewall somewhere upstream of you, that is a reason NOT to go with them. I can do my own protection, thank you. I don't need or want my ISP telling me what data is okay and what data is not. Leave the policing to the police.