DSL or Cable? See inside

austin316

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2001
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Ok, I live in a college town, so my distance to the CO for DSL is only like 2,000 feet. I was looking to get Verizon, which is 1.5mps at about $30 a month. However, earthlink is offering 2.0mps for about $30. Is this better even though I might have to share the connection with other cable users in the area? Also, the house I'm moving into is old, is there a way for them to test the speed of the wires for DSL or do I just order and cross my fingers?
 

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
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fobot.com
just get cable
takes less time to install, no contracts
most cable systems don't have the "slows down when everyone is on" syndrome anymore
 

austin316

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2001
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one more thing, if I use a router, to hook up 4 pcs to one connection, will this work with earthlink? or do I need to pay an extra $10 for each computer.
 

austin316

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2001
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one more thing, if I use a router, to hook up 4 pcs to one connection, will this work with earthlink? or do I need to pay an extra $10 for each computer.
 

Wingznut

Elite Member
Dec 28, 1999
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Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Another vote for cable. DSL is more complicated, has contracts, etc.
Complicated? Which part of plugging the phone line in, did you have complications with? ;)
 

Wingznut

Elite Member
Dec 28, 1999
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Originally posted by: Wingznut
Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Another vote for cable. DSL is more complicated, has contracts, etc.
Complicated? Which part of plugging the phone line in, did you have complications with? ;)
Yes, it will work with a router. They will just all share the same internet account.
 

Heisenberg

Lifer
Dec 21, 2001
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Originally posted by: Wingznut
Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Another vote for cable. DSL is more complicated, has contracts, etc.
Complicated? Which part of plugging the phone line in, did you have complications with? ;)
Other than the filters on all the other phone lines and the PPPoE crap, nothing. :p
 

Wingznut

Elite Member
Dec 28, 1999
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Oh yeah, not all DSL has a contract... Check your particular provider.

Personally, I have DSL because I have vowed not to give the cable companies another penny of my hard-earned money.

But as for which is better... That's not a clear-cut answer, since it varies from experience to experience.
 

Wingznut

Elite Member
Dec 28, 1999
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Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Originally posted by: Wingznut
Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Another vote for cable. DSL is more complicated, has contracts, etc.
Complicated? Which part of plugging the phone line in, did you have complications with? ;)
Other than the filters on all the other phone lines and the PPPoE crap, nothing. :p
Oh yeah, I forgot about the filters. So, adding those two filters was the source of the complications?

PPPoE? I'm not even sure what that is.


 

LS20

Banned
Jan 22, 2002
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Originally posted by: WingznutComplicated? Which part of plugging the phone line in, did you have complications with? ;)

word. where do ppl get this from?


also , verizon = NO CONTRACT. that was my reason for going with them vs earthlink / SBC / etc

 

piku

Diamond Member
May 30, 2000
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How is cable for sharing? I am going to need internet access for our apartment this fall, and Comcast internet seems the easiest way for us... however, can you easily split cable internet access? Will everyone have their own ip address?
 

loup garou

Lifer
Feb 17, 2000
35,132
1
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Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Originally posted by: Wingznut
Originally posted by: Heisenberg
Another vote for cable. DSL is more complicated, has contracts, etc.
Complicated? Which part of plugging the phone line in, did you have complications with? ;)
Other than the filters on all the other phone lines and the PPPoE crap, nothing. :p
If you have a home with a digital phone system things can get tricky...I'm in the process of setting up DSL at this uber-rich guy's apartment and it's a real headache...
 

AgaBoogaBoo

Lifer
Feb 16, 2003
26,108
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Originally posted by: austin316
one more thing, if I use a router, to hook up 4 pcs to one connection, will this work with earthlink? or do I need to pay an extra $10 for each computer.

No extra cost for that, just use the router.

Get cable though, I never really experienced those slowdowns and I've been on it ever since it was available in my area...
 

LS20

Banned
Jan 22, 2002
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haha, cable is no different from dsl in that respect... i mean cable modem -> router -> computers. no, you dont get separate IPs (to the web) ..only to the LAN--not WAN

however, i have a westell dsl modem... and it has a USB and Ethernet connection... and each of those has their own IP intrestingly enough (to me)
 

piku

Diamond Member
May 30, 2000
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So if you don't get separate IP addresses, how would that affect three totally different people sharing the line? Wouldn't all sorts of problems with online games and websites crop up?
 

loup garou

Lifer
Feb 17, 2000
35,132
1
81
Originally posted by: LS20
haha, cable is no different from dsl in that respect... i mean cable modem -> router -> computers. no, you dont get separate IPs (to the web) ..only to the LAN--not WAN

however, i have a westell dsl modem... and it has a USB and Ethernet connection... and each of those has their own IP intrestingly enough (to me)
Many cablecos used to offer multiple external IPs for additional monthly cost. I don't know if they still do.
 

LS20

Banned
Jan 22, 2002
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Originally posted by: piku
So if you don't get separate IP addresses, how would that affect three totally different people sharing the line? Wouldn't all sorts of problems with online games and websites crop up?

i think the router sorts that out
 

N8Magic

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
11,624
1
81
DSL > Cable

And whats this talk of all the complications of installing DSL? I ordered mine and 10 days later I plugged my DSL modem in that I purchased from FS/FT, configured the PPPoE settings in my router and relished in my newfound high-speed goodness.

What's so complex about that? :confused:
 

LostInNet

Member
Aug 8, 2001
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Originally posted by: piku
How is cable for sharing? I am going to need internet access for our apartment this fall, and Comcast internet seems the easiest way for us... however, can you easily split cable internet access? Will everyone have their own ip address?

You can either:

1. Get a router. You share one IP address in this case, so you shouldn't have to pay extra.

2. Get a cheap hub and buy extra IP lines. I've done did this setup, because of potential problems during gaming when you share an IP on b-net or somewhere else. The only problem is, it cost $5/month per extra IP when I had this setup.
 

LS20

Banned
Jan 22, 2002
5,858
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Originally posted by: N8Magic
DSL > Cable

And whats this talk of all the complications of installing DSL? I ordered mine and 10 days later I plugged my DSL modem in that I purchased from FS/FT, configured the PPPoE settings in my router and relished in my newfound high-speed goodness.

What's so complex about that? :confused:

or, in my case, get modem 3 days after the order, plug it in, no settings whatsoever on computer modem or router, and it still works