# Cable Modem vs. DSL **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2000, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-modem-vs-dsl/20698 "2000-05-27T19:00:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2000, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-modem-vs-dsl/20698/21 "2000-05-29T15:19:35Z")
If the board is slow & you get a DSL modem thinking that its sure to make things faster, the board is still going to be slow. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2000, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-modem-vs-dsl/20698/22 "2000-05-29T15:24:33Z")
I’ve had DSL for 3 months, and it’s been great. Only 2 outages so far, and I’ve actually achieved a speed of 1.6 MBit at times. When they tested my line, they said it was good for “up to 5.2 MBit” if I just want to pay to upgrade. What I’ve found, however, is I’m just no longer the weak link in the chain. Most sites seem to be an awful lot slower than my connection. [CNN](http://cnn.com) seems to load just _barely_ faster on DSL than it did with my 56k modem. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2000, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-modem-vs-dsl/20698/23 "2000-05-29T15:55:29Z")
DSL wasn’t available in my area, so I went with 2way cable modem. Comparing it to 56k modem, here’s what I’ve noticed: 1. It’s REALLY nice keeping the phone line free. 2. Most web surfing doesn’t seem much faster. Like handy mentioned, SDMB is still slow. I guess the bottleneck is probably the server, and the same is likely true for many web sites. 3. Some downloads are faster, but not all. Sometimes I got a quite nice speed of 160kbs, but that’s rare. I’ve become an MP3 pirate with Napster and Gnutella, I must admit. When dloading from cable modem and DSL users, I often get dload speeds in the teens and twenties, which is nice. Sometimes, the suckers come down at over 100bps, and it’s down in a few seconds. That’s also rare. 1. Lately, the usenet newsfeed is slow as shit, MUCH slower than I was getting with my 56k provider. There must be a problem, it was quick when I first signed on. ---
**Author:** ![Strider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Strider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strider)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2000, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-modem-vs-dsl/20698/24 "2000-05-29T16:58:36Z")
Well Horse, I do not want to beat this into the ground, and thank you for enlightening me about DSLAM, I was not familiar with that term. However, now that I know what a DSLAM is I still stand by my comments. There are simply fewer factors that will contribute to a slower connection if you use DSL. And I know that what my GF gets is not typical of cable modems everywhere but they are typical of them where I live. A lot of my friends have gotten cable and wish they could get DSL, but they are out of the service area. The bottomline for me is, Do I want a guarentee of the speeds that I will get? And in my area where the cable connections get **REALLY** shitty, the answer is a yes. In fact I would want a guarentee no matter where I lived. I would hate to pay $30 a month for an ISP that two years down the line gets really slow because everyone is starting to use it and there is nothing I can do about it, except cancel my service. But that is a bitch in itself, what with trying to notify everyone on the planet about your new email address and setting up a new service… So Satan, have you made your choice? -N ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2000, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-modem-vs-dsl/20698/25 "2000-05-29T22:56:46Z")
Strider, you can get a satellite modem. 400k. Whoa. Thats coming down, not up. Check out DSL modems on [ebay.com](http://ebay.com), there are a lot & lots of types, internals, PCIs, externals. $50+ ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-modem-vs-dsl/20698/26 "2000-05-30T00:18:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > What are the differences between using a Cable Modem and DSL using the following criteria:\*\* > [list=a] > [li]Speed **I have a minimum 384kbps downstream, with burst to well over T1 speeds at times.** [/li][li]Reliability\*\*-My DSL line has gone down 2 times in the last year I’ve had it.**[/li][li]Ease of use**Ease of use is determined by you. Do you want a firewall/router? WIll you be establiching a LAN or intranet? If no(I do recommend a forewall of some sort), then they are equally as easy to use.**[/li][li]Ease of Installation**-Phone guy came out and in 20 minutes had the filter installed. It would be easy enough for someone with telcom experience to wire in.**[/li][li]Price (Monthly)**-I have an expanded package with extra IP addresses and a DNS. I pay approx. $70(?) with line fees and internet access fees\*\*[/li][li]Price of installation **It was free for me with one NIC card** [/li][li]Anything else significant\*\*-ALthough DSL is awesome compared to 56K, I’m quite disappointed that my local phone company back-throttled our line. When I first got my line, it was 768kbps, minimum. They throttled the entire network back because they supposedly had “problems” with some people when their systems were so fast :rolleyes: whatever…I’m still pleased as ever by my line, and it has distinct advantages over cable --I’m not slower when my neighbor is on, and my upload speeds are not limited to(correct me if I’m wrong) 128kbps. It’s only disadvantage is that you must be within 3 miles of your DO(District Office).**[/li][/list] > Which one would you choose?** DSL anyday! although I might switch to a CLEC-offered line over my phone company. The CLEC’s offer better price, speed, and alternative DLS lines such as ADSL, or SDSL…\*\* > \*\* HorseLoverFat-I disagree completely. The only time I get slow is when all of my computers are busy downloading(which is rare). I’m guaranteed 384, and I frequently over 1mB. Hope that helps Brian. -Sam ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-modem-vs-dsl/20698/27 "2000-05-30T04:38:37Z")
I have a cable modem and it is up 99% + of the time. The speed is good. I work at a large high tech firm and our mail lists devoted to cable and dsl services people don’t complain too much about the two cable modem services in our area. The complaints mostly have to do with the dingbats that install the modem. The DSL options are more confusing with distance from phone company, various speeds you can buy etc. The prices are similar now. ---
**Author:** ![CreoSote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@CreoSote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CreoSote)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-modem-vs-dsl/20698/28 "2000-05-30T05:29:57Z")
**DSLAM** : is the device that converts the Analog signal to digital to be transmitted to back to the Home Office, who is usually on to the backbone of the net. HorseloverFat’s correct in some cases, just like cable, you may not be guaranteed your subscriber rate, though you probably are, depends on if the ISP has any morals. Check your contract. They may decide to over-subscribe their line, betting that all users will not be on all the time. I went through a decent ISP and was guaranteed 384 up/384 down anytime all the time.  Cable cannot make that guaruntee.  Cable providers almost ALWAYS have a stipulation that prohibits you from setting up a server or firewall. Firewall software run from your desktop may and is probably permitted.  Cable has the possibilities of being faster and is usually cheaper. If you are in a small neighborhood, or you’re the only “techie” around (I’d hate to make that bet) go for cable.  I’d bet on cable getting saturated within the next 3-5 years. There’s no way they can divide the bandwidth easily. They’d have to re-wire the neighborhood. The signal you get is likely the signal your entire neighborhood gets. (All the homes that were build up at the time).  DSL’s limitation is your phone companies limitation (or possibly the ISP’s) The signal goes directly to the phone company, who has no real limitation. They’re likely on the national backbone of the net, or within 2 steps.  If you choose a separate ISP, it then goes at full speed to the ISP, who will be an additional step.  With DSL you can set up a Web Server, an FTP server, or host it at your ISP. You can run a Proxy/Firewall server, if you have the know-how. From what I’ve heard, cable has stability problems and their customer service is nearly non-existent. After all, what have they got to lose? They’re cheaper, therefore have a wider customer base. I had DSL for 13 months with 1 major outage. A Router at the Phone Co blew up. We were out for 3 or 4 hours. If you have the option, I’d say check out cable for a little while. With the free setup’s that are common you have little to loose. Then if you’re dissatisfied with cable, go for DSL. And that’s my $.03   Morkster ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-modem-vs-dsl/20698/29 "2000-05-30T14:46:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > > I’d bet on cable getting saturated within the next 3-5 years. There’s no way they can divide the bandwidth easily. They’d have to re-wire the neighborhood. The signal you get is likely the signal your entire neighborhood gets. (All the homes that were build up at the time). >  \*\* Actually there is, cable ISPs work by dividing neighborhoods into segments and guaranteeing X amount of bandwidth per segment, each segment holding X amount of users. A decent cable ISP will list these things on their webpage or advertising. They’re also obligated to open more channels to increase bandwidth, an ISP that doesn’t do this doesn’t deserve your business. @home is a shining example on how not to run a cable ISP. As to installing firewalls, I can’t imagine why an ISP wouldn’t want you to put up a firewall. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-modem-vs-dsl/20698/30 "2000-05-30T15:34:50Z")
I believe the objection to firewalls is an objection to **hardware** firewalls. Cable lines do not allow you(so I’m told), to build a LAN, install a router, a switch, or a server. I was told also that in order to network a few PCs, you’d have to use “Special wiring”(this was off of @Home’s website). Special wiring could mean anything from coax to twisted pair line, I’ve no clue. -Sam [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cable-modem-vs-dsl/20698.md?page=1)