Internet access options?

BrianR · 09-05-2001, 03:57 PM

I want to upgrade my internet access to either a cable modem or DSL. I cannot afford to spend an arm and a leg (or I'd get a T1) but I will pay reasonable fees (around $60/mo).

Have I missed anything? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? I value your opinions and will take the best advice.

Brian

mbpark · 09-05-2001, 06:04 PM

Brian,

Well, DSL is pretty much dead since the major DSL providers except the RBOCs/ILECs are bankrupt or dying.

The same thing goes for Cable Modem, since Excite@Home is on its last legs.

However, @Home actually gets installed within 3 months, and doesn't have the chorus of delays and nastiness associated with DSL, which Verizon honestly hates, or else it wouldn't take them three months to install it.

@Home can be installed within 24 hours, and is faster than DSL. I highly recommend it, unless you are a gamer and need faster ping times to kill more people in CounterStrike or Quake III.

For general web surfing with less hassles and no dealing with ILECs, I recommend Cable Modem. Everyone I know who has it is happy so far, and it is more than adequate for everything except fragging people online.

jaguar · 09-06-2001, 01:29 AM

Wierd, calbe gets shoddy pings to gameservers in the US?
Here lpb(low ping bastards) get 20-100 pings ot most game servers while us 56krs get 150-300...

mbpark · 09-06-2001, 10:25 AM

Jag,

When you put a lot of people on a non-switched LAN, which is what cable is from the neighborhood access points to the home, instead of DSL, which is fully switched, you got some issues.

Chief amongst them is that the local pr0n downloaders can affect your connection speed with their full-screen pictures.

DSL at the least, since it's fully switched (or claims to be), you should be able to pull some QoS on it at switch level and regulate connection speed to each port

. This means you can cap bandwidth usage and make for easier connection routing, therefore establishing lower ping times through intelligent establishment of connections.

If you know your switches, unlike Verizon apparently, you can pull off some tricks with DSL to route individual DSL connections by port, IP, or MAC address across the Internet using any routes you choose. Thus the advantages of switching. Cable doesn't have that, because it's not fully switched.

However, here in the USA, we have Verizon, who are just as brain-dead as Telstra, possibly more (and yes, it's probable). They're killing off the obviously better technology, and the cable companies are deploying the 5-minute solution to satiate the need for mp3s, pr0n, and gaming.

Source: Residential Broadband, by Cisco Systems. This book rocks and explains the difference between cable and DSL. What I got out of it is that when your neighbor is clicking on every Stile Project picture and movie and you have a cable modem, it affects you, whereas it does not when you have DSL.

jaguar · 09-07-2001, 07:46 PM

Yeai know about switching and issues with cable bandwidth distribution. The semi-decent network here, optus@home is starting to have some problems like that but the network load is obviously not the same as where you are. DSL here they've screwed up terribly - typical telstra by buying shithouse hardware that only works half the time and due to line quality you only get better-than-56k within about 1km of the exchange.

BrianR · 09-08-2001, 10:38 AM

Where can I get a copy of this book without buying online?

I just prefer to do business the old fashioned way...hand over some green and get what you want in return.

Brian

mbpark · 09-08-2001, 03:15 PM

Barnes and Noble or Borders would have it in their Computers - Networking section.

I actually saw this book at a B&N in New Jersey.

jaguar · 09-08-2001, 06:38 PM

Might get a copy myself, soon as i finish screwing with D3D and DirectSound in VB for the sole purpose of pissing off my teacher.

BrianR · 09-20-2001, 07:10 PM

I decided to go with Bellsouth's DSL because it takes only two weeks to get going including shipping and the price $45/mo to mo and $75 for the modem and $50 startup fee is fairly good.

I';ll evaluate the service and hardware and get back to you.

Brian

09-05-2001, 03:57 PM	#1
BrianR Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,338	Internet access options? I want to upgrade my internet access to either a cable modem or DSL. I cannot afford to spend an arm and a leg (or I'd get a T1) but I will pay reasonable fees (around $60/mo). Have I missed anything? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? I value your opinions and will take the best advice. Brian

09-05-2001, 06:04 PM	#2
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	Cable Modem Brian, Well, DSL is pretty much dead since the major DSL providers except the RBOCs/ILECs are bankrupt or dying. The same thing goes for Cable Modem, since Excite@Home is on its last legs. However, @Home actually gets installed within 3 months, and doesn't have the chorus of delays and nastiness associated with DSL, which Verizon honestly hates, or else it wouldn't take them three months to install it. @Home can be installed within 24 hours, and is faster than DSL. I highly recommend it, unless you are a gamer and need faster ping times to kill more people in CounterStrike or Quake III. For general web surfing with less hassles and no dealing with ILECs, I recommend Cable Modem. Everyone I know who has it is happy so far, and it is more than adequate for everything except fragging people online.

09-06-2001, 01:29 AM	#3
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	Wierd, calbe gets shoddy pings to gameservers in the US? Here lpb(low ping bastards) get 20-100 pings ot most game servers while us 56krs get 150-300... __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

09-06-2001, 10:25 AM	#4
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	Yeah, when you get lots of people on a non-switched network Jag, When you put a lot of people on a non-switched LAN, which is what cable is from the neighborhood access points to the home, instead of DSL, which is fully switched, you got some issues. Chief amongst them is that the local pr0n downloaders can affect your connection speed with their full-screen pictures. DSL at the least, since it's fully switched (or claims to be), you should be able to pull some QoS on it at switch level and regulate connection speed to each port . This means you can cap bandwidth usage and make for easier connection routing, therefore establishing lower ping times through intelligent establishment of connections. If you know your switches, unlike Verizon apparently, you can pull off some tricks with DSL to route individual DSL connections by port, IP, or MAC address across the Internet using any routes you choose. Thus the advantages of switching. Cable doesn't have that, because it's not fully switched. However, here in the USA, we have Verizon, who are just as brain-dead as Telstra, possibly more (and yes, it's probable). They're killing off the obviously better technology, and the cable companies are deploying the 5-minute solution to satiate the need for mp3s, pr0n, and gaming. Source: Residential Broadband, by Cisco Systems. This book rocks and explains the difference between cable and DSL. What I got out of it is that when your neighbor is clicking on every Stile Project picture and movie and you have a cable modem, it affects you, whereas it does not when you have DSL.

09-07-2001, 07:46 PM	#5
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	Yeai know about switching and issues with cable bandwidth distribution. The semi-decent network here, optus@home is starting to have some problems like that but the network load is obviously not the same as where you are. DSL here they've screwed up terribly - typical telstra by buying shithouse hardware that only works half the time and due to line quality you only get better-than-56k within about 1km of the exchange. __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

09-08-2001, 10:38 AM	#6
BrianR Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,338	residential broadband Where can I get a copy of this book without buying online? I just prefer to do business the old fashioned way...hand over some green and get what you want in return. Brian

09-08-2001, 03:15 PM	#7
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	Residential Broadband Barnes and Noble or Borders would have it in their Computers - Networking section. I actually saw this book at a B&N in New Jersey.

09-08-2001, 06:38 PM	#8
jaguar whig Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 5,075	Might get a copy myself, soon as i finish screwing with D3D and DirectSound in VB for the sole purpose of pissing off my teacher. __________________ Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. - Twain

09-20-2001, 07:10 PM	#9
BrianR Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,338	decision I decided to go with Bellsouth's DSL because it takes only two weeks to get going including shipping and the price $45/mo to mo and $75 for the modem and $50 startup fee is fairly good. I';ll evaluate the service and hardware and get back to you. Brian

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