Difference between ADSL, DSL and Cable broad-band connections?

[RobyG]

I want a high speed (broad-band) connection.
What's the difference between ADSL, DSL and Cable broad-band connections?

Which one do you recommend?

[Chris]

ADSL = Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
DSL = Digital Subscriber Line

The difference bet. them generally speaking is that ADSL can have a different uplink bandwidth from the downlink bandwith (eg. uplink = 128Kbps & downlink=256Kbps). DSL tends to have the same uplink & downlink bandwidth.

Cable bandwidth tends to be higher than DSL's. Right now in Jamaica though the availability of cable broad-band is significantly more limited than that of DSL, and DSL's availability in Ja. isn't that wide-spread :(

Overall, if you're fortunate to live in an area both cable and DSL are available, you'll have to compare both packages for price, features, support, etc. and make your decision. Otherwise, go with whatever is available in your area for now. :)

[Kbee]

I hate so be a showoff ;D however this is the cable speed i get .
Please note the value is MB/s and not Mb/s , however my average bandwidth about 900KB/s. All this for the low price of $21us per month (less than my moms dialup fee).
I doubt that C&W will allow this, since this may just mean mom and pop phone services ;).
-Kurt

[Chris]

Make room at your place, I'm moving in tomorrow ;D I don't think ANY local broadband solution can match that type of bandwidth :'(

[Kbee]

I have optimum online , it is the fastest cable modem provider in the US , they also give static IPs (well it is dhcp with a very long lease).
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cable,opt
i just did the speed test and maxed out at 2MB/s

-Kurt
* Average* sustained results below 8) 8)

[Chris]

At first glance I said "ah-ah, gotcha". These figures are in Kbps not KBps >:( But when I did the math, the test report is showing a d/l rate of 7460Kbps = 7.2Mbps = 932KBps = 0.9MBps and u/l rate of 941Kbps = 0.9Mbps = 117.6KBps = 0.12MBps. WOW 8) I think you have more bandwidth than some of the smaller ISPs in Jamaica! :o Share some nuh ;D

[RobyG]

Kurt,

1.1MB/s download speed is amazing and quite unbelievable. I really wish I had that at home. :)

[carey]

I was going to ask the question:

How is bits per second different from bytes per second?

I didn't have to ask that?! The real question is, "how do you really calculate those equations?" Can anyone give me a lesson? ???

[Chris]

I was going to ask the question:

How is bits per second different from bytes per second?

I didn't have to ask that?! The real question is, "how do you really calculate those equations?" Can anyone give me a lesson? ???


8 (b)its = 1 (B)yte and 1 K(B)yte = ~ 1,000 (B)ytes (actually 1,024 Bytes)
therefore 1 KBps = ~ 1000 Bps = ~ (1,000*8) bps = ~ 8,000 bps.

Remember that dial-up bandwidth is typically sub 56 Kbps = (56/8) KBps = 7 KBps. It's important to remember and recognise the b's (bits) vs B's (bytes).

Hope this helps.

[carey]

Yep it does :D
A teacher could use that
and look how simple it was :-[
It must be the midnight neuron congestion.

[CISSPaskme]

The difference is money really.

[Chris]

The difference is money really.

Yes, the difference is $, but when you have no choice there's no difference at all ;D

Incidentally, I'll be checking out the latest offerings of wireless broadband as soon as I can. By the hook or the crook I need broadband ;D

[grannyg]

A very important factor as well is that Cable is a shared resource just like a Unswitched LAN so you share the bandwidth with the people on your segment of the network. Your cable runs on your street from house to house so you all share.

DSL goes straight from you to the switch so no sharing at the point of delivery but at the switch of the bandiwth provider!!!!! Big difference!!!!!!!! 45MB backbone!!!!!!!!

Speeds do vary between DSL and Cable but you find DSL more consistent. I have the 768K from C&W and I get 80k download speeds consistently.

With cable you find that if there is no one on the nework then the bandwidth blazes but once the users come on then it slows down to a crawl sometimes.

[odsamuels]

Well let's see. I have had the privilege to work (in one way or another) with these different technologies here in Jamaica. The reality of the situation is that here in Jamaica each of these technologies has their benefits, pitfalls and horror stories. I honestly believe that for right now it WILL be based on each person's needs, preferences and pockets.

Just for example with ADSL... it is true that currently the bursts that you will get, especially since C&W is the only one with a fibre across the sea, can get pretty high, but depending on which exchange you are using (for example the Carlton exchange which services New Kingston and other densely populated Internet mega-users), you may experience lunch-time slow downs and sometimes things coming screeching to a halt. Otherwise, for the most part the reliability is there. The cost however is a little up there for the home user.

With Cable as it is now... u can pay for a package of twice as much bandwidth for less money, and you will get your speeds and your burts, but roll-out may not reach your area right away depending on the policies of your cable operator in negotiating Internet undertakings. Most of the features, again due to the new venture syndrome will still be under development, but the promises are pretty exciting.

With wireless... well, if u had asked me a year or too ago, I could give u some benefits... and since I couldn't truthfully give you any I will dispense with the drawbacks.

There are quite a few more parameters that make the difference though.

[Kbee]

Sigh :-[ , well I just moved to this really nice area in NJ , however I had to change ISP's to RCN [was with super fast Optimum Online] now broadband is 600KB/s max !! I HATE RCN !!! i cannot tell you how happy i was to be able to have OOL they made the internet a pleasure to experience. Oh well I just have to wait till next year to switch to cable vision/ool when they come in this area.
-[depressed]Kurt

[Chris]

Kbee - 600KB/s? And you're complaining?

Bwoy ah tell you bout these country techies, go a farin and boops...the bandwidth jump ;D

[Kbee]

Kbee - 600KB/s? And you're complaining?

Bwoy ah tell you bout these country techies, go a farin and boops...the bandwidth jump ;D

Well this is true , however i did say max , the average is just 300KB , but when you get broadband and you have been using it for a year , try going back to 56k and tell me if it does not hurt :-)
But it is better to have loved and lost than never to hav^^^^^ AHHHHRRR I HATE RCN !!!