Cable vs. DSL

[Shinobi128]

I've been on DSL for good two years, and it's been heaven compared to dial-up. Broadband around my area is better now than it was two years, and I've been interested in maybe switching to cable.

My current DSL speed is at 1.5 mbps download, and for about the same price I can get 3 mbps cable now. The option of 3mbps DSL is there, but it's currently not available in my area. =/

I've done a little research on the subject, and according to some sites, cable modems tend to have bandwith issues, due to everyone in the neighborhood sharing one line, eventually lagging you down, which can hurt the most in online gaming. True? Yes/no?

Thanks.

[Gohron]

I don't have a cable modem (still on dialup) but I hook my computer up on my friends cable pretty frequently when I go over. We can both be on and I've never had any slow down problems. The only time we have problems is when one of us is uploading, which I think has more to do with the router (although I'm not sure) then the actual cable line.

[Shin Johnpv]

it depends on the provider

if you can get optimum online in your area then id say thats your best option

[Wildkat]

Yep it depends on how well your particular ISP runs the network.

I had Cable back when it first launched (Hartford was the 2nd city to ever have it) through @home and speeds were 10mb down AND up.

Then they capped the upload to 128K.

Then AT&T bought my cable company.

Then @Home and AT&T had thier little spat and I was without internet for nearly 2 weeks.

Then they capped my downloads to 1.5mb, but it didnt matter as speeds deterioted to that or less during peak periods.

Then I moved, and switched to DSL. Getting the same speeds (1.5m/128k) for $10 less. No brainer. If I was starting over, Id stay with the DSL, as comcast in my area is teh satan.

[Dyne]

I've done a little research on the subject, and according to some sites, cable modems tend to have bandwith issues, due to everyone in the neighborhood sharing one line, eventually lagging you down, which can hurt the most in online gaming. True? Yes/no?
Thanks.

during peak hours yes. from what i understand.....or at least did when my roomate in college had cable he said you could notice a speed difference when everyone was home watching their tv's and on their computers. but during times most people were sleeping or at work it was a lot faster. usually with cable you have one central place everyone is getting the bandwith from be it the tv users or pc users. with DSL you have "hubs" that support so many connection each that are sppread all over the area. so basically you get a dedicated connection. im not too sure if theres been any headway i the cable front the past couple years but a lot of people i know have gone from DSL to Cable and have loved it. i fortunately have the option of parents that work at Verizon so they get the 1.5down 768up package for only $25 a month. i cant really complain about that.

[lithium]

depends on where you live. Cable sucked ass in Chicago, way too crowded. Here it's awesome.

[Drinky Milk]

Just curious: I gimped my way into getting broadband by getting the $27 service from SBC. Cheapest around. Is it any at all viable for gaming?

[lithium]

Then I moved, and switched to DSL. Getting the same speeds (1.5m/128k) for $10 less. No brainer.

Most/all DSL companies require a land line, even though it's not required for technical reasons. For me, that bumped DSL up +$30 a month (cheapest landline verizon offers, the fucks). Since I never use a landline for anything, DSL costs more than Cable for me. A lot more, actually.

[JMET]

Broadband is always better then none..

And as stated above its all in the hands of the provider and your area...

Just because Verizon DSL or RR are great in my town doesnt mean it will be 10 miles down the road.

Also, any cable provider that has QOS setup and correctly shouldnt have those slow periods... not to mention that most Cable providers are in the middle of or will soon be upgrading to DOSIS 2.0 which will add even more speed particularly to uploads.

AND, cable will almsot always offer faster speeds...

[Shin Johnpv]

Yeah I'm on optimum online and I dont have any speed drop at all through out the day

there really isnt any reason for it considering well least with the cable lines here the backbone for the lines is all fiber optics which has just insane insane insane amounts of bandwidth

I dont know if all cable lines are set up the same way I just know in our town before we got cable internet they replaced all the cable lines (th eones under ground running to the hubs) with newer updated fiber optic lines