cable and DSL

I am getting Cable internet through Charter Communications. i have to go with their 1mb plan cause of fund restrictions... My question is. Is there really a difference in speed between CABLE 1mb and DSL 1mb?

I ask this, cause i would think that the cable would be better, cause its not going through a phone line like DSL does.

Also, at 1mb connection, how fast should i be downloading?

 

There should be no difference as both products are the same speed.

With a 1Mb/s connection, you should be downloading at, well, 1Mb/s.

 

Well i know i should be getting 1mb/s but we all know thats NEVER the case. ( atleast, in my area, and everyone i know never gets what their speed is suposed to be )

 

That's the thing, as you say, your actual line speed depends on:
1. Time of day (at night the sun impacts less on the amount of "noise" generated on the line (mainly adsl))
2. Number of people connected to your local telephone exchange/cable system who are using the internet (not necessarily with your provider)
3. Distance from exchange
4. Weather conditions (these affect the amount of "noise" on the line (mainly adsl))

Obviously these factors change from second to second so that's why broadband providers say "up to" all over the place, and why we cannot give you an answer as to expected speed.

 

DSL is usually guaranteed bandwidth, so @ 1Mb, you should get 1Mb.
Cable is 'shared bandwidth' so in theory you should get 1Mb if your neighbors are not downloading every movie ever released rolleyes.
The second downfall of DSL (1st is speed) is with old phone lines when it rains the connections get flakey in some locations.


I'd still be on DSL but cable - offering 15Mbps (even if I get half the speed) trumps my local DSL. If your close enough to the C.O (Central switching Office) they'll offer 15 Mbps (supposedly). Right now they are branding the work trucks with ads for "FiOptics" 30 Mbps with TV service - just not in my area yet!!

 

I have never known a DLS line to be guaranteed bandwidth. As I said in my previous post, DSL speed is dependant on the number of people connected to your phone line to the exchange. We don't all have one phone line to the exchange, they are shared.

 

Foogoo hit the nail on the head. With Cable internet you share your bandwidth with several other people so the speed is relative to how many people are active at the time. With DSL Your speed should always be what you are paying for. Also note that most DSL connections have a faster upload speed when compared to a Cable connection of an equivalent speed. 1mb Cable can be anywhere from 128k to 384K upload where DSL 1mb can be 384k to 512k upload speed and again DSL is dedicated speed where Cable is shared speed.

Comparing 1mb Cable to 1mb DSL, DSL should outperform the Cable connection most of the time.

To do a speed test, got to http://www.speedtest.net . Run several tests from some different servers and you will find some variations but it will give you a good idea of your connection speed.

I personally run Cable internet only because it's all that's available here right now but they are installing Fiber Optic in front of my home as we speak. When it's ready, so will I be.

 

I was too late to edit my previous post but here is a good reference.

 

I'd beg to differ, when you pick up a reciever you have a dedicated line, unless you use a party line. Think of the picture of the old telephone operator hooking wires end to end to complete a call - all the way up to the 'monkey on a stick' type CO switches that moved up and down making physical connections. Now days those are gone but the foundation is there. Yes eventually the lines are trunked.
That is where the idea came from for packet switching - all the waste on a dedicated voice circuit.
But you do not share bandwidth on DSL lines no matter how many people in the 'hood have DSL.

 

Okay, sorry, I bow to your superior knowledge in this region.