Computer guru's needed, DSL question

**CaptainCaveMan** · 02-15-2006, 09:16 PM

I'm familiar with dial-up and cable internet, but i just moved to a place i can't get cable, only DSL.

Do i need any special computer jacks/parts to run it? My computer has a jack in the back for dial-up and cable but i don't know what a DSL line looks like.

Will they have to install some hookups in my house for it? Where does the DSL come out of a wall at?

I know these are very stupid questions but i've always just had cable internet. I'm on dial-up right now and i've about had enough of this shit. Takes like an hour to download a song.

**oneBADDz** · 02-15-2006, 09:22 PM

DSL comes over your regular phone line, that plugs into your DSL modem which uses an ethernet cord to connect to your comp, it looks like a wide phone jack

**CaptainCaveMan** · 02-15-2006, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by z_driver1

DSL comes over your regular phone line, that plugs into your DSL modem which uses an ethernet cord to connect to your comp, it looks like a wide phone jack

sounds like it hooks up like my cable modem did except a phone line plugged into the modem instead of a cable line. I know it was an ethernet line that plugged into my computer anyways so i know i'm set there. Sweet, looks like there isn't much difference.

Are there any big difference performance wise between cable and DSL (saying i order the same speed) does DSL go down alot?

**oneBADDz** · 02-15-2006, 09:31 PM

technically if you have nasa computers and download 287,642 gigs an hour there's a difference. As far as internet usage you won't notice anything, instant is instant when it comes to webpages. I love my DSL, the only time you will ever notice a difference is downloading large files. In my opinion DSL does it fast enough anyways (512K with my hookup)

**SeVeReDiStOrTiOn** · 02-15-2006, 10:57 PM

512k...damn that's fast for dsl. You'll only notice the diff when downloading files...but surfin the web and comp games are the same. Good thing about dsl is you always get the same speed...unlike cable where it's shared and can slow wayyy down at times...depending on the cable company and subscribers. I've never had dsl so i'm probably wrong and smokin crack....but I looked into both before I got cable and that's what I remember. Only reason I chose cable is because I don't have a land line phone...just a cell. So the phone jack plus the dsl and cell phone wasn't worth the cost...but I got cable tv so what the hell...got the net too. Long post...sorry

**oneBADDz** · 02-15-2006, 11:31 PM

I picked DSL cause you can get a cheap land line with limited calls for 9 bucks, that plus DSL is cheaper than our lovely cable company rapes you for on cable internet access. I pay 24.95 for my 512k plus the 9 bucks for the land line that doesn't even have a phone plugged into it, lol. I don't remember how much cable internet was here though, so I guess my illustration is bunk. I figured it's cheaper, more steadily reliable, and fast enough for me. Oh yeah, I always plan on turning cable off too cause I never watch tv, I just can't bring myself to do it

**foshizl** · 02-16-2006, 12:03 PM

Just make sure when they install your DSL equipment, they install line filters on all your other phone lines... I used to work for Qwest.net DSL technical support, so DSL is something i know a ton about.

**ReBop** · 02-16-2006, 05:49 PM

It is very simple, a 5 year old can do it.

Simply plug the phone line from the filter to the modem.

Hook the modem to your computer using either an ethernet cable or USB, your choice, it'll work on either.

Install the software and that's it...

**foshizl** · 02-17-2006, 08:28 AM

Yeah for the most part it is simple, Im not sure what dsl modems they are all using now, but when i used to work dsl support we had cisco dsl routers, that you would acctually have to program like a normal cisco router... but i think now they are all plug and play like ReBop said

**Motrv8d Steve** · 02-17-2006, 08:42 AM

all's I know about the difference between the two is that when I'm at home on our Cox Cable Hi-speed Internet I can upload files to an FTP site about 2x faster than when I do the same thing at work with our DSL line. DSL sucks in my opinion, but that might just be my local situation. Maybe it's not quite 2x but it sure seems like it. I did a test from one of those websites that measure speed and it was confirmed the DSL was a lot slower.
just my situation, yours might be different

**foshizl** · 02-17-2006, 11:03 AM

It really depends on what service you pay for... from my experience with Qwest dsl... you would have to pay about 100 dollars a month to be at the same speed as cable, ass far as upload and stuff... the reason why upload is slow, is because it is ADSL... "A" meaning asymetrical... ie you may have 512 down, but only 256 up... while most cable... is around 1024 down and 512 up

**Element187** · 02-17-2006, 12:05 PM

cable is a ton faster and cheaper.. I used to have cable until i moved out to the lake, now i can only get DSL .. it gets the job done, the only real difference in speed is not all that much noticeable for just streaming music, gaming, web surfing, peer to peer downloading.