To those of you with 56k modem & can afford spending $10 more per month...

[thermodynamic]

Assuming your dial-up bill is $16.95 per month (AOL and MSN users pay $23 per month)

This Qwest DSL is really slick, given the price. 256k for both uploading and downloading, it's fast indeed. I'm even downloading 120MB of SuSE Linux updates and DU still loads faster than under the old 56k connection! Yum!

I can even play Unreal Tournament over the 'net now!! :party: (okay, there are some timing problems if there are more than 4 players, but have you ever tried playing online at 56k?!)

If this service holds up after a month, I'll splurge for the $39 640/640 plan. :9

Works great in Linux too! :D Even the SuSE Firewall isn't needed, this actiontec gateway/router's built-in firewall seems to suffice...

[VTMechEngr]

1. Cable is the way to go.

But hey, this T1 at school is even better. nothing like 64 people in a game and absolutely no lag or problems with the smoothness of the action.

[thermodynamic]

2. Not always...

(yes, T1 is going to rule, period... But I'm talkin' home users. :D )

Witness:

* Cable-based internet is not dedicated per user in terms of speed. It's per-segment. You're sharing that cable line with a lot of other computers (as few as 2 (hah!), as many as 200, and it'd be cheaper for the cable company to maintain fewer segments, each segment supporting more computers). The more who use the internet at that time slows it down for EVERYBODY on that segment. This is especially true for neighborhoods that have a lot of apartment buildings filled with people who can afford the service... So while the advertised 2Mb speed sounds delicious, it's NEVER going to be consistent and it's possible to get speeds SLOWER than 56k if the circumstances are right.

* Back to per-segment, this means that if there's no firewall installed and maintained by the cable provider, any one on the segment could easily find their way into their neighbor's computer on the same segment without difficulty. Given that few home users bother to use security, and considering most people use Windows, "security" becomes a fictional concept... Cool, huh?

* Costs more than DSL, even if it is advertised as faster. Via comcast, I'd be paying $78/month. That's asinine. (I currently have their $8 basic service. Because I am an existing customer, I get a $8 discount from the cable service - net price for cable internet service, $42. Otherwise it'd be $50. The way cable internet works, basic cable TV HAS to be included or else the channel can't be opened. That's why you get the so-called "discount". Now add in $3 per month to rent an 'approved' modem. Then add another $20 per month just to use the bloody thing on their network, if it's your own cable modem or the one you rent from them... Add in other sundry fees, and it's $78/month.

* Cable is a totally separate bill. It seems cheaper to tack something on to your phone line than utilize a totally separate system. I could pay $50/mo for basic phone + low-end broadband, OR $25/mo for phone plus $78 for broadband that's less secure and prone to speed slips if other people start using it. Even if there was a cable provider that charged a proper $40/month, that's still $40 + $25 for the telephone.

Dunno about DSL in terms of long term reliability yet though, maybe in some ways cable is the better way to go...

[Catch22Dem]

3. What game?

Just curious what you play. I can be found playing BF42 just about any night. :)

[BigBigBear]

4. I dumped my DSL for cable

and I'm very happy with it, at least for now.

I get 1.5mb down and 256 up - I thought the asynchronous speeds would be a problem online, but Unreal, UT and UT2k4 demo all work great. Packet loss is minimal.

It's a little more expensive than my 640 (theoretical, 420 actual) DSL, but worth it so far. Downloads and streaming music and video are both great.

[Nomad559]

5. Comcast up-grade

I finally got the speed up-grade here In Fresno.

Comcast