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If you read my earlier article on DSL then you know a bit about fast connections to the Internet. I’d like to share some of what I have learned about DSL and cable modems since that article.
I got a DSL line put in my house almost a year ago. It gives me about 1.5Mbps download and more than 128,000bps upload, where a modem is only 54,000bps download and half that on upload. The DSL connection is a true digital line and is tremendously faster than my old modem, which is gathering dust in the closet.

Sure, SNET had some trouble getting things working in the beginning, but my service since the beginning of the year has been working great. It cost me about $100 for the DSL modem, and another $150 for the Linksys router (so I can share the DSL connection), plus about $49 per month. Since we use the DSL line constantly, and have several computers hooked up so multiple people can be online at the same time, this is a great deal at a little more than double my old modem-based ISP monthly fee.

DSL uses your normal phone line to access the Internet, so you don’t need a second phone line (you can still use the same line for phone calls while connected). SNET thoughtfully gives you a dial-up account as well, probably since they had a lot of trouble in the beginning.

Cable modems also provide a high-speed connection to the Internet at roughly the same price ($45 with tax). The speed is the same, about 1.5Mbps download and 128,000bps upload. They have been advertising that they are twice as fast as DSL, but they are referring to 640,000bps DSL and SNET offers 1.5Mbps so they are really the same. I’ve complained to them that this is misleading since you can’t order 640k DSL for your house in our area.

My cable company, Comcast, also had trouble when they started up (Excite@Home went out of business and left the Comcast customers without e-mail and almost without service). Both have horrible support, although I have spoken with a few well-trained people at both companies. SNET support treated me like an idiot when I knew the remote terminal was out on my hill and Comcast wouldn’t help with the configuration of a router (we don’t support it but I’ll give you some wrong information!). I found great information online using Google.com to search for specific problems I had with both.

I am moving this month to a new house, and had my choice this time between DSL and a cable modem. I came close to ordering a cable modem, but since Comcast doesn’t support virtual private networks (VPN) I can’t connect to my work over the Internet. With the VPN I can actually run software on servers at my job and even print to printers in New York City. To get VPN access I would have to pay $99 per month for a ‘premium’ account. No way.

I’ve had some experience with both Cable and DSL (never tell people you meet that you know anything about computers or they’ll call you when they have trouble), and I think they are both good services. If you can afford to upgrade your connection to the Internet, now is the time. They have worked out most of the problems and it’s much easier to get up and running. If you only have one phone line in your house, you’ll never have busy signals and you’ll appreciate how fast everything happens online.

If you do go with Cable or DSL, I would highly recommend a router such as the Linksys Router with a 4-port Switch. This helps protect you from hackers by hiding your computers from the Internet. It also enables you to share the connection with up to 4 computers (you can add more by adding additional switches or hubs).

I would also recommend a virus checking program (see Jeff Setaro’s column on viruses) and a copy of ZoneAlarm as additional protection for your computers. Better safe than sorry!
It’s easy to set up a router with the Cable modem--you can use it right out of the box and it’ll work. You should change the administration password first (see the instructions on your router). Setting up the router under DSL requires filling out a few things, such as your username and password and selecting PPOE. If you get stuck, e-mail me and I’ll try and help out.

I recently upgraded my router to a wireless router (Linksys Wireless Router and 4-port Switch--about $170). I’ve used notebooks since around 1987 (my first had a single-color plasma display), and my Powerbook has a built-in antenna for wireless networking, I just needed a $99 Airport card and I was all set. I setup the router and configured it for 128-bit security in a few minutes, and I was surfing without wires! If you’re using a PC you’ll need a wireless network card or USB wireless interface (about $79). If your house isn’t wired for Internet you might want to consider getting a wireless setup instead of ripping your walls apart.

I can tell sometimes that it’s a bit slower than being connected directly to the router, but being able to sit on the patio and check my e-mail with a frosty beverage makes me a bit more patient. My connection to the router is still about 3-4 times faster than my Internet connection with 128-bit encryption turned on, so it might be my imagination.

If you’re a serious Internet user and still have a dial-up connection, I would strongly urge you to make the move up to DSL or Cable. You’ll be happy you made the upgrade.