Internet Connection

[moh malekpour]

Is anyone still out there who uses dial up Internet connection? I am still on dial up and thinking to switch to DSL. They say with DSL, I can use the same line while I am online and on the phone or on the fax line. What is your experience of DSL? Can you hear okay when you are online and talking on the phone on the same line and can you also send or receive fax at the same time?

Thanks,

 

[wyecoyote]

I used DSL for awhile but switched back to cable modem. The thing with dsl is that you have to put a filter on every phone line coming in (phones, faxes and even digital cable phone lines) otherwise you get "static". DSL is not bad but I have found that for the same price cable modem is faster in download. I get 1.8 mbs download and average about 180 to 200 upload. This is at the same price as dsl that offers 256/256 both up and down in my area. The biggest difference between the two is that with cable you are sharing the connection so if there is a whole bunch of people online at the same time it can slow your speed down. While dsl is your own connection so there is no slow down at all.

 

[TC]

Dump the dial-up! You won't believe the speed once you get DSL. I did not have the problems the previous poster mentioned concerning static, it has run ver smooth for me. I have friends with cable modem and they are offering good deals along with cable TV. Take your pick.

TC

 

[Neil (Texas)]

Go with the DSL. More than likely the DSL provider will furnish you the filters as part of their hardware package (my provider sent 6 filters). Running smooth...

 

[Tim The Enchanter]

Dump the dialup. You'llnever want to go back. :lol:

 

[Jerry Still]

Mon,

In my area of FL, and in MI where I used to stays at, cable (roadrunner) is almost twice as fast. Almost all of my appraiser friends first went with DSL because it was about half as much $ per month with several free months at the onset. Every single one of them has switched to cable due to connection and speed problems. Maybe its a coincidence, but these problems occurred in two different states over a thousand miles apart.

Based on their input I sh#t canned AOL for RoadRunner cable about three weeks ago...I love it! If you have a choice in your area, go with cable.

Florida B) Jerry

 

[Kate]

I love my set up. I have had DSL for about two years. Love it. And yes the filters came with the paclkage, no big deal I forgot I even had those.

Best part of my set up is the router they sent. I have a Linksys router for our three computers. My lap top has a wireless do hicky that allows me to go on line anywhere in the house. And it's a network so I can (wirelessly) send info to my printer with out leaving the sofa, stove, porch. ext. If I save something on the main computer and want to work on it from the lap top no problem I go through the network and BANG it's on ythe lap top. SOOOOOOOOO COOL!

Although you can still have a network if you don't have DSL. It's just an added bonus when you do get DSL you can create a net work supper easy through the router they send you.

good luck!

 

[Head Surfer]

I have had DSL for over 2 years and am very pleased. In the 2 years I have had it the service has never been down! I went with DSL over cable for several reasons:

1. The cable here goes down more often than phone service. We have lightning here a lot in the summer and that's when the cable will go out. Since I make my living with this, I need the best reliability possible.

2. The DSL provider (bellsouth.net) also includes 20 hours of dialup. Roadrunner includes no dial up. So if DSL does happen to be down (which it hasn't yet) I can use the dialup. With Roadrunner you don't get the dialup backup. I also can use the dial up with my laptop when traveling in the bellsouth area (the southeast)

3. With DSL you always get your same speed because you have a dedicated line. With roadrunner you share the connection with your neighbors who have roadrunner so if everyone gets on at once and starts downloading your speed will drop. I also think it would be easier to hack into a Roadrunner customer's computer if the person did not use adequate precautions. (firewall, etc)

Reasons to pick Road runner over DSL: Road runner here has about 1.8 download speed vs. 1.2 for DSL. Frankly, when viewing web sites over my friends's Roadrunner connection I can not tell the difference between Roadrunner and DSL. DSL download speed is 25 times that of dialup, while Road runner is something like 40 times fast. Again, for Roadrunner this is optimim speed, it can degrade, especially at night when the neighbors get online. With DSL it's always the same.

Don't worry about the DSL filters, they are just little things you plug in each phone jack and then you plug your phone line into them. They come with the DSL package (modem, etc) Takes 10 seconds to install each one of them.

There is no problem using the phone and DSL at the same time. In fact, I have a network of 3 computers sharing my DSL connection and all 3 can be on the Internet and I can use the phone for voice or fax and there is no indication that something else is using the phone line. The DSL uses a frequency of the phone line that is not used by talking.

Hope this helps!

 

[xm39hnu]

Moh,
The only question you must settle in your mind is WHICH broadband service to use. Either DSL or cable will serve well, depending on the levels of service available in your local area. Ditch the dial-up. You'll be glad you did.

 

[Head Surfer]

For a good review and rating of different providers go to:

http://broadbandreports.com

They also have some great how to information about networking, wireless, and so forth.