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DSL and such

Posted: 2003-05-23 10:58pm
by RogueIce
What's the fastest out there? DSL is pretty fast, from what I hear, but is there anything faster?

And about how much would the various options cost, and what would it take to put it in, such as wall plugging ins, computer mods, and what not?

And where do you go about buying them from?

Any and all information would be greatly appreciated!

Posted: 2003-05-23 11:17pm
by Darth Wong
My DSL is 3 Mbps down, 640kbps up. But you can theoretically go faster. Efficient Networks' Speedstream DSL models are rated for maximum 8 Mbps down, 1 Mbps up.

The biggest thing about DSL is the fact that you have a direct line to the switch, so you don't have to share bandwidth. With a cable modem, if your neighbour is constantly downloading MP3 files, you can't do shit. He can also see everything you do if he has a packet sniffer.

Posted: 2003-05-23 11:28pm
by TheArtist
Darth Wong wrote:My DSL is 3 Mbps down, 640kbps up. But you can theoretically go faster. Efficient Networks' Speedstream DSL models are rated for maximum 8 Mbps down, 1 Mbps up.

The biggest thing about DSL is the fact that you have a direct line to the switch, so you don't have to share bandwidth. With a cable modem, if your neighbour is constantly downloading MP3 files, you can't do shit. He can also see everything you do if he has a packet sniffer.
Depends on the DSL provider and the Cable Modem provider. I have a commercial cable and its something like 4/1up and I NEVER have slow downs.

The phone companies tried to "paint" the cable modem as a shared line, but they lost the law suit that the cable providers hit them with.

In other words, they were full of shit in those classic ads.

Posted: 2003-05-23 11:34pm
by Darth Wong
TheArtist wrote:Depends on the DSL provider and the Cable Modem provider. I have a commercial cable and its something like 4/1up and I NEVER have slow downs.
That would depend on the traffic of the others on your segment.
The phone companies tried to "paint" the cable modem as a shared line, but they lost the law suit that the cable providers hit them with.
You figure that a successful lawsuit is proof of anything? I suppose you figure that means McDonald's coffee has been "proven" to be a deadly threat to the elderly?
In other words, they were full of shit in those classic ads.
Install a packet sniffer on a cable network, and you can see your neighbours' traffic. It goes without saying that you are on a shared-bandwidth network if you can do this, and you can. If you don't experience slowdowns, this means that you don't have a lot of bandwidth hogs on your segment.

Posted: 2003-05-23 11:37pm
by RogueIce
Good info, and thanks.

But what about price and what it takes to install it and make it work?

And I heard about T1/T2/T3 lines that are supposed to be faster than DSL, supposedly. Is that just a myth? If not, how much and what's it take fir them too?

Posted: 2003-05-23 11:50pm
by Darth Wong
RogueIce wrote:Good info, and thanks.

But what about price and what it takes to install it and make it work?

And I heard about T1/T2/T3 lines that are supposed to be faster than DSL, supposedly. Is that just a myth? If not, how much and what's it take fir them too?
Basically, for most people the bandwidth is really not THAT critical. Internet traffic is "bursty", so you won't have problems on a cable network unless you've got a lot of people downloading huge streaming files at the same time. I'd say that for most people, you're better off looking at price rather than technology type. If you're trying to run a server, however, it gets messier because you need bandwidth 24/7, and it's not enough to rely on the valleys in bursty traffic patterns.

As for T1/T2/T3 lines, forget 'em. Expensive as hell.

Posted: 2003-05-23 11:52pm
by RogueIce
Darth Wong wrote:As for T1/T2/T3 lines, forget 'em. Expensive as hell.
So, basically, unless I make a site that becomes as popular as, say, TFN and SW.com combined, it ain't worth it? :D

Posted: 2003-05-23 11:54pm
by Joe
Darth Wong wrote:My DSL is 3 Mbps down, 640kbps up. But you can theoretically go faster. Efficient Networks' Speedstream DSL models are rated for maximum 8 Mbps down, 1 Mbps up.

The biggest thing about DSL is the fact that you have a direct line to the switch, so you don't have to share bandwidth. With a cable modem, if your neighbour is constantly downloading MP3 files, you can't do shit. He can also see everything you do if he has a packet sniffer.
True. File-sharing became such a bandwidth eater at UGA that they had to disallow it outright.

Posted: 2003-05-24 12:27am
by TheArtist
Darth Wong wrote:Install a packet sniffer on a cable network, and you can see your neighbours' traffic. It goes without saying that you are on a shared-bandwidth network if you can do this, and you can. If you don't experience slowdowns, this means that you don't have a lot of bandwidth hogs on your segment.
I have. I needed to make damn sure. If you get a biz. system with a static ip, you don't see your neighbors.

I agree with you on t1/t2/t3. Unless you have steady traffic. It ain't work it.

Now get to work on your fabled reading comprehension and read where I pointed out I was discussing BUSINESS accounts.

Posted: 2003-05-24 12:36am
by AdmiralKanos
TheArtist wrote:I have. I needed to make damn sure. If you get a biz. system with a static ip, you don't see your neighbors.
Ah, I didn't realize that when you said "commercial", you exclusively meant a business account with a static IP and probably a direct line. I've worked in businesses which used regular consumer accounts before.
I agree with you on t1/t2/t3. Unless you have steady traffic. It ain't work it.
A T1 is actually slower than a DSL or cable line un some respects (slower downloading, faster uploading).
Now get to work on your fabled reading comprehension and read where I pointed out I was discussing BUSINESS accounts.
I doubt that the person who started this thread was trying to set up a corporate network, therefore your high-cost account is a red herring. And you seem to be trying to incite something; do you have some kind of issue to work out?

Posted: 2003-05-24 12:48am
by HemlockGrey
I have verizon DSL, but it seems to have bursts of slow on my piece o' shit 5-year old computer.

An acquintence of mine had a home T3 line. Lucky bastard.

BTW, is there a book or guide or Guru On a Mountain that tells you the stuff I've found on your website related to the 'net and computers, Wong?

Posted: 2003-05-24 12:50am
by AdmiralKanos
HemlockGrey wrote:I have verizon DSL, but it seems to have bursts of slow on my piece o' shit 5-year old computer.

An acquintence of mine had a home T3 line. Lucky bastard.
What the fuck? A home T3 line? Since you're a youngster, I'll assume he's a kid too; what do his parents do for a living? They'd better not be "bulk E-mail marketers" ...
BTW, is there a book or guide or Guru On a Mountain that tells you the stuff I've found on your website related to the 'net and computers, Wong?
I worked as a part-time sysadmin for 8 years (in addition to the engineering stuff). You generally pick up a few things along the way.

Posted: 2003-05-24 12:59am
by HemlockGrey
The kid's parents were both extremely successful business executives. VPs of some large, international corporation, I think.

Sysadmin, well, that makes sense.

Posted: 2003-05-24 01:57am
by TrailerParkJawa
My DSL account is 50 dollars a month for a static IP. I like it because I dont have to mess around with software from the provider. I get 384K down guarunteed, but since Im relatively close to a central office, I often get more speed.

One really annoying thing Ive seen with my friends who have Comcast cable is about once or twice a month they have to power cycle their modems.

As Mike pointed out T-1, T-3, etc are for companies. There are connections out there like OC-48 which are capable of smoking fast speeds, but they backbone connections.

Check this link out, you might like it.

http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition ... 98,00.html

Posted: 2003-05-24 02:04am
by TheArtist
AdmiralKanos wrote:do you have some kind of issue to work out?
None what so ever. In another thread it was explained that flaming was acceptible if you had a point. I had one.

I was just following format - do I have the format wrong?

Posted: 2003-05-24 02:07am
by Ghost Rider
TheArtist wrote:
AdmiralKanos wrote:do you have some kind of issue to work out?
None what so ever. In another thread it was explained that flaming was acceptible if you had a point. I had one.

I was just following format - do I have the format wrong?
You may want to keep it down.

Flaming is acceptable if you have a point, correct...but usage just because you can is not quite how it should be used and can quickly mark you for being an ass.

Posted: 2003-05-24 02:10am
by TrailerParkJawa
TheArtist wrote:
AdmiralKanos wrote:do you have some kind of issue to work out?
None what so ever. In another thread it was explained that flaming was acceptible if you had a point. I had one.

I was just following format - do I have the format wrong?
I think the problem is you did not make yourself clear that you were refering to business cable connections. I dont think Wond was alone in not understanding that. I didnt catch it. Also from the tone of the post, it sounded maybe like you had some beef with DSL companies. Thats all.

Posted: 2003-05-24 02:15am
by TheArtist
Nope. I was happy with my DSL until I found out I couldn't get a faster line. I called cable and was blown away.

I had a monster pipe with the UPLOAD I needed 3 days from first call.

And they apologized for being an hour late - that's customer service.

Posted: 2003-05-24 02:15am
by Darth Wong
TheArtist wrote:
AdmiralKanos wrote:do you have some kind of issue to work out?
None what so ever. In another thread it was explained that flaming was acceptible if you had a point. I had one.

I was just following format - do I have the format wrong?
Flaming is acceptable in some cases, but that doesn't mean it's mandatory. If you were offended by something I said, then a flame would be perfectly understandable. If not, then you're just trying to stir up shit. So once again, do you have some kind of issue to work out?

Posted: 2003-05-24 02:16am
by TheArtist
Darth Wong wrote:
TheArtist wrote:
AdmiralKanos wrote:do you have some kind of issue to work out?
None what so ever. In another thread it was explained that flaming was acceptible if you had a point. I had one.

I was just following format - do I have the format wrong?
Flaming is acceptable, but that doesn't mean it's mandatory or encouraged. If you were offended by something I said, then a flame would be perfectly understandable. If not, then you're just trying to stir up shit. So once again, do you have some kind of issue to work out?
Nope, just trying to "get" the format?

See my other comment. I don't want to be accused of "stirring shit" or "flaming" when that is not my intention.

I thought it was outlawed, I was told that it was if you made a point.

Am I doing something wrong?

Posted: 2003-05-24 02:20am
by Darth Wong
TheArtist wrote:See my other comment. I don't want to be accused of "stirring shit" or "flaming" when that is not my intention.
A smart-ass put-down is usually a prelude to a flamewar. Are you trying to be deliberately obtuse by acting as though you don't understand this?
I thought it was outlawed, I was told that it was if you made a point.
It's not outlawed. However, it can certainly make you look bad, and if you make an ass of yourself on a constant basis, people will start flaming you regularly. I said that flaming won't get you banned; that doesn't mean everyone wants you to do it at every opportunity. Does the term "black/white fallacy" mean anything to you?
Am I doing something wrong?
By inserting a smart-ass put-down where none is warranted and acting as though you weren't trying to start anything, yes. Once again, it looks to me like you're trying to start something.

Posted: 2003-05-24 02:23am
by TheArtist
Not at all. I am simply trying to understand the format.

:)

Posted: 2003-05-24 02:31am
by Shinova
TheArtist wrote:Not at all. I am simply trying to understand the format.

:)
The only "format" is that you do not flame just for the sake of flaming.

If a troll or an idiot walks in and spouts his mouth off, flame away. Otherwise, just talk normally.



I have $40 per month cable that just recently got upgraded. Now its about 3 Mbits down, 260 kbps up. And I don't think any of our neighbors share the cable.

Posted: 2003-05-24 02:36am
by TheArtist
Shinova wrote:
TheArtist wrote:Not at all. I am simply trying to understand the format.

:)
The only "format" is that you do not flame just for the sake of flaming.

If a troll or an idiot walks in and spouts his mouth off, flame away. Otherwise, just talk normally.



I have $40 per month cable that just recently got upgraded. Now its about 3 Mbits down, 260 kbps up. And I don't think any of our neighbors share the cable.
Yeah, like I said, I've never had a slowdown. I got a 4/1 line here; static IP's and a whole lotta gear.

My wife calls the F5 Big IP a "night-light".

:)

PS - one of your comments finally resonated - I'll just add "Queeb" to the "bad trolls" list and ignore him from now on.

Posted: 2003-05-24 02:48am
by Shinova
TheArtist wrote:
Shinova wrote:
Yeah, like I said, I've never had a slowdown. I got a 4/1 line here; static IP's and a whole lotta gear.
But isn't yours a business cable line? Mines is home.


EDIT: Ah, whatever. Doesn't really matter anyway.