I have cable currently but am thinking of bundling my home phone and internet connection. Unfortunately Lincoln NE has only two choices: Time Warner Cable bundle [75/mo] or Windstream DSL [50/mo]. Both offer unlimited LD, the only difference is the internet connection. Windstream DSL claims speeds up to 3 mbps, I think cable is twice as fast. My question is - does there exist an noticeable difference between the two considering most sites won't allow that fast of navigation regardless of one's connection, with the possible exception of Google?

Am I really going any faster using 6 mbps vs 3 mbps? Anyone have experience with DSL vs Cable? I'd appreciate the guidance, thanks.

TJ

We're on Windstream DSL here. We've never had cable (if you want to see fire fly from Theo's ears ask him about his adventures with the cable company). It took Windstream three years to get our DSL to work right. So my first questions would be how far do you live from Windstream's server, have their engineers (not the salesman) tested your line to see if DSL is a possibility, and do you have a local number(not answered in India)to work with for installation?

Thanks Fish Wife...these are important considerations.

Your PC or laptop can be the governor on surfing speed.

I've got 3 MBPS Frontier Telephone DSL here at the house. I've got the "up to 12 MBPS" Comcast cable at my apartment in the "old folks home." I've got a fairly decent and recent Dell laptop, and my work computer is a pretty fancy HP. I use both of them at both places.

As far as surfing, I can't tell any difference between my DSL and my cable. I can't tell any significant difference when I'm downloading large MP3/4 files, like the Sunday morning TV talk shows. The speed indicators lie, because they don't take into account the handshaking time. The cable appears to be much faster in BPS, but in real time, it isn't.

I don't do enough uploading to make a comparison.

Ken

The most crucial statement is "up to". I've been fooled by the claims before, and would really like to see an average speed, not a "maximum possible speed" rating". As you know, it will change over time as more and more people join the plan. A good question might be "how many people are on each server now, and what is the upper limit criteria for adding more servers?"

I like this website: http://speakeasy.net/speedtest/

Easy way to compare download and upload speeds...

I don't know if the location matters. I used Chicago, which is approx. 90 miles away and here's the results.
Last Result:
Download Speed: 17669 kbps (2208.6 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 1899 kbps (237.4 KB/sec transfer rate)

Stupid question. How do I convert kbps to Mbps? Or KB to Mbps?

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/basicnetworkingconcepts/l/bldef_kbps.htm

All the info you need...

Not only does location matter but if you do the test more than once the result will be different numbers on the same server.

Here are the results of the tests I just ran using speakeasy above:

Fastest connection:

San Francisco:
Download speed 27,023 kbps (3,377.9 kb/sec)
Upload speed 4,499 kbps (562.4 kb/sec)

Slowest connection:

Washington DC:
Download speed 10,205 kbps (1,275.6 kb/sec)
Upload speed 2,846 kbps (355.8 kb/sec)

We now have 3 internet connections:
My home/office is wired Cox cable, it is quite fast and generally reliable. Like every internet service I've ever had it has periods where it runs slower than the normal lightening fast speeds.

Our rental is Cox cable on a wireless router. Same comments as above.

Or pond property we have the At&t 3G connection. It is actually only 2G where they promised it would be 3G and some days would not let me connect at all. For more details, you can read my thread on that, its better than a can and string internet connection but just barely.

I would say test a internet connection service, make them put in writing what they will deliver. Do not sign any long term contract until you are satisified that the connection is what they promised and their customer service is good (or at least not terrible).

Ah, Theo, can you hook up a web cam and describe your adventures with the cable company please?

Not on a family web site like Pond Boss.

OTOH, the statute of limitations on that little incident HAS run out now.

Thanks guys, I ended up bundling unltd phone and DSL. No commitment, cancel anytime.\

Side note: I tried to give my business to the cable company, sat on hold twice for 10 min each while ordering. When they finally came back I decided to let them know how it felt by telling them to hold on a sec while I "looked up my wifes SSN for ordering"...set the phone down for 20 min, came back, no one there. I'd like to think I got them for at least 5 or 10 min. That one was for any of you out there who have been to Hold Hell.

HAHA, I've done that before also... Sweet revenge!!! My favorite is messing with telemarketers. I've had some of them in a serious sweat. When they call and ask for whoever, tell them they are dead and you are the detective investigating the crime. Start asking them all kinds of personal questions and tell them they'll have to be subpoenaed to court as a witness... You can literally hear them sweating over the phone!

Sounds like something Roy D Mercer would do.

If anyone doesn't know about Roy D, just google him and listen. Don't have anything in your mouth.