I'm wondering if anyone can offer any insight into DSL modems for me. I'm thinking about upgrading my DSL to 3-5Mbps (from 1.5Mbps) and want to make sure I do everything I can to ensure max DL/UL speed. I'm still using the same modem I got when I first signed up for my 256K DSL four years ago. Comcast has assured me that it will work fine with the faster service, but I'd like to get a second (or third) opinion.

I don't doubt that the old modem will "work", but it seems like modem technology has probably advanced over the past four years and that a newer one might allow me to reap greater rewards with the speed.

Anything else I can do to maximize speeds? I only have my one PC at the moment, but I've thought about setting up a wireless network in the house. How would that impact things?

Thanks in advance to anyone that can chime in here.

switch to cable...

My serious response:
Sorry, I don't know much about DSL modems, but as far as the wireless network, you can probably expect the computers on the WAN to have slightly lower speeds, depending on how far away they are from the hub.

i'm not 100% sure how dsl modems work, but your speeds are limited by the ISP and the line, and not really by the modem. plus i didn't know comcast did DSL. always thought they were cable-only.

I know with cable, every standard DOCSIS cable modem out there is capable of 10mbit upload and 10mbit download. they are capped by your ISP at much lower speeds though.

when you plug the modem into the wall, it downloads a configuration file from the cable line, and that file tells the modem how fast it is allowed to go. I imagine DSL is pretty similar.

in terms of performance, the modem you bought 5 years ago will work just as well as the one you can buy today. todays might be easier to configure, but the performance hasn't changed.

as for a wireless connection, 802.11g is capable of 54mbit, and in real world use, you'd be lucky to see a quarter of that speed. but either way, the modem can only download up to 3mbit, so any wireless network should work fine.

The only speed tip i can recommend for DSL is to move closer to the central office . DSL speed depends on how close you are to the CO, so if you're not getting your rated speeds now, you won't get them after the upgrade either. I know a lot of people that got sold DSL when they were too far from the CO to get the speeds they paid for.

I've thought about it. Kind of the endless debate: DSL vs. Cable. Are there any major pros/cons with one or the other?


Yes, I'm an idiot. I meant to say Qwest. I had a Comcast flyer sitting in front of me when I was writing this and I guess it was on my mind.

Thanks for the tips. I don't think selling the house and moving closer to the CO is an option at this point, so I'll just take what I can get. I understand the limiting factor will be my ISP and distance, but want to make sure I'm doing as much as I can locally to get the most out of it. Sounds like the modem won't be an issue and converting to wireless won't make a difference either way. Is that right? Anything else that can be done locally?

Cable is faster and cheaper in my area. $44.95 (flat rate, tax included) for 4 MB. Which means i get about 400 KB/s d/l and about 256 kb/s u/l.

Fuck Comcast too...I just had to say that because I live in Tacoma, WA where we actually have a choice in cable companies....

I chose our very own Click! Network.

it varies from market to market. in a town with 2 cable companies, they'll compete big time and prices will go down and speeds up. in a town with more than one dsl provider, same thing.

but if there's only one game in town, they have no reason to raise the speeds or lower the prices. where I live, cable is fast, but they impose a 15GB per month transfer limit (or at least they did for me). and that's combined up and down. so if i upload 5gb and download 15gb, i'm 5gb over the limit, and i'd get charged an extra $15. not real feasible for me when i transfer over 100GB per month. cable would have cost about $300 per month, unless i switched to their $150 unlimited plan or DSL for under $50.

dsl here is slower (about 1.5 mbit down, 256kbit up) but no restrictions, so it's definitely cheaper for me.

cable will probably be faster than DSL in a lot of markets, but there's no guarantee. might be something worth looking into.