| Disconnected again? Tired of missing phone calls | | | | North America. This works much the same way |
| because you spend too much time online with a | | | | as ADSL, but is more technological and does allow |
| dial up connection that moves slower than that | | | | more data to be sent and received than an ADSL |
| snail crawling on the floor? There are plenty of | | | | connection. SDSL is a DSL Internet connection |
| people who know that feeling, and in a culture | | | | that also requires a special modem. |
| that values speed and the ability to get things | | | | Cable Internet is the main competitor to DSL. |
| done quickly, it is no surprise that DSL Internet | | | | There are still a lot of arguments over which is |
| connections are becoming increasingly popular. DSL | | | | faster, which is the better deal, which works best. |
| Internet connections are much faster and more | | | | There does not appear to be a clear winner |
| reliable than basic dial up connections, and are | | | | between the two. While Cable Internet offers |
| much better than their dial up competitors. In | | | | speeds that are up to twice as fast as any DSL |
| fact, the competition between the two isn't even | | | | Internet connections, unlike DSL, cable uses a |
| close. | | | | "shared bandwidth" which means that at any |
| Unless you live or work in a very remote and | | | | given time the actual download speeds can vary |
| rural area, you should have the option of getting a | | | | quite a bit. At a busy time, DSL might actually be |
| much faster internet than dial up, especially | | | | faster because too many users will slow down a |
| through DSL Internet connections. If high-speed | | | | cable internet connection, though at a down time, |
| Internet services are available, your choice will be | | | | the cable might edge out the DSL. |
| between DSL or cable modem services. Cable | | | | There are commonly questions about security. |
| Internet is fairly self-explanatory to a lot of | | | | While security is always an issue with high speed |
| people, but you might be asking yourself, what | | | | Internet, there is no way to determine if one is |
| are DSL Internet connections? | | | | really safer than the other. In this situation, |
| DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. DSL uses a | | | | whether you have Cable Internet or a DSL |
| specialized technology to cram large amounts of | | | | Internet connection, it makes sense to have a |
| data onto copper wires, which is how the direct | | | | proven anti-virus and anti-spy ware package on |
| Internet line can be opened without having to | | | | your computer to deal with any inevitable |
| block off your phone. A DSL Internet connection | | | | problems that will occur. |
| can also sometimes be called an always on | | | | Then there is the bottom line question in almost |
| connection because it uses existing 2-wire copper | | | | every argument: which one is the better buy for |
| telephone line connected to the premise and will | | | | the price? Which is cheaper? The problem is, |
| not tie up your phone as a dial-up connection | | | | there is no standard prices that make |
| does. Since a DSL Internet connection is always | | | | comparisons easy. The price of a DSL Internet |
| on, you never have to dial up into an ISP or block | | | | connection is dependent on several factors, |
| off the phone line. There isn't even a need to get | | | | including: competition, level of competition, location, |
| a second phone line. The two main categories of | | | | and variety of local choices. The ideal situation is |
| DSL for home subscribers are called ADSL and | | | | where you have two, or even three, companies |
| SDSL. | | | | in your area vying over the Cable Internet and |
| What are the differences between the two? One | | | | DSL Internet market. These will be the areas that |
| is simply location. ADSL is generally the most | | | | have the most competitive pricing. Otherwise, you |
| common form of DSL Internet connection sold by | | | | simply need to check your area. There is no point |
| Internet providers in not only the United States, | | | | in giving a ball park price if it is not available for |
| but in most of North America in general. ADSL is | | | | that in your area. The best option is the best one |
| a short abbreviation for the longer, more technical | | | | available. |
| term of "asymmetric digital subscriber line." ADSL | | | | Still, there is no question that a DSL Internet |
| does require a special type of modem, so if you | | | | connection is far superior to dial up in virtually |
| are looking around at possible DSL Internet | | | | every way. This is from being able to keep a |
| connections, be sure that you have the right set | | | | main phone line open, to much faster downloads |
| up on your computer (or that the right modem | | | | and surfing, to the constant rate of speed that |
| can be added) before doing any purchasing. | | | | DSL can offer. This is definitely a smart buy, and |
| SDSL is short for "symmetric digital subscriber | | | | it is easy to see why the popularity continues to |
| line," and is much more common in Europe than in | | | | increase. |