What is ADSL

Why is ADSL better than a cable modem?

ADSL is better than a cable modem for the following reasons.

The fundamental difference between ADSL service, and a Cable modem is the delivery method.

Both services can provide Internet access at blinding speed.

We have received reports from customers that ADSL is generally faster than cable modem access. One customer who had both our ADSL service, and a cable modem have reported that invariably downloads took half as long on ADSL as the cable modem. Customers have also reported that they have cancelled their cable modem services!

Please see the following comparison table:.

ADSL

Cable Modem

ADSL is delivered through your existing telephone line. Almost everyone has a telephone. Cable Modem service is delivered through a Cable TV connection. Not everyone has Cable TV.

The telephone system, including your telephone line, is battery backed up. This means that when your electrical power fails, your telephone, and your ADSL Internet Service, continue to function normally. If you have an Uninterruptable Power Supply, your computer will continue to function on the Internet in a normal fashion. The Cable TV system is not battery backed up. A power failure will cause your cable modem system to fail. The power failure does not even have to be in your area. Due to the architecture of the cable TV system, any power failure anywhere in the system where your signal passes, will cause your service to fail. (see the architecture differences below)

Your telephone service originates from a telephone company central office nearby in your neighborhood. You can imagine the telephone system as a network of interconnected locations, something like a matrix. Your Internet provider delivers Internet data directly to your telephone company central office. Furthermore, the speed of your connection is determined by your distance from your telephone company central office. The closer you are, the faster your connection. Chances are that you are very close to your central office, and you will have a very good connection. And you will be the only one using your connection to your central office. The cable TV system originates from a location called the Headend. The Headend is where the numerous satellite dishes are located. All cable signals for the city originate there. You can imagine the system as being like a wheel with many spokes. Each spoke is an individual line going out to deliver service to the area it passes through. The speed of your individual connection is determined by how many users there are connected to your line or spoke, and how many of those users are actually using the system. Sometimes the service will be very fast, at other times, it could be very slow. Since each line, or spoke can be very long, there is no way to control exactly how many people will be connected to the same line that you are.

Your ADSL connection is a virtual connection between your Internet provider, and you. Your connection passes through a router.Your Internet provider's router has certain safeguards in place that will only permit access to your computer from the Internet. No one else can access your computer directly as in a network connection. You still must make your computer as secure as possible, but the job is much easier. A cable TV internet connection is a network connection that provides access to all the other computers that are connected to the same network system. A network connection is not designed to be secure since it is designed to connect all the computers in the network together. You will be able to see any other computer that is also part of your network.You will also be able to access those computers if the owner has not properly set up their system to be secure. Depending on the exact design of the cable system, you might be able to see hundreds of other computers in your area, including your next door neighbors. And, of course, they can see you too.

Email your questions to: adsl@intcon.net

Web Master

ADSL	Cable Modem
ADSL is delivered through your existing telephone line. Almost everyone has a telephone.	Cable Modem service is delivered through a Cable TV connection. Not everyone has Cable TV.
The telephone system, including your telephone line, is battery backed up. This means that when your electrical power fails, your telephone, and your ADSL Internet Service, continue to function normally. If you have an Uninterruptable Power Supply, your computer will continue to function on the Internet in a normal fashion.	The Cable TV system is not battery backed up. A power failure will cause your cable modem system to fail. The power failure does not even have to be in your area. Due to the architecture of the cable TV system, any power failure anywhere in the system where your signal passes, will cause your service to fail. (see the architecture differences below)
Your telephone service originates from a telephone company central office nearby in your neighborhood. You can imagine the telephone system as a network of interconnected locations, something like a matrix. Your Internet provider delivers Internet data directly to your telephone company central office. Furthermore, the speed of your connection is determined by your distance from your telephone company central office. The closer you are, the faster your connection. Chances are that you are very close to your central office, and you will have a very good connection. And you will be the only one using your connection to your central office.	The cable TV system originates from a location called the Headend. The Headend is where the numerous satellite dishes are located. All cable signals for the city originate there. You can imagine the system as being like a wheel with many spokes. Each spoke is an individual line going out to deliver service to the area it passes through. The speed of your individual connection is determined by how many users there are connected to your line or spoke, and how many of those users are actually using the system. Sometimes the service will be very fast, at other times, it could be very slow. Since each line, or spoke can be very long, there is no way to control exactly how many people will be connected to the same line that you are.
Your ADSL connection is a virtual connection between your Internet provider, and you. Your connection passes through a router.Your Internet provider's router has certain safeguards in place that will only permit access to your computer from the Internet. No one else can access your computer directly as in a network connection. You still must make your computer as secure as possible, but the job is much easier.	A cable TV internet connection is a network connection that provides access to all the other computers that are connected to the same network system. A network connection is not designed to be secure since it is designed to connect all the computers in the network together. You will be able to see any other computer that is also part of your network.You will also be able to access those computers if the owner has not properly set up their system to be secure. Depending on the exact design of the cable system, you might be able to see hundreds of other computers in your area, including your next door neighbors. And, of course, they can see you too.