[TriLUG] DSL vs Road Runner Recomendations?

[Ben Pitzer]

> So, I guess what I want to ask the list is what are your
> feelings on DSL versus cable internet?  I've had absolutely
> no problems with my cable internet connection.  I get good
> transfer rates and extremely good uptime.  I've only had
> to call their tech support once, and that was within the
> first 30 minutes I had the connection (I wasn't getting
> an IP because they didn't have me completely setup yet).
> Will I get a similar experience with DSL, or will the
> speeds (768k down/128k up) be noticably different?  Note
> that I run a small web and mail server on this line...

Well, depending on how much traffic you get on the web server, you could
notice a difference with 128k up, although I'm not sure what you're
getting upstream with cable.  I've recently had some experience again
with ISDN lines, and it's something I could do without.  Keep that in
mind.  As for the downstream, you'll probably see improved performance
over cable.

Cable providers don't specify a minimum bandwidth.  They specify a
maximum, which seems counterintuitive, but it covers their a**es.  Check
to see if DSL gaurantees a minimum bandwidth, or if those numbers are a
maximum.

I've also had some experience with DSL lines, and to be honest, the
problems existed primarily with the telephone company when they
occurred.  Bell Atlantic wasn't exactly wonderful about getting to
Covad's DSL customers.  Not sure how Bell South might be, or how much
better DSL has gotten in the last two years, but when we had a customer
whose service failed, the average time to come back online was probably
between 12-24 hours.  Not that customers had such problems often, but
when they had them, it could take a while to fix.  Perhaps going through
Verizon, with their connections to Bell South might make a difference.

> Also, does anyone have any information about BritSys,
> which is the company I'm looking at for DSL.  
> I've checked DSL reports at 
> http://www.dslreports.com/reviews/1497
> and they've scored 4.5 out of 5 stars in every category.
> They're also listed at #1 of the "Regional ISPs - (with 
> sufficient recent reviews)"  I've never seen anythingRegional ISPs -
> (with sufficient recent reviews)
> 
> bad said about them and in talking with them over e-mail
> I'm very impressed with their setup and their willingness
> to answer questions.
> 
> Thanks much in advance,
> Tanner
> 
> ObLinux: Just in case anyone is wondering what this
> has to do with Linux, given that this is a linux list,
> of the 5 computers I have running at home,4 of them
> run one version of linux or another. :-)  (My wife's
> runs Windows NT Server.)
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Tanner Lovelace | lovelace at wayfarer.org | http://wtl.wayfarer.org/
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>  Those who are willing to sacrifice essential liberties for a little 
>  order, will lose both and deserve neither.  --  Benjamin Franklin 
> 
>  History teaches that grave threats to liberty often come in times
>  of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to 
>  endure.  --  Justice Thurgood Marshall, 1989 

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