High speed Internet
access seems on the tip of everyone's tongue, but with so many different solutions,
which one is worth it? Being a computer geek by definition, I have been asked this same
question over and over. So, in an attempt to help everyone, I have done some
research; this article contains the results of my findings. Being a wireless proponent, I
am, by association, naturally biased. With that in mind, I have decided to list the
advantages and disadvantages of the two major high speed Internet solutions, Cable
and Wireless access, hoping to provide enough information to help you formulate a
reasonable decision.
Cable:
To fully understand the differences between Cable and Wireless access, let us first learn
about the former. Cable access is a high speed Internet connection through a cable
television network using a unit known as a cable modem. External devices that connect to
your computer, cable modems use a standard 10Base-T Ethernet interface. A coaxial cable
line is then run from the splitter (which separates the cable line from your television
set) to the cable modem. So why the cable? Speed at an affordable price and availability
are two reasons, but with these two advantages come sacrifices. For example, let us look
at speed and security: How fast are cable modem connections? "Many cable companies
tout cable modems as fast as 100 times faster than dialup Internet connections -- that,
however, is a slight exaggeration. Theoretically it can be done but realistically it
rarely happens, for a number of technological reasons. A more accurate figure would be
about 20 times faster than a 56K dialup connection" (quoted from
http://www.cable-modem.net).
Another important note to mention is that cable modems are typically asymmetric, meaning
download speeds are faster than upload speeds. @Home, the largest national cable provider,
recently implemented a maximum upload speed of 128Kbps (4 times faster than a dialup
modem). So cable speeds fluctuate? Yes! They do fluctuate and, depending on your area,
this fluctuation may be more noticeable due to a larger number of users sharing a central
node. In addition to this speed fluctuation, the vital issue of security is put into
question by the sharing of a central node. As multiple persons utilize the Cable network
simultaneously over a large area, and computer literate persons sharing the same node can
access shared folders of other users. This makes cable access unfeasible for any companies
operating on a LAN without proper proxy or firewall settings. Other security issues
involve receiving trojans, virii, and other types of computer hacks through the Cable
network by persons with knowledge of networking.
Let's recap:
Speed fluctuates and is maxed typically at 512K shared access downloads, and considerably
slower uploads. Pricing ranges from around $30.00 - $50.00 per month, with another $10.00
per month on equipment leases. With non-constant speeds, set bandwidth, and inherent
security flaws, one may want to think twice about Cable solutions for high speed Internet
needs. Two great companies to learn more about Cable or to attain cable access are @Home (http://www.home.com) and Cable Modem.Net (http://www.cable-modem.net).
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