AquaVita

I'm just paranoid.

Well you sound like a pretty tech savvy guy/gal, so of course it's possible to get it running on those systems.

Just so I can stop the mac people before they bash my head in... The main problem with using os9.x and before is the extensions system. And the fact that macpoet(the most common type of pppoe connectivity for mac) reports vague errors that give you no idea of what the actual problem is.

Add to that, that mac9.x and before do not come with any pinging software, making it next to impossible to test the NIC card, and modem etc. (thank god osX does)

Nothing makes a tech bang his head on the wall harder, then a caller using an earlier mac os with error ID 6. :banghead:

I've heard of this happening, but I honestly doubt it would go through. Consumers would riot.

Say that again to my face, punk!

Isn't that what the splitter is supposed to do?

Kinross

A splitter usually splits the line allowing full spectrum out the two ends like a fork in the road. Then you need a filter from the splitter to the cable box. I guess they could have splitters with the filter in one device though.

Loren Pechtel

Well, I've had experience with satellite. 800ms ping. Fine for large stuff but for small stuff (and most pages are made of a bunch of small stuff) it could easily be worse than dialup. Also, terrible performance when dealing with e-mail. Setting IE's timeout to the 5 minute max wasn't always enough to download e-maiils in the meg range.

Loren Pechtel

Cable internet here, no splitters other than the normal splitters used for coax and no filters in the house. No cable tv at present although it was active for a short while. (A moron at the cable company called to point out that by having both cable tv and cable internet you got $10/month off the bill--even when it was limited basic service at $9.70/month. When the next bill showed up and his lie was exposed--the discount only applied to expanded basic or better--I yapped and had the cable tv disconnected and the errant charge knocked off the bill.) There is a filter out under the sidewalk but it's not something I need to be concerned about.
When the initial installation was done the installer forgot that filter--had it worked we would have had cable tv in the house. However, there was a bad wire they had to replace, the tech who did that hooked it up correctly.

Bree

Sorry if this question was answered in the above posts, but I'm not a scientific/technology-enhanced sort of person, and I was just blinded by the brilliance .

Why is it that DSL is so much more expensive than cable? Here in my city, it's a full $24 more per month.

AquaVita

Hello Bree!

One reason that DSL is so much more, is that there are often so many more middle men, as I mentioned earlier. The more cooks in the soup, the more you pay.

Plus there is a lot more physical equipment involved with a DSL connection, which also contributes to the cost.

Rusting Car Bumper

This is very important. If you are long way from the phone central office your speed may suck rocks and if you are close it may rock.

It doesn't matter for me because I am in one of those lucky "fiber to the curb" areas so that my DSL isn't on copper. It's like being next door to the central office.

DC

DarkBronzePlant

Wasn't directed at you specifically, just the general sentiment here. It was surprising to me, given that I've consistently had nothing but a good experience with DSL, and have consistently watched others with their cable modem woes.
Oops, I meant that I have a single phone line with multiple extensions. My house has a second phone line, but I don't use it.

Thanks! And I do consider myself lucky, but not because it's DSL, simply that it's a utility in general, and any utility can potentially cause major headaches. Hell, (and I'm not using this as a point to ding cable modems), I've had nothing but trouble in the past four years with AT&T Digital Cable. And I routinely have problems with Web-hosting ISPs.

It's possible, but unlikely. In general, he really knows what he's doing; hell, he's a telecom consultant.

Rosiel

My house is actually just on the outside of the service range, so our connection tends to come and go. When it works, it's awesome, but like someone mentioned, when there's a problem it really sucks. Still, compared to the horrible dial-up speeds, it's a lot better. We can't get cable out where we are, so DSL is as good as it gets.

kwigibo

ok, thanks for the feedback. of course it's a lot different here, as the cable services are much more problem-ridden.

another question, opinions on the difference between USB and Ethernet dsl modems? i've ordered a USB, because up until now i've been unable to network this PC because the cable modem took up the only port. will USB reduce speed noticibly?