Here are some of the facts you should consider when comparing DSL with Cable Modems.

       DSL vs Cable Modem : speed

       DSL vs Cable Modem : cost

       DSL vs Cable Modem : security

       DSL vs Cable Modem : considerations for both

Speed

One of the first things you need to think about is the speed of your connection, this is the main factor to differentiate Cable and DSL.  It plays a vital part in the general online experience a user gets when surfing so having a faster Internet connection relly does make all the difference.

Some of the most common question we get when discussing DSL vs Cable Modem is which service is faster? Download speeds for Cable modems range up to 2 times faster than 1.5Mbps DSL which is about 50x the average speed of a 28.8K Modem.

DSL Speed vs Cable Speed = CABLE WINS

Within the past year, DSL has lowered their prices to the same level as cable. DSL and Cable both offer a fair amount of services such as email addresses, junk and spam filtering, and a firewall of some type. Both of these services are rich with features, and prices are low enough for both services to take advantages of specials and deals

Have you checked if the Cable Company in your area is offering a better deal than an ADSL service? There will be some people who live in places where either cable or DSL service is unavailable, but many will have the choice of both.

DSL Cost vs Cable Cost = A DRAW

For the latest cable modem offers check out:

       

Virgin offers

When we compare cable vs DSL in terms of service, network security might be the most controversial item on the comparison chart. At first glance it appears one clearly wins the security battle over the other.

The majority of cable providers avoid security problems by bundling security features in the cable modem hardware. In particular, basic network firewall capabilities will prevent files from being viewed or downloaded. Most cable modems around today also implement the Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS). DOCSIS includes support for cable network security features including authentication and packet filtering.

DSL uses dedicated rather than shared cabling, and DSL customers in a given area don't appear as nodes on a LAN. From this, many have concluded DSL service provides better security. However, this argument is at best an oversimplified one. It still remains of course quite easy to 'tap' into your neighbours phone line.

For their dedicated cabling...

DSL Security vs Cable Security = DSL WINS

By design, DSL and cable customers can stay logged into the Internet indefinitely if they choose. This feature provides great convenience but also creates a security risk. First, the "law of averages" means quite simply being online longer increases the likelihood of attack proportionately. But importantly, the always-on feature typically means the customer will be using the same network address -- a static IP address -- for the duration of their online session. With Cable it should be noted that when your PC is rebooted, your IP will change (it is dynamic)

In general, they exploit weaknesses in applications or in the underlying operating system. Typically vulnerable applications include email, databases, and instant messaging and conferencing tools. Operating systems contain many potentially vulnerable network services like FTP that utilize specific network ports.

A DSL or cable router enhances the functionality of the basic modem with security features such as packet filtering and network address translation (NAT). Cable Broadband routers will provide a convenient package of security features.

There really isn't a clear winner when you compare DSL vs Cable Modem. First you should find out which is available in your area. If you have a choice between DSL vs Cable Modem then take a look at our guideline and make the choice based on what is most important to you : speed, price, security, etc.