DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. People can use a number of different ways to connect to the internet, examples are a modem, a local area network (this is usually abbreviated to LAN) connection in the office environment, a cable modem or DSL. The main issues people are concerned about with regard to connection are security, cost, performance and speed.
With installation being another important issue to consider, the DSL option is easier to set up. It is also essential for a phone line to be near as possible to a computer system. DSL can be self-installed with relative ease. The cable connection is also easy for you to set up yourself at home.
Security is very important as the computer will be linked up to the internet constantly. Many people feel apprehensive about this as it means the computer is open to viruses all the time. The solution for using cable or DSL connections is to install antivirus software as well as a firewall and software to detect for adware and malware. Another precaution available is to limit file and printer sharing. This will protect all information and files and block out the majority of virus’s attempting to enter into the system.
The cost of the DSL system and the cable version can vary, as always, you will need to research it carefully.
One of the great advantages of using a DSL connection is that you can use the phone while you are connected to the net, this is ideal for office workers and very important to people who earn their money by working from home. The speed is a lot faster than a modem and a dial-up connection. The DSL does not need to be re-routed so it can use the original phone line. The closer the DSL connection is to the service provider, the better the service will be. It is cost effective, and is able to provide fast download time for music, games and many other options. One other huge advantage for companies is that you can connect a number of computers onto one DSL connection; this saves both time and money. With DSL you have dedicated connection and speed, which appeals to many customers and it is the reason why DSL is so common today. Broadband DSL is becoming more and more popular as people are discovering the reliability, security and speed it can provide.
Cable connections are known to able to provide more bandwidth than DSL. However, it is rare that the maximum level will be reached with cable and DSL. Bandwidth is a term used to describe speed, the time taken to move information that can be exchanged between a web site and a user, i.e. from one point to another point. While cable modems offer more bandwidth, this can differ with the amount of people logging onto the internet at the same time, who live near each other. If there are a lot of people online at the same time this will slow the connection. Cable and DSL have speed caps which limits the bandwidth of the service. The reason for this is to be able to provide for a number of customers and make equal amounts of bandwidth available for each customer.
Things to know when signing up to a DSL are that the modem will be supplied along with the installation. Data will be quicker being received than sent using the internet. However, there are some locations where DSL is not available.