WebJunction

DSL, DSL, DSL. It's the high-speed connection du jour. But it's not the only one. Satellite connections are becoming increasingly popular (okay, the buzz about the possibility of satellite connections is becoming increasingly popular). And people are hooking up via their phone -- using that tiny screen to browse and calling voice portals to have their e-mail read to them.

But what about good old cable? How come that doesn't seem to be mentioned anymore? It's high-speed; it's two way (unlike satellite which, in its current incarnation, is predominately one-way; you have to use a telephone and analog modem to upload files or send e-mail), and it's here now.

Just the facts

Cable -- the same cable that gets 1,265 channels of the same four movies and two tired sitcoms into your home -- can offer you Internet access of speeds 10 to 1,000 times faster than a dial-up connection.

That "up to" is an important point. Your download speed -- how fast you get what you ask for -- is almost faster than upload speed -- the rate at which information, including e-mail -- travels from your computer. Also, because cable connections are shared, the number of other people in your area using the Internet affects your speed.

While your library can buy cable modems, the best bet for finding access and equipment is to call your local cable company find out if they offer cable modems in your area and what equipment you need. Generally, in the same way that they "give" you the cable box, they give you the modem.

Finally, cable is an always-on connection. That means there are security issues.

Does it serve the purpose?

Here's what happens. Cable providers limit the download and upload speed so that that users do not take up more than their fair share of bandwidth. Additionally, they allocate a smaller amount of the available bandwidth for uploading. This means sending an e-mail (with, for instance, a 15-page Word attachment) will take longer than receiving it.

While this may serve the companies goals serving a maximum amount of users fairly, it may not serve your library's high-speed needs.

Many users send and receive large files via e-mail attachments. Some of your library users may be uploading files to a remote server. These users may not see a significant increase in speed if you choose a cable modem.

Of course, there may not be a choice. Because of the limited availability of both DSL and cable modems, it may be that you have to take what you can get.

Is it available?

Call your local cable company and ask. Ask them if they are the only provider. Ask them about the recommended hardware and software for accessing their system at the best speed possible. Ask them how much service costs per month. Ask them how many users are in your area. Ask them their average connect speed. They are required to tell you the truth about all of these things. Double check. Especially check out the availability of alternate providers Check out the most recent comparison between DSL and cable at CNET.

Is there a choice?

If your library has a choice between DSL and cable access, find out about both. See how long it will take them to get there, what the average connection speeds are (not the "up to" nonsense; the actual average connection speeds), and check out the cost. Look for user reviews on CNET.

Our recommendation?

You're at your library. You need to transfer files, and get reliable speed without worrying about whether or not your neighbor is online.

Under those circumstances, we say to go with DSL.