The first high-speed broadband option was a digital subscriber line (DSL). Over the past few years, cable, fiber, and satellite have become very popular, yet more than 20% of Americans still use DSL.
Let’s dive in and address the fundamental concerns, such as how DSL functions, and what factors influence the speed of your DSL connection.
How Does DSL Function?
Your internet uploads and downloads are transmitted concurrently with regular phone signals using DSL, which tacks on to existing copper phone lines.
Dial-up internet prevents phone signals from using the connection, whereas DSL uses frequencies higher than those used by phone signals. DSL can be an always-on solution because it doesn’t interfere with phone service.
There are a lot of internet service providers (ISPs) that offer DSL networks. This does not imply that DSL providers exclusively serve DSL; frequently, the same company will run numerous internet network types, such as DSL, cable, and fiber. The services that a provider offers may change based on where you live.
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The Most Common DSL Types
In order to compete with emerging technologies like cable and fiber, which generally provide better download and upload speeds, DSL has undergone significant improvements in recent years, as well as continuous updates.
VDSL2, ADSL, and other DSL variants that you may have seen while looking for home or business internet service have become popular as a result of this.
All forms of DSL can be divided into one of the following groups.
- Symmetrical: Equal upload and download speeds.
- Asymmetrical: Download speeds are faster than upload speeds, taking advantage of the fact that the majority of users download more data than they upload.
Is DSL Your Only Choice in This Area?
The majority of clients have access to two different types of broadband technology. One of the most widespread is DSL, which is accessible to more than 90% of Americans.
Although solutions like satellite internet and fixed wireless are becoming more and more popular for customers in rural areas, cable and fiber are the most popular alternatives to DSL. Using your ZIP code, you can check the exact alternatives available in your local area.
What Determines DSL Speed?
Unfortunately, not everyone can obtain the speeds advertised on the website of their DSL provider. The distance between your home and the closest DSL access multiplexer (DSLAM) and the configuration of your home network will determine the actual internet speeds you receive.
Distance from the “Local Office” or DSLAM
In contrast to cable, the distance between the provider and the subscriber has a significant impact on DSL speeds.
- Within a mile: Speeds should be somewhat close to what the DSL provider has stated in its marketing materials.
- Between one and three miles: Speeds will most likely be significantly slower, and you may experience packet loss.
- Over three miles: You’ll probably experience issues with your connection’s reliability and speed.
Sadly, figuring out how far you are from the nearest DSLAM is not easy. In general, DSL service providers guarantee that they can supply speeds that are similar to those that are promised, but they simply won’t service consumers who reside too far away to receive speeds that are comparable.
Configuring Your Home Network
Even if you have high-speed DSL at home, the signal must still travel through your modem and router before it can reach your computer. Your internet connection can be slowed down by both poor Wi-Fi and residing too far from a DSLAM.
Even if it means giving up the convenience of Wi-Fi, it may be preferable to hardwire PCs, consoles, and other bandwidth-intensive gadgets to your router via an Ethernet cable. This is only important if you’re attempting to speed up your internet connection.
When compared to Wi-Fi, Ethernet connections are faster and have reduced latency, especially if you haven’t updated your router in a while. Your provider’s most recent speed increases might not be compatible with older modems.
Even though modems don’t require upgrades as frequently as routers do, they nevertheless include a lot of technology that may not be compatible with today’s standards. If you rent a modem from your ISP, they should be able to advise you when it’s time to update.
If you have a modem/router combo device, also known as a gateway, you should be aware that either the modem or router capabilities may be out-of-date, however, typically the router functionality needs to be upgraded first. It’s presumably a gateway if your network is run by a single box.
All in All
DSL will always be seen as the less expensive alternative because it offers raw speeds that are lower than those of cable or fiber internet. In fact, it is also less expensive than satellite and other widely accessible broadband options.
DSL may be the only feasible choice for rural users, but technological developments have improved it to the point where it can handle modern usage scenarios such as streaming Netflix, video chatting, and gaming.