High Speed Internet Providers

Cable Broadband High Speed Internet
Written by Tom FRIEDMAN   
Cable Internet is another form of broadband Internet connection, broadband being high speed Internet. Unlike DSL which is provided through the phone infrastructure, cable Internet is supplied through cable television. The whole system is integrated into the cable television system allowing most of the home based users to connect to the Internet at high speeds. Most forms of cable Internet have much higher speeds available than the average DSL connection.

The greatest benefit of cable Internet, and one of the reasons why many people choose it over DSL connection, is the fact that you do not lose any speed when you live further from the provider’s company which is the case with other types of broadband. Cable Internet requires a user to have a cable modem that connects to the system located at the provider’s facility, just like DSL. There is a huge difference between these two however since you can use a cable modem 100 miles away from the system while the reach of DSL is limited.

Another benefit of cable modem is the speed of both downstream and upstream. The download or downstream can go up to 100mbps for home users and even 400mbps in certain occasions. That is great speed compared to DSL or any other type of broadband connection for that matter. The upstream speed can vary between 384kbps to up to 20mbps, it’s just depends upon the package you decide to take. Since most people do not continuously need all the speed providers divide the broadband in areas to reduce their costs. So the more users you have in your area the lower your speed will be. It must be said that most of the companies make sure that there is plenty of broadband in every area. You will have decent upload and download speeds even during prime hours.

Even if there nobody is connected besides you however, you wouldn’t have all the 100mbps speed. Most companies restrict the bandwidth for a single user. Don’t try to override that restriction by using your own configuration for the cable modem, that is against the law and you will be violating the TOS signed with the company. On the other hand some of the companies will just restrict your bandwidth if you downloaded too much data for a certain period. All the do’s and don’ts are stated in your contract so be sure to read it.

Cable Modem

In order to make use from your cable broadband you will need a cable modem which is similar to the DSL modem. We already said that the main difference between these two is that DSL uses the phone line, while cable modem uses the television cable for in order to connect. You can watch television and be connected to the Internet at once.

Cable modem is used to connect your computer with a cable television line in order to receive or send data. There are two types of cable modem - standalone modems and integrated modems. Integrated modems come with the set-top box for your cable TV, while a standalone modem is installed separately. In most cases you can acquire a modem from your TV Company, but that is not necessary. You can purchase the modem and acquire an Internet connection using another provider that has nothing to do with your cable TV.

The modem has one connection which goes to the outlet for the TV cable and the other connection goes to the set-top box or your computer. The downstream works as follows. The modem receives data from the network, translates it and sends it to the Ethernet card inside the computer. The upstream is basically the same except for the fact that the data goes from your computer towards the network, i.e. CMTS. Cable modems can communicate with CMTS, receive and send signals and data but they cannot communicate with other modems on the network.

Cable Internet

Cable Internet is great for high speeds and easy connections, but depending on the provider those speeds can be quite limited. Not only because of the multiple users in the area, but also because of the cable lines used by a provider. Many providers are still on T1 Internet connection which can also limit your speed. Although some connection can go up to 20mbps upstream speed, some of them connect to the Internet using the T carrier system and these cannot go over 1.5mbps.

There are some advantages of using cable Internet over the popular DSL connection, but most users go for DSL because of the guaranteed speed. The cable Internet speed will vary during some hours of the day. This means that if you are using Internet for more than surfing, a connection with stable bandwidth may be the best choice for you. Depending on the provider and package you choose, cable broadband can be a great choice.

What is cable Internet and how does it work, what are the pros and cons of using cable Internet.
 
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