The 7mbps from Qwest is download only. I don't know what the upload is for that offhand and so far I've only found download speed on their website. That's the top speed, but your actual speed will almost always be somewhat less than that. The top download speed is less than half the download you're currently getting.

Oh my, so there's quite a difference. I'll have to let hubby know this. Thanks!

He does want me to switch from Comcast TV to Qwest satellite. I don't blame him one bit there. We're paying $74-something for under 200 channels I'm sure. And the channels go out with the cable pretty often, or we have some other type of trouble. Qwest says we'll pay $35 a month for 12 months of satellite for over 200 channels.

The equipment will need to be figured into the cost as well.

Ah. So they do require new equipment for DSL, whether by outright purchase or rental?! Tricky.

Thanks for the heads up!

also with DSL unless you have them install a whole house filter at your exterior phone box you will need to install individual filters at every single phone outlet including any to home alarms or satellites, they usually send you a few but never enough it seems, they can be purchased at places like radio shack, I had them put the whole house filter on my house and it was much better, I was not real happy with DSL and was very happy when I was able to get Verizon fios, I don't know what I will do if we ever move and I have to give up my fios.

When I originally got my DSL they sent me a kit prior to them turning it on which included their DSL modem and some filters plus a jack doubler. The first modem was defective an nearly caught my house on fire, it got so hot it actually melted, I read where that happened to several people with that modem and it did cause a few house fires. That thing would get so hot you could not touch it. The second one was better but still got pretty hot, I kept a fan blowing on it, I was glad to see it go bye bye! They did provide that kit as part of the DSL package, but when I changed over to fios I did have to mail them back the dsl modem.

I don't like the sound of all that work. What a PITA.

I just realized something. If we went with DSL, which uses the phone line, we'd have problems with our internet because I have to have the company's maintenance guys come out a couple times a year to fix the outside line.

Our previous neighbor (we live in a duplex) shredded the line with a string trimmer. Before finding this out I didn't know what the problem was because every time wind would blow and/or it rained, our line would go nuts, & as soon as I'd go to call it in, it would act normal. When I finally called it in without waiting for the storm to let up, the first person over the phone told me to replace my cordless because of its age & it probably needing a new battery, which I couldn't find. I did, but it happened again. Another guy over the phone tried to tell me to do the same & I told them no because it was brand new & that I now had a corded, which was doing it when the cordless wasn't plugged in.

The first guy to come to the house only taped the wires together. The second guy months later spliced them.

Then last spring the landlord's crew came & put down new flooring throughout the house & removed the two baseboard phone jacks in the laundry, slicing the wires of one, which for some strange reason affected the lines/jacks through the whole house.

The other day the lines were acting up again. But the new neighbors hadn't string-trimmed their lawn as it looked like a jungle over there. So I don't know what the problem was as the third guy wouldn't say when asked, just that it was bad & he fixed it.

If the third guy didn't put plastic, foam or rubber tubing around the lines to protect them, I guess I'll have to go to Lowe's to find something in the electrical aisle I can set up myself.

We've had other problems too, not all jacks being hooked up when I originally called to have our line turned on, so I had to have maintenance guys come to the house then too.

I toyed with the idea of getting rid of the home line completely & still might.

I went for DLS simply because I consider my tv cable service a "rip-off", I'm now with Comcast for tv, it as RCN then Patriot, now Comcast, competition gets thinner and thinner. I'm also considering going to satellite, but that's another matter.

I received a modem and a few filters to install in the five or six phones we have in the house, the only problem I had was I forgot about one of the phones, technical support was very good and put me on the fix in a hurry.

I specifically dislike cable service and find their tv advertisements misleadingly dishonest as it relates to telephone fiber service for tv and Internet. That alone makes me want to drop cable service even though my serving telephone company doesn't yet offer fiber to the home.

Well, we have five jacks in the house & two phones, one doesn't need a jack, but I switch phone locations like any woman moves furniture! LOL And our son has a computer in his room but there's no phone jack there. So they'd end up charging us an arm & leg to install one & run wiring, which I'd need permission for first from the landlord.

And since we live on a military installation, oh joy, the paperwork, phone calls, visits & waiting I'd have to deal with to get that done! So uh, no thanks.

Hum, not sure what you comment on, DSL or Cable, or both...seems DSL as you talk about phone jacks. You need only one jack, rather its a phone or a cable connect (and the same phone jack can also be used for phone). Put a wireless router on that DSL modem, and a wireless card in each computer and they should work wherever you move them (phones and computers) without any change in your DSL or cable connection.

Hi, libbyliz. Your speeds sound amazing. I'm on cable too and my tests are half that. But everything works instantly so not sure it makes any difference, unless you're into gaming. (No matter the speed, it doesn't make my reading or typing any faster.)

If you're trying to cut your cable bill, you just might want to ask if they have a lower tier you could try. I read about RR Light on a local computer forum and called to ask about it. (Best kept secret in town, not even any mention of it on their website.)

They said it was very slow--not much better than dialup. But I'd read it was good, so I asked to try it with the understanding I could switch right back. They made the switch and the first place I checked was the Kitchen Forum Gallery and purposely picked one that said lots of pics. There was the slightest difference. Next tried U-Tube and still fine. Internet part of bill went from $35 to $15/mo. and still getting speeds in the 720-740kbps range. Plenty fast for my needs and love the price. YMMV as each franchise sets their own prices. Sandy

jerry,

I didn't know DSL could also be wireless. Thanks for the info.

Yes, and with XP or newer, I assume, enabling wireless on the computer and installation of a "router" is easy and not too expensive. My router cost something like $40 at Staples, and my notebook came with a wireless (802.11 or "WiFi") already installed and ready. A USB or PCMCIA plug-and-play wireless is available for PCs for about the same cost amount, if you need it. Walmart, Staples, Office Depot, etc., all have routers and WiFi equipment.

WiFi will work with any wireless router, that's the "link", it doesn't care if you use Cable or DSL, the router just connects all PCs in range, I work without any problem between two floors, to the Internet whatever it is.

But DSL uses the phone line, correct?

Yes, DSL uses the phone line. The phone line is connected to the modem. Cable uses a line also - the cable which connects to the modem. For DSL you need a DSL modem for Cable you need a cable modem. Either modem connects to the router the same way and the router sends the signal to computers that are connected to it. If you have a router that has both wired and wireless connectivity you can use either or both.

the most important thing about going wireless is making absolutely sure you have a secure network set up. If you do not know how to do that get someone who does. If your network is not set up securely anyone can drive by (or neighbors near enough) and jump right onto your network and be in your business in minutes.
They actually have people that do this it is called warchalking they drive around looking for non-secure networks and they will put chalk marks on the pavement to let others know your network is wide open for the taking.

Securing a wireless network is very important. There are many good tutorials and guides online on how to do it, google it. Wireless is great, but be safe.

OK so it uses phone jacks/lines. Then I won't be getting DSL because of the off/on problems we have with our phone line that I outlined above.

What you just said about not getting DSL because of the off/on problems is a good idea. The reason is that DSL needs a better connection than a phone.

Good Luck
Smitty