Internet Connection Speed Comparisons

There are several ways to access the Internet but not all are created equal

There are many different ways to access the Internet, but not all of them will give you the same connection speed. Dial-up access has been surpassed by DSL and cable. Each method of connecting to the Internet has a different connection speed and you should know about each method before you decide on what's best for you.

Dial-Up

Dial-up connections were perfect for the 80s but not fast compared to other methods

For years, the only option for connecting to the Internet was dial-up. The limiting factor in a dial-up connection is 56 kilobytes per second. In reality, most dial-up connections reached only 53 kbps because of Federal Communication Commission regulations and in practical use were closer to 48 kbps.

Digital Subscriber Line

DSL is a huge speed upgrade from dial-up

DSL Internet connections are far faster than dial-up. Most DSL companies offer different packages that allow for varying speeds. These speeds can range from 768 kbps to 7.1 megabytes per second. One drawback of DSL is that your speed will decrease the farther you are from the source.

Cable Internet

Cable Internet is far faster than dial-up

Cable Internet is about 70 times faster than dial-up, with packages typically offering between 4 and 6 megabytes per second. Some providers offer packages that go as high as 8, 16 or 20 mbps, which is faster than the maximum speed for DSL.

References

• High Speed Internet: How Fast is Dial Up?