I need your opinion on DSL internet service

[Gilda]

My Broadband service is getting so expensive for our fixed income ,that I am looking into switching to DSL .

Not the cheapest they offer ,but something that will give 1.5 to 3 MPS. I now have 6 MPS..will I be disappointed with less speed . I am just an average internet user.

Anyone know about Fsecure antivirus ? That is what comes with the DSL. I now have Mcafee. Your opinions please. TIA !!!

 

[SlipperKing]

I have AT&T DSL and it's probably in that same range 1.5 -3MPS. It works fine I don't notice any difference between works' system and AT&T. Haven't heard of Fsecure.

 

[kentuckiense]

You'll be fine. If you don't want to pay for an antivirus, get AVG. It's free and works well. I put it on my mom's computer.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

DSL depends on where you are and what your phone lines are like...before I got cable, I used ATT DSL for a few years. It wasn't good...my phone lines weren't capable of supporting top speeds...and I paid $200 for a tech visit to point that out to me...and the lines would always go down in a big storm. Time Warner Cable is no great shakes either, but better overall than DSL...at least I can use it in bad weather...but I'm waiting for FIOS to reach my area...Take care, Eric

 

[SlipperKing]

DSL depends on where you are and what your phone lines are like...before I got cable, I used ATT DSL for a few years. It wasn't good...my phone lines weren't capable of supporting top speeds...and I paid $200 for a tech visit to point that out to me...and the lines would always go down in a big storm. Time Warner Cable is no great shakes either, but better overall than DSL...at least I can use it in bad weather...but I'm waiting for FIOS to reach my area...Take care, Eric

But what's the cost Eric?

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

The cost, when I switched, was not much greater for cable than DSL. I was paying for the higher speed, which I couldn't achieve with my phone lines...(but it was higher than the lower DSL speed). Its been about 2 years since I've switched, and rates have gone up...I don't know how they are now. But, depending on your phone lines and your distance from a "node", DSL may just not be worth it. Then again, with high quality lines, and proximity to the node, it may be very worthwhile. Take care, Eric

 

[Gilda]

Are you talking about phone lines inside you house or from the pole ? I remember on dial up years ago, when it rained my speed(what little I had ) would go way down !!
Our house was built in the 50's, and I am sure the phone lines have been here a long time too. What is the "node" ? Thanks for the input !!

 

[biothanasis]

I have heard of Fsecure, but I think that is using many resources of your pc (cpu, memory etc) I use avast and it's fine!!! AVG is very good, too as ken suggested!!! Good luck!!!

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

DSL comes through the phone lines. The "node" is the source of the DSL signal. For maximum speed, you have to be fairly close to a node. That's why DSL never really took off in rural areas...distance from the node was always too great. Keep in mind though, that my information is a few years old...DSL technology may have greatly improved since my experience. The main problem is the phone wires in the house...my house also dates back the 50's...1953 or 54, to my knowledge. So unless the house has been rewired, the old phone lines may not be able to fully support DSL. The company should be able to determine the line's suitability...hopefully before you get it. When DSL first arrived in my neighborhood, a Verizon rep came to check our lines...and said we couldn't support DSL...I wish I had thought of that before signing with ATT.....

 

[Leo Schordje]

I'm in the Chicago-Milwaukee megapolis corridor. I have AT&T for DSL. Good enough, cheaper than Comcast and fairly trouble free. Except for a 1 month period toward the end of last year. The dishonest cretins at AT&T would not admit they were having trouble with their routers and servers due to a virus hit. Their tech support kept telling me the trouble was my computer. I did endless virus scans and deleted all kinds of temporary files, which has created a whole new set of problems for me. I got myself mostly straight. AT&T seems to have fixed their problem and now everything has been fine. Pretty much $25 per month for the middle speed DSL service.

As Eric mentioned where you are at makes all the difference in the world.

 

[Mrs. Paph]

I've been getting internet through Verizon - not sure on the speed, but it's fast enough that it's not a letdown for me when I get home from using the university's fast internet. The price is also only about a dollar more than my parents (in a rural area) are paying for dialup (cringe). If you also have a Landline phone through Verizon, it's even cheaper. But as others have said, it depends if it's even offered in your area. I just filled out a form online, and a day or so later got an email saying that my current phone lines/wiring whatever would support the speed. No one had to come to my apartment that I know of, but perhaps they'd supplied phone or internet to someone else living there before and knew the wiring was good.