T1 vs Cable Modem - Quick Question

[Hoef]

I have a quick question .... I just did a bandwidth speed test w my cable modem and it registers 2.5 Mbits/sec .... what you kinda expect (Comcast advertises 3 Mbits/sec). Now why would anyone rent a T1 for $500/month if it gives lower speed of 1.5 Mbits/sec? .... Just figuring out if we need a T1 line for a dorm with 10 people all doing IChat, apperently a cable modem and a $39/month subscriptio would do.

 

[Capt Underpants]

I think the difference is that a T1 has both 1.5 Mbits down and Up. Your cable connection has 3.0 Mbits down and maybe 512 Up (if you're lucky).

 

[musicpyrite]

What Capt Underpants said is correct.

Also, the speed of cable can vary though out the day. If you and your neighbor next door both have cable though the same service provider, and the neighbor is doing heavy uploading/downloading, your connection will be slightly affected in a negative way.

 

[Hoef]

I think the difference is that a T1 has both 1.5 Mbits down and Up. Your cable connection has 3.0 Mbits down and maybe 512 Up (if you're lucky).

Ahh ok, forgot about that .... I guess a comcast business subscription isn't much better or as expensive. Thanks for the quick response.

 

[crazzyeddie]

Additionally, most T1 agreements allow for hosting, so you can run a server without worrying about your ISP shutting those ports down or turning off your service.

 

[Capt Underpants]

10 people all doing iChat at once would be pretty hard on the connection. I think a normal cable connection would choke under those conditions (depending on the upload speed of your ISP).

 

[Switzermac]

Does anyone know if T1 is availible in europe

 

[ekenny]

The T1 line will definitely have less latency compared to the cable connection (this is good to have less of).

As far as comcast business class... Stay away!. Opened a new office in South Jersey a month ago. Most of the time the cable is out because they are "doing repairs on the network". Well why are they doing this durring normal business hours? This whole weekend I could not connect to the office. Plus they charge you a $50 setup fee and $30 a month just for wanting a static IP address.

With the T1, you could use some of the lines for your phone system too.

 

[ekenny]

Does anyone know if T1 is availible in europe

No. Its E1. And its better than T1 ;-)

 

[Westside guy]

A T1 line will come with an SLA (Service Level Agreement), with a guaranteed non-shared 1.5mbps both down and up. Cable modems are best-effort.

But unless you've got something truly mission critical on your network, I think a cable modem would be fine even for a business. Mission-critical stuff should be remotely hosted anyway - it's usually silly to run your own server.

 

[MacNut]

Ok now what's the difference between a T1 and a T2 or T3 and what happened to ISDN.

 

[ekenny]

Ok now what's the difference between a T1 and a T2 or T3 and what happened to ISDN.

T2's and T4's run between central offices and are not used for the public. A T3 has a lot more lines than a T1 and can have speeds ~45Mb/s as opposed to 1.5Mb/s with a T1.

Now what you really need to get is an OC128!

 

[zen.state]

Ok now what's the difference between a T1 and a T2 or T3 and what happened to ISDN.

isdn sucks and the only real difference between T1-T3 is speed.

 

[jdechko]

Now what you really need to get is an OC128!

Why stop there... get the OC256.

 

[mad jew]

Why stop there... get the OC256.

Which is?...

What's this OC stuff? How fast is it?

Thanks.

 

[4409723]

Which is?...

What's this OC stuff? How fast is it?

Thanks.

OC is optical, this chart has up to OC3 but the internet backbone has higher speeds.

http://support.summersault.com/bandwidth_chart.html

Edit: this goes to higher speed optical lines:

http://www.t1-t3-dsl-line.com/solutions.php

 

[mad jew]

Thanks Wes.

The table needs to be updated. I have ADSL2+ which is rated at 24Mbps although actual speeds are much less (obviously).

 

[Westside guy]

Ok now what's the difference between a T1 and a T2 or T3 and what happened to ISDN.

ISDN is made up of two 64kbps (yes, kilobit) data paths. You could combine them and get 128kbps speeds (woo woo!), or use one for data and one for voice.

It was great technology... for the 1970s. (or was it early 1980s?) The problem is some business types have their minds stuck there. Our department fairly recently had its main office move into a new building. One item on which they wasted many thousands of dollars was a "high tech" ISDN videoconference room. Basically it's 1970s technology with a couple of LCD televisions stuck to the wall. In any case for all the wasted money they got an end product that's not really as good as what I get with my iSight camera.

 

[mpw]

ISDN is made up of two 64kbps (yes, kilobit) data paths. You could combine them and get 128kbps speeds (woo woo!), or use one for data and one for voice.....

Would an ISDN service suffer in the same way as an ADSL in that my ADSL is 512kbs but rarely acheives half that speed or is an ISDL 128kbs come rain or shine?

 

[belvdr]

ISDN, and other nailed lines for that matter, have guaranteed bandwidth, unlike broadband lines.

 

[belvdr]

ISDN is made up of two 64kbps (yes, kilobit) data paths. You could combine them and get 128kbps speeds (woo woo!), or use one for data and one for voice.

It was great technology... for the 1970s. (or was it early 1980s?) The problem is some business types have their minds stuck there. Our department fairly recently had its main office move into a new building. One item on which they wasted many thousands of dollars was a "high tech" ISDN videoconference room. Basically it's 1970s technology with a couple of LCD televisions stuck to the wall. In any case for all the wasted money they got an end product that's not really as good as what I get with my iSight camera.

And don't forget that you could also do two 56kbps B-channels and 1 16kbps D-channel.. Although, I could never figure out why anyone would do that.

 

[EGT]

Just to confirm, ISDN sucks.

*sobs*

 

[mpw]

Just to confirm, ISDN sucks.

*sobs*

Why?
I'm setting up an internet connection for my sister and her choices are dial-up or ISDN.

 

[EGT]

Why?
I'm setting up an internet connection for my sister and her choices are dial-up or ISDN.

Obviously if you're limited to standard dial up or ISDN the latter is much better but its ridiculously expensive in terms of what you're getting for your money, especially when other hi speed connections are getting cheaper and faster.

The USB terminal adaptor drivers played havoc with my Powerbook The sooner I move (not long now ) the better. Ahhh 2mb Broadband.