Cable vs DSL Internet: What's the Difference?
Cable and DSL are two older but still common internet types. If both are available to you, here's how they compare.
| Cable | DSL | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical speed | 100–1000 Mbps | 10–100 Mbps |
| Delivered over | Coaxial TV cable | Phone line |
| Peak-hour slowdown | Yes (shared) | Less affected |
| Availability | Widespread | Very widespread |
Cable: faster but shared
Cable is much faster than DSL and widely available. Its downside: you share local capacity with neighbours, so speeds can dip during peak evening hours.
DSL: slower but consistent
DSL runs over phone lines and is slower, with speed dropping the further you are from the provider's equipment. But it's not shared the same way, so it can be more consistent — and it reaches areas cable doesn't.
Which should you choose?
If you have the choice, cable is almost always better for modern use (streaming, gaming, multiple devices). Choose DSL only if cable or fiber isn't available, or for very light use.
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