From CNET.com
DSL vs. cable: the death match
Enough gabbing about myths and factoids. The time has come to pit cable and DSL against each other, service against service, to determine which one has the best chance of ending up in your home. In the next five rounds, we'll judge each choice and ultimately declare a winner.
Round 1: availability
The winner: cable
We give cable a slight nod here. Roughly 80 to 85 percent of America's 68 million cable TV subscribers (say, 55 million or so) can get high-speed access, says Instat-MDR analyst Mike Paxton. DSL access is a little spottier, though Instat's Ernie Bergstrom puts the number above 50 million. Odds are, if the cable company is advertising high-speed access in your area, you can get it. But hooking up with DSL can be dicier. Even if you're within the right distance from a phone company's central office, your line might not qualify for various technical reasons. (See the DSL page for more on that.)
Round 2: price
The winner: cable
A random sampling of cable and DSL access plans shows that cable is slightly cheaper on average. Most cable plans cost between $40 and $45 per month, while DSL typically goes for $45 to $50. Installation fees are fairly similar--about $100 for a service visit, while self-install kits range from free to $25 for either service. Prices vary widely by region, and competition is fierce, so it pays to shop around. You'll find companies on both sides offering discounts and free installation, especially if you already subscribe to one of their services.
Round 3: installation
The winner: DSL
Yes, we're serious. A couple years ago, the Net was rife with horror stories of DSL installations gone awry (granted, you still hear them in some places). But these days, DSL may actually be easier to install. For one thing, almost everyone already has a phone jack next to their computer, whereas with cable, you'll have to wait for the cable guy to install a new line or--worse--you'll have to splice the existing line yourself. The telcos have also done a better job of promoting DSL self-installation, wherein they ship you the modem and software and let you do the dirty work. Cable lets you self-install, but since most folks don't know they can, they suffer the company installation process instead.
Round 4: security
The winner: tie
All Internet connections leave your PC vulnerable to attack; fast DSL and cable modem hookups simply turn your computer into a more attractive target, thanks to the fact that they're always online. Neither is inherently more secure than the other, but the solution for both is simple. Users of older version of Windows (95, 98, and Me) should turn off printer and file sharing if they don't have home networks (see instructions here). Otherwise they, and all users, should install a software firewall--software that acts like a shield on your Net connection, hiding any open doors to your computer. Two good ones are Norton Personal Firewall and Zone Labs ZoneAlarm.
Round 5: performance
The winner: tie
So which service is faster, cable modem or DSL? No single answer will suffice for everyone. Cable's theoretical bandwidth limits are higher (but you'll never reach them), and because it's not dependent on distance from a central office, it's more consistent from user to user--unless your next-door neighbor is Blackbeard the MP3 pirate. With DSL, you'll generally get higher speeds the closer you live to the phone company's central office.
The victor:cable
You thought Bush vs. Gore in 2000 was a squeaker? Cable vs. DSL is even closer (and this time we can't blame it on hanging chads). Cable modem access may or may not be faster or easier to install than DSL--your mileage will vary, depending on where you live and a variety of other factors. But it is slightly more available and a bit less expensive, which makes it our winner by a hair. Nonetheless, if cable access isn't available in your neighborhood, DSL is a good alternative, and it's certainly a joy compared to dial-up access.
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