Residential DSL Internet Access

Along with broadband cable, DSL is one of the main forms of high speed Internet access which is currently available to most residential customers. Although cable is currently faster than DSL on average, DSL providers do have an advantage in that they are able to offer lower prices for less bandwidth. For example, it is possible to sign up for either AT&T or Verizon and pay a reduced monthly rate for download speeds up to 768 Kbps. You still have the option of getting higher download speeds up to 3.0 Mbps to 6.0 Mbps at a higher price, but with DSL you can choose to pay only for the speed you require.

DSL Versus Other Forms Of Internet Access

With residential DSL, you typically don't get a choice of which ISP you can sign up with. It is usually going to be whatever company provides your residence with phone service. If you are researching Business DSL Service, you will have more options, but for residential use, it's your phone company. The only real choice involved when evaluating DSL providers is whether or not another type of Internet access is preferable:

DSL vs Cable - Compare current DSL technology with the other main choice for residential high speed Internet . . . broadband cable.
T1 vs DSL - Find out which type of service is a better choice for your small or home office, a business DSL connection or a dedicated T1 line.

One new service that has drawn a lot of attention recently is Voice Over IP (VoIP). This technology is also called "broadband phone" or "digital phone service" and it is currently available from most DSL providers. Our article, "Voice Over IP Service & DSL Internet", gives an overview of this new product and its compatibility with DSL. If you plan to make use of VoIP, you should read this article before choosing between cable or DSL.

Setting Up & Troubleshooting Your DSL Connection

If you already have DSL, but are having trouble with the service, Velocity Guide does have some articles that might help clear up these problems. The main area where DSL users first experience difficulty with their service is in setting up their network. For those cases, we have written a primer on how to "Setup Your DSL With A Wireless Router". This short guide describes the basic process of networking your home computer using a local Wi-Fi network, which has become the most common configuration for setting up DSL in the home or in a small office environment.

Once the wireless network is setup and the DSL connection is working, some customers still feel like they are not getting the full speed out of their DSL. Although digital subscriber lines are generally reliable, there are many things that can be done incorrectly on the user end which cause it to go slower. We have listed the main "Reasons For A Slow DSL Connection" in an article explaining how phone lines, spyware, and other issues might be causing your DSL to run slower than it was designed to. For further reading on problems with your ADSL service, see "Troubleshooting Your DSL Connection".

Articles listed in the Velocity Guide are only intended to educate DSL Internet users about common solutions. If you are still experiencing disconnects or slow downs while using your DSL service, your best course of action is to check with your ISP's support department.

	Most Popular DSL Internet Articles		Some Common Questions About DSL
	Reasons For A Slow DSL Connection		What Does DSL Stand For?
	Setup Your DSL With A Wireless Router		How Fast Is DSL?
	Troubleshooting Your DSL Connection		What Is A DSL Modem?
	Voice Over IP Service & DSL Internet		Which Is Faster - DSL or Cable?
	T1 vs DSL Internet For Your Business		What Is ADSL Broadband?

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