The distance is virtually unlimited, including multiple satellite hops etc. The distance is normally limited to below 1 km. Cable Modems are much faster. Cable Modems are on-line whenever you turn on your computer. Digital Subscriber Line technology is a copper loop transmission technology that converts existing copper telephone wire into a high-speed data highway with broadband speeds at a fraction of the cost of other broadband technologies.
DSL circuits are full duplex, meaning that data can flow in both directions at the same time.
Traditional analog telephone conversations, faxes and modem transmissions are limited to a 3,400Hertz analog voice channel. The maximum possible modem speed using analog voice channel is approaching the 56kbps range. Poor line quality and distance often make it impossible for a modem to function at the speed it was designed for. DSL technology is distance sensitive and louses strength as it travels over copper wire. In most areas the maximum distance for DSL service is about 18,000 feet.