There are more possibilities for connecting to the internet now than ever before. With DSL, Fiber, and 5G internet possibilities, technology is always changing, and it might be a little perplexing.
Take a look at our internet connection types guide to see if it might help you figure out which option is ideal for you.
It’s never been easier to connect to the internet: There’s information downloading to the internet everywhere, whether you’re conversing in coffee shops or putting up smart smoke detectors.
However, there are more possibilities than ever before, making deciding which technology is ideal for you difficult. We’ll go through all of the various internet connection kinds and how to pick the best one for you.
A brief breakdown of your options
The technology used by each type of internet connection determines how the connection uploads and downloads internet data.
DSL: is an abbreviation for “digital subscriber line.” DSL sends data between your computer and the internet over existing telephone lines. Voice calls are sent on a different frequency than information. DSL is widely available and links you directly to your Internet service provider.
Cable: For internet or cable TV, data is delivered by electricity through coaxial cables laid out in neighborhoods. Except in more remote and isolated locations, there is widespread availability.
Satellite: Your computer sends data up to a satellite orbiting the planet via your dish, and that satellite talks with network operations centers to obtain the data you requested.
Cellular: broadband is a type of mobile broadband that allows you to connect to the internet wirelessly from anywhere via cell phone towers, your mobile device, or by hotspotting other devices.
Fiber-optic: Similar to cable, but it transmits data as light through thin strands of glass. Limited availability and high construction costs — only accessible in major cities.
“Fiber has potentially endless expansion potential, which no other physical medium can match… All internet connections would be fiber in an ideal world.” – Trevor Textor, Rural IT & Connectivity Consultant, Project Manager
Speed is a defining factor
The biggest noticeable difference between these connection types for consumers will be speed. Each technology has a wide range of connection speeds, which affects how quickly you can upload, download, stream, and browse.
DSL is the slowest internet connection, with speeds ranging from 1.5Mbps to 3Mbps, 5Mbps to 7Mbps, 12Mbps to 24Mbps, and (rarely) 40Mbps. DSL alternatives cater to the minority of light internet users, according to the FCC. The median household internet speed is 72Mbps.
These rates will suffice for basic online browsing and emailing; however, if several people are streaming video at the same time, you will encounter loading troubles.
When purchasing satellite internet, there are no speed alternatives. Instead, you’ll pick a plan based on how much data you use. Only one speed is available with satellite technology: 25Mbps with HughesNet and 12Mbps with Viasat.
This may be a good choice for smaller households with minimal internet usage.
For most people, cable internet is the best alternative. It’s the most adaptable internet connection, with speeds ranging from 10Mbps to 200Mbps and higher.
Additionally, cable internet providers frequently provide the option of bundling with other services such as television.
Fiber is currently the fastest internet connection available, and it functions similarly to cable. You can get speeds of up to 1000 Mbps if you’re one of the lucky few who has fiber-optic internet.
Fiber-optic is ideal for households with many individuals streaming television, playing games, working from home, or downloading files because of its higher-quality connection.
Cellular internet connections are usually only used for mobile purposes, and the quickest accessible at the time is 4G LTE. At peak speed, it corresponds to around 50+ Mbps, but it can be as slow as 5Mbps.
The next generation of this technology, 5G, might eventually replace your home internet with fiber-like speeds.
Reliability is important too
Just because a supplier claims specific speeds doesn’t mean those speeds are guaranteed. The connection strength can be influenced by a variety of circumstances, including high-traffic times in your neighborhood, weather, router type, and so on.
You won’t always get the speeds you pay for if your internet connection isn’t very stable.
DSL internet was judged to be the least trustworthy in terms of delivering advertised speeds to customers by the FCC, with less than 10% of Cincinnati Bell and Hawaiian Telcom subscribers receiving advertised speeds (although other DSL providers, like Verizon and AT&T, showed more consistent performance).
Around 80% of cable and fiber-optic internet customers, on the other hand, received 95% or more of quoted speeds, with Charter (Spectrum) cable and Verizon fiber providing the most consistent service.
What’s best for you?
The first step is to check at the local providers to see if they serve your address. Your options may be limited because expanding service lines is costly, and providers prefer not to install where other providers already provide service.
You can either ask your neighbors where they receive their internet or start your search online by entering your address.
Almost everyone will have access to satellite internet options such as HughesNet.
If you have a few choices, you’ll want to compare their plans. Assess your speed requirements to determine which plan is best for you.
You’ll need to think about how many people in your family use the internet, how many devices are connected (anything from your computer to your smart hub), and what your average internet usage is (streaming is more demanding than emailing, for example).
We’ve created a guide to help you determine the internet speed that will best suit your household, based on years of internet research and consultation with network specialists.
Determine where you fall on the spectrum of light to heavy use, and then multiply that amount by the number of connected devices in your home.
| Light Use | Moderate Use | Heavy Use | Very Heavy Use | |
| 1-3 devices | 5-10 Mbps | 15 Mbps | 25 Mbps | 50 Mbps |
| 4-8 devices | 15 Mbps | 25 Mbps | 50 Mbps | 100 Mbps |
| 8-10 devices | 25 Mbps | 50 Mbps | 100 Mbps | 150 Mbps |
| 10+ devices | 50 Mbps | 100 Mbps | 150 Mbps | 200+ Mbps |
You should compare price, fees, and overall value from there. Check out our in-depth guide to internet providers if you have any further queries.
