words Alexa Wang
The internet has become a necessity in today’s day and age. Think of almost every aspect of your life and judge whether it is not, in one way or another, dependent on the internet. Work, school, and entertainment all rely heavily on you having a steady and quality internet connection. You’re even reading this article using the internet.
The type of internet service you have makes a major impact on the quality and speed of your internet. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages and we’ll let you judge which one is the best option. Surprise: there’s no right answer. It depends on what you’re looking for and what is available.
There are mainly two types of internet. The age-old dial-up internet connection, which has become almost irrelevant today, and broadband. Broadband covers all the different types of internet connection types that we will be discussing and includes DSL, Cable, Fiber Optic, and Satellite.
DSL
DSL stands for “Digital Subscriber Line” and refers to a system where your internet connection is delivered through your existing telephone line. DSL is the cheapest form of broadband in the market and can reach speeds of up to 25 Mbps. If you live in a neighborhood where the phone lines are relatively newer, then your DSL internet speeds can even reach up to 100 Mbps.
While the DSL system is pretty efficient, the only drawback is that distance from your service provider’s operations center has an impact on the speed of your internet. The farther away you are, the slower your internet speed would be. However, for the prices, one can consider their options and try to find an ISP that is located closer.
CABLE
Cable internet is provided to your home through your cable connection. Because of the infrastructure’s ability to transfer more data at faster speeds, cable internet connections tend to be very fast, often upwards of 100 Mbps.
However, you’ll be sharing that connection with everybody in your neighborhood. This means you’ll be experiencing slower speeds, especially during peak hours. If you regularly use the internet during off-peak hours, then cable internet can be a good option. Otherwise, it’s just asking for bad streaming and failed downloads.
FIBER OPTIC
Fiber optic internet is where the connection transfers data using fiber optic cables. Because of the material properties of these cables, data is transmitted at very fast speeds, allowing for quality, uninterrupted high-speed internet. The prices for fiber-optic ISPs are comparable to DSL and you end up getting more speed and better quality.
The only drawback is that fiber optic internet is not available everywhere. But, ISPs are constantly growing their network and before long you just might have a fiber-optic internet connection available in your neighborhood.
SATELLITE
The last type of internet is the one that is least used. As the name suggests, this type of connection delivers the internet to your location via satellite. Speeds tend to be below the 20 Mbps mark, which explains why it’s not used by many. While it might be the slowest internet option on this list, the connection does tend to be very stable.
Satellite internet is a good option if you live in a rural area that does not have cable, DSL, or fiber optic infrastructures in place. Otherwise, it’s best to stick with the other options.
