Which Types of Internet Connection Is Best for You?

By Amily Smith Last updated Jul 4, 2023

We all want the same thing when it comes to our internet service: a fast, reliable internet connection that won’t break the link. We are lucky that we have a lot of choices, such as cable, fiber, DSL, and satellite internet. But which of these ways to connect to the internet gives you the most for your money?

In this guide, we’ll go over each types of internet services and help you decide which types of internet connection is best for your location, budget, and online habits.

Types of Broadband Internet Connections

Internet connection types vary, and the type of connection you have has a significant impact on the speed, reliability, and cost of your internet service.

There are four main types of high-speed internet services: fiber, cable, DSL, and satellite.

Fiber internet is the fastest connection available, but it is also the most difficult to locate. Cable internet is also reliable and offers faster speeds than DSL. There is also 5G internet, a promising and affordable new type of service, though it may be some time before it becomes widely accessible to the general public.

So, which type of Internet connection is best for you?

We compiled a guide to assist you in determining this. Find out how these types function, how much they cost, and what speeds each offers by reading on.

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Fiber Internet

Fiber internet is different because it uses cables made of glass or plastic threads. Instead of using electricity to send data, these thin fibers use pulses of light to send data. This means that your internet connection comes to you at the speed of light.

Another benefit of this super-fast broadband internet is that both the download and upload speeds are the same. Most of the time, upload speeds are much slower than download speeds because most people download more information to their devices. But with fiber internet, upload and download speeds are almost always the same. This makes it a great choice for things that use your device a lot, like video conferencing or live gaming.

The biggest problem with this types of internet connection is that not many people have access to fiber internet yet because building the infrastructure from scratch is expensive. Still, Google Fiber, Verizon Fios, and AT&T are leading the way in bringing this technology to the U.S. If it’s available in your area, it’s definitely something to think about, especially since plan prices have been dropping steadily as more ISPs build out their fiber networks. Compare AT&T and Google Fiber to find out how they stack up against each other.

Pros:

Very fast
Very reliable
Equal download and upload speeds

Cons:

Not widely available at this time
Plans can be more expensive

Cable Internet

One of the most common internect connection to get online is through cable. It uses the same coaxial cables as a cable TV connection and sends electricity through the copper wires to send information. That means that the wiring for internet access is already in place in buildings that have cable TV. It’s also pretty fast, with speeds from 25 to 400Mbps and sometimes up to 1Gbps from many cable internet providers. Because cable networks are already set up, unlike new fiber networks, prices for cable internet tend to be all over the place to fit a variety of budgets.

Keep in mind, though, that other people in your area also use the cable internet, so your bandwidth is shared. When you finally get home from work and start streaming your favorite shows, it’s likely that everyone else in your neighborhood is doing the same thing. If they also have cable internet, there could be a lot of traffic on the network, which would make your connection less important and slow it down.

Customers in rural areas may not be able to get cable internet at all because it is hard to connect miles of cables to reach remote areas or lay underground wires in rough terrain.

Pros:

Widely available for most customers
Lower costs than fiber
Faster speeds than DSL or satellite

Cons:

Subject to slowdowns during peak usage
Lower accessibility in rural and remote areas

DSL Internet

Digital subscriber line is what DSL stands for. Like cable internet, it sends data over electricity through the copper wires inside cables. But unlike cable, it does this through your landline phone network instead of your TV network.

How is DSL different from dial-up internet?

DSL signals don’t interfere with your voice service since they don’t use the same frequencies as regular phone calls; rather, they use special, unused channels in your phone line.

Because telephone networks are so strong, DSL is the most common and reliable way to connect to the internet around the world. This makes it a great choice for people in rural areas who don’t have access to cable or fiber. It also has good speeds for most basic uses of the internet, such as browsing and light streaming. Still, download speeds top out at around 100Mbps, so if you have a lot of devices and use a lot of data, DSL might be too slow for you.

How far away you are from your internet service provider also affects your DSL speed. The farther away you are, the more delay you will have (the rhyme makes it easy to remember). And because your phone network is in the air, bad weather can interrupt your internet connection.

One of the best things about DSL is that it works even when the network is busy. So you can count on getting the same speed even when there are a lot of people online. AT&T, Windstream, CenturyLink, and EarthLink are some of the most well-known DSL internet service providers.

Pros:

Widely available, even in rural areas
Relatively inexpensive plans

Cons:

Slower speeds than cable
Quality is contingent upon your distance from ISP
Subject to outages during storms

Satellite Internet

Satellite internet uses a dish at your house to send and receive signals from and to satellites in orbit around the Earth. The best thing about satellite internet is how flexible it is. Since it doesn’t need cables or wires to work, satellite internet can be used by people in rural areas where cable, DSL, or fiber connections aren’t available.

Satellite is the slowest, especially when it comes to latency, which is the time between when your signal pings the satellite and when you get a response. This makes sense, since you’re sending data all the way to space and back, but it’s a problem for many activities that need faster speeds to work well. However, Starlink and Project Kuiper will soon improve download speeds and latency. It is also very sensitive to weather, solar flares, and other natural events. Even a stray branch of a tree can block your signal. Satellite internet is also pretty expensive, especially when you consider that for the same plan price, you can get better service with cable or DSL.

Pros:

Accessible in rural areas

Cons:

Significantly slower speeds
More expensive
Highly sensitive to obstructions

Other Internet Connection Types

Mobile Internet

Mobile broadband is a wireless internet connection that works the same way that Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Cricket, and AT&T’s cell phone plans do. Usually, it is connected with a portable modem or a hotspot. This is a bit different types of internet connection from a fixed line modem, which is connected with a phone line or cable. Many people like this type of connection because it uses little data and can be used on the go. The speeds are usually great, which makes it a great way to use the internet on the go.

Pros:

Can be faster than fixed line internet
No installation required
Can move with you

Cons:

Smaller data allowances
Can be more expensive than a fixed line connection
Won’t work well if you don’t have a good mobile signal at home

Fixed Wireless Internet Connection

Though not as widespread, fixed wifi might be a convenient alternative to the major ISPs in a given area. Fixed wireless is a fantastic alternative if you live somewhere with spotty cable or DSL service or in a remote location with few internet providers to pick from. Read here to know more about the pros and cons of fixed wireless internet connection.

Pros:

Fast to install
Less expansive than a leased line
Gives uniform speed without interruption
99.9% uptime with incredible low latency

Cons:

Not the cheapest solution in the market
Not available everywhere

5G Broadband Internet

5G home internet is similar to a mobile hotspot, but it’s a little different because it’s mobile broadband made for homes. In this type of internet service, mobile companies install small cell towers near a wired fiber source or right next to it. These towers send data to your 5G home router and WiFi modem, which then sends data to your devices. If you have a lot of people connecting to the same Wi-Fi signal, the latest WiFi 6 devices can make your home internet connection much better.

Even though it isn’t widely available yet, the top four mobile phone companies—AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile—have all started putting up small cell towers in cities to bring the service to homes.

Pros:

Capable of gig speeds
No installation required
Reasonably priced

Cons:

Not widely available yet
No landline bundles
Not a lot of feedback yet

Choosing the Right Internet Connection

Consider Your Location

The best way to figure out which types of internet services you need is to look at where you live. Because of where you live, you might not even be able to get some types of internet connection. Fiber internet, for example, is not yet available everywhere because the infrastructure is still growing. Most rural and remote places have limited access to cable internet as well.

Using internet search tool, you can find out what internet plans are available in your area. If you type in your address, you’ll only see the Internet options you can use at home.

Most internet connections for you depend primarily upon where you live and how much bandwidth you need. The Fiber internet is the fastest on the market, but it is in short supply and often the most costly. Cable internet is fast and widely accessible, making it an excellent choice for most consumers, but it may be restricted in rural regions.

With so many providers out there, it’s best to choose the best Internet connection type by determining your online needs and how reliable a provider you would like to commit to. Choose what works best with your lifestyle!

Evaluate Your Speed Requirements

How fast your internet connection is has a direct effect on what you can do online. Web browsing and email don’t need a super fast connection to work well, but live TV streaming, gaming, and video calling all need a much faster connection to work without lags. This is especially true if you have multiple users and connected devices in your home. Here are some common things to do and the best speeds for them.

Please note that connection types have max speeds:

Fiber: 2,000 Mbps (2 Gbps)
Cable: 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps)
DSL: 100 Mbps
5G: 1,100 Mbps (1.1 Gbps)
Fixed Wireless: 100 Mbps
Satellite: 100 Mbps

Internet Speed Recommendations

Activity	1 User	Up to 4 Users
Basic Web Use	1Mbps	4Mbps
Streaming Music	.5Mbps	2Mbps
Streaming Standard Video	4Mbps	16Mbps
Streaming HD Video	8Mbps	32Mbps
Streaming 4K Video	25Mbps	100Mbps
Standard Video Call	1Mbps	4Mbps
Online Gaming	4Mbps	16Mbps
Virtual Reality – Low Res	25Mbps	100Mbps
Virtual Reality – HD	100Mbps	400Mbps
Virtual Reality – 360 Retina	600Mbps	2.4Gbps
Augmented Reality – Low Res	25Mbps	100Mbps
Augmented Reality – HD	100Mbps	400Mbps
Augmented Reality – 360 Retina	1Gbps	4Gbps

All of these types of internet connections have different maximum speeds, and it’s important to remember that your average daily speed may not meet this threshold. So, if you have four or five power users in your home, you’ll need a connection with a higher maximum speed, like cable or fiber (if it’s available in your area). Satellite is the least reliable and has the slowest speeds, so if you live in a rural area, you should look into DSL before choosing a satellite plan.

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Set Your Budget

Once you’ve figured out what types of internet connection is available in your area and what speed range works best for you, the cost is the last thing to think about. Fiber is the newest, fastest, and often most expensive type of internet service, but plan prices are quickly falling to the same level as similar cable plans. AT&T’s GigaPower Internet plan, which is connected to fiber optics, is very close in price to many cable-connected plans with slower download speeds. This makes it a great deal.

Prices for DSL and cable internet plans are usually the same, but most cable plans offer faster speeds, so keep that in mind when figuring out what you’re getting for your money. Satellite is usually the most expensive because speeds are much slower and reliability is much lower for the price you pay.

Reliability

Reliability is the most important thing, especially for business clients. Having internet that doesn’t work well is frustrating and wastes time. Imagine that you work in a field where you can’t afford to be without internet. In this case, you should look for an Internet service provider (ISP) that has a Service Level Agreement (SLA).

Find the Best Internet Plan

Now that you know the different Internet connection types you can get for your home or business, you can compare plans and providers in your area. Type your address into our state-of-the-art search engine to get the results you want right away.

Remember that as your area’s broadband infrastructure grows, you’ll have more options. If you wanted fiber or 5G internet but can’t get it right now, keep checking back. Every day, new plans are being made available.

How to know which types of Internet connection you have?

Do you know what kind of internet connection you have in your home or office? We don’t always know what kind of internet connection we have for a number of reasons.

This could happen if you just moved into a house that already has internet set up. If that’s the case, here are some tips to help you figure out what kind of connection you have.

You can ask your Internet Service Provider (ISP) about their services or go to the Help section of their website, where they may list all the types available in your area along with prices and speeds.
Another way is to look at the label on your cable modem. It should say clearly what kind of system it uses, such as DSL, Cable Modem, Fiber Optic Trenching, or Wireless Satellite.
Check Your connection type is satellite if you have a satellite on your roof.
Check the type of wall socket your modem is plugged into. If it’s connected by a coaxial cable, it’s likely a cable internet connection. You have a satellite connection if the other end of the coaxial cable is connected to a satellite outside your house.

Conclusion

How you connect to the internet depends mostly on where you live and how much bandwidth you need. Fiber internet is the fastest available, but it is hard to get and usually costs the most. Cable internet is fast and widely available, which makes it a great choice for most people. However, it may not be available in some rural areas.

Since there are so many Internet service providers, the best way to choose the best one is to think about what you want to do online and how reliable you want your provider to be. Choose what fits best with the way you live!