Yes, there are many types of an internet connections and they all have their ups and downs and knowing which one is which will totally help you get the most out of your ISP plans.
And that’s what we are going to tackle today. What is broadband type of internet connection? Why is it better than the original dial-up connection? How many types of broadband are there? How to know which type do you have in your phone or computer?
And why does knowing your broadband type even matter? All this and more in this article.
What is Internet Connectivity?
We use a medium to access that juicy, fruity internet running around the world.
A medium to access the internet is called your internet’s connection type. And the first mode of accessing the internet from our homes was dial-up internet. Let’s know what that was like!
What is Dial-up Internet Connection
It wasn’t till the early 90s that the common folks like you and me started accessing the internet from our own homes instead from some military base.
And how did we get the internet? Through telephone lines, yes!
We would connect our telephone lines to the modem of our computers and with the phone jack and then call up a specific number provided by our ISPs every time we wanted to access the internet.
And then wait 2 to 10 minutes to get the connection all cleared up before any internet could be accessed while listening to an internet prep sound that scratched the walls of our brains.
Yes, the earlier internet was not only slow (only 56 kbits/second), you would also have to wait a few minutes to get access to internet. And also, you could not use your telephone while accessing the internet!
What is the Broadband type of the internet connection?
Any internet connection which allows you to access internet 24/7 without taking away your phone privileges and which also has faster speed with a high bandwidth capacity – is a broadband connection!
According to federal communications commission (FCC, 2015) any internet access service which can offer a download speed of 25 Mbps and upload speed of 3 Mbps can be considered a broadband internet.
How does a Broadband Internet Connection Work?
Very unlike a dial-up connection, the broadband uses up a dedicated connection or line which is appointed exclusively for data transmissions.
Dial-up Vs broadband internet connection, What’s the difference?
The most basic difference between a dial-up and a broadband is their strength and connectivity capacity.
A dial-up internet is not always connected to the internet while a broadband is always connected.
A broadband has high bandwidth capacity (large data transmission) at fast download and upload speeds while a dial-up connection is slow and has less speed. But for a casual internet user dial-up is still good enough.
What is a good broadband speed?
For any standard Broadband Internet connection, a download speed of 11 Mbps is completely fine.
The upload speed should be higher than 3 Mbps.
Wi-Fi Vs Broadband, what’s the difference?
Simply speaking, a Wi-Fi connects your home devices to your home router/router-modem combo, while a broadband connects your router/modem to the global internet.
What are the different types of Broadband Internet Connections?
There are 8 types of broadband connections available to choose from
#1 DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) Broadband
It transmits data over the pre-existing copper wires of telephone lines.
Recommended for low to moderate internet users.
#2 Fiber Broadband
It is a fiber optic technology which converts electric signals into light.
For hardcore online HD gaming, transmissions of large files, video calls and high-tech businesses.
#3 Wireless Broadband
Uses radio signals to make you access the internet. The further you are located from the ISP’s location the weaker your access efficiency would be.
For moderate usage, gaming, browsing and movies download.
#4 Satellite Broadband
Uses satellites from Earth’s orbit to transmit data.
Slowest of them all but still great for rural areas where the consumption rate is low to moderate.
#5 Cable Broadband
Uses the same coaxial cables from cable companies to send and receive data.
Moderate amount of internet usage like browsing, downloading movies, online gaming is ok for this type.
#6 BPL (Broadband Over Powerlines)
Transmits data over existing powerlines, same efficiency as DSL.
#7 Pair Bonding broadband
Doubles the efficiency of DSL basically.
#8 Your Mom Broadband
She so fat she is practically everywhere and thus can carry over data around the globe.
Why does knowing my internet connection type matter?
For productivity reasons my friend!
Suppose you are just starting your small start-up and you need to be connected to the internet at all times in high-speeds.
And you have a cable broadband connection which doesn’t provide a high bandwidth and faster speed in comparison to fiber optics – your business will take a hit won’t it?
If you are just a casual user, any connection would do, but if you stream high speed online games or have a business that requires all time connectivity at fast speeds to the internet maybe never get a satellite connection.
How to know what’s your broadband internet connection type?
Check your physical equipments! Or test your internet speed on Google.
- Usually, your router or modem has a clear marking of its broadband connection type.
- If not, see if you have a wire connected to an antenna somewhere, that’s a satellite connection.
- If your modem/router is using coaxial cable then you have a cable broadband.
- If you have a phone line connected to your router/modem then you have either a dial-up connection or a DSL connection.
- If there is an ‘ONT’ port in your router/modem with a line connected then it’s a fiber optic broadband.
- Your router or modem is plugged directly into an electric outlet then that’s a wireless broadband.
- If nothing else, check your internet speed using google if it’s less than 56 Kbit/s then it is a dial-up connection.
- Standard speeds of 100 Mbps are usually cable, DSL or fixed wireless.
- A speed range of 200 to 1000 Mbps is either cable or fiber broadband.
Current Global Broadband State
According to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) there is an estimation that right now around 5 billion people are using the internet which is larger estimation from 4.1 billion in 2019.
The broadband speeds are also improving; by 2023 the average broadband speed is supposedly expected to reach 110.4 Mbps while mobile speeds are expected to reach 43.9 Mbps by 2023.
But still as of November 2021, an estimated 37 percent of global population has never used the internet due to a lack of access to it. That is roughly 2.9 billion folks!
Conclusion
Knowing your internet broadband connection type is valuable if you want to contemplate your internet usage for personal or business demands.
And I just told you everything I knew about broadband internet connection, in brief, so that you can determine what kind of internet strength you should pay for.
Author Bio
Hi, Jeremy Clifford here from RouterCtrl.com. I am a networking enthusiast having experience with different networking equipment and network administration. I have created my website with the desire to share my knowledge with you, and help you choose the right networking equipment or help you fix your networking issues with our step-by-step guides.
