This decision determines the quality (and satisfaction) of your home internet and can also help you plan a broadband budget. While we consider fiber the gold standard for home broadband, some addresses may miss out on this connection type. Your internet options are usually limited by whatever is available at your address. Some may be stuck with only one, but knowing the difference between how those connections work makes all the difference in finding a satisfying internet service.
From years of experience covering internet service providers, we know that shopping for home internet is hard enough as it is. If you’re not careful, you might fall into internet pricing traps due to the plethora of promotional offers and confusing terms of service. In addition, comparing all the internet providers in your area can make your eyes glaze over. But that’s why we created this guide to help you determine the right internet connection type and make shopping for home internet easier.
ISPs use wired or wireless connections (or a mix of the two) to get you online, and that connection type makes all the difference in how fast your high-speed internet actually is when in use. Wired connection types — meaning a wire is connected directly to your home — include fiber-optic, coaxial cable and copper (also known as DSL) internet. Your wireless connection types include satellite internet, fixed wireless and the increasingly popular cellular and 5G home internet.
How to use this guide
Read each section on the different internet connection types that may be available at your home.
Compare the speeds, availability, pricing and overall reliability for each connection type.
Understand what limitations are found in each connection type.
Note: Connection types are listed in order of most to least recommended.
Fiber internet: The best but least available
Cable internet delivers a connection to your home via copper coaxial cable — the same as traditional cable TV.
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Cable is second to fiber since it lacks the full-speed potential and reliability of a fiber-optic service. On the bright side, your address will more likely be serviceable. Cable is one of the most common types of internet connections — available to over 82% of US households — and you’ll often find it bundled with TV packages. That makes sense because cable internet uses the same coaxial connections as cable TV.
Though you won’t find symmetrical download and upload speeds like you would with fiber internet, cable internet service is still one of the fastest connection types. Most cable providers offer a variety of speed options, including a gigabit service with download speeds of around 940 or 1,000Mbps. Upload speeds are a different story, with upload usually topping out at 35Mbps. Speed reliability can also be a concern with cable internet as the connection type is susceptible to network congestion and slow speeds, especially during peak usage times, which can be especially frustrating in a house with heavy internet usage.
Cable is, for the most part, one of the more affordable internet connection types — especially compared with the steep prices of multi-gig fiber speeds. However, cable internet pricing varies quite a bit among providers. You can get a broadband connection from providers like Astound, Mediacom and Xfinity starting at around $30 monthly or less. Spectrum, another big name in cable internet, has a higher starting price at around $50 a month but boasts faster download speeds of 500Mbps. Cable providers like Xfinity and Spectrum are notorious for price hikes after the promo period ends, so consider that when signing up.
5G home internet: Slower speeds but growing more popular
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5G home internet has been catching people’s attention in recent years. Cellular internet is largely designed for phones, but as the technology improves and speeds increase, 5G mobile connections are becoming more practical (and cheaper) for home internet users.
With this internet connection type, cell carriers like Verizon and T-Mobile send 5G signals in all directions. Usually, 5G frequencies are picked up by cellphones, but for home internet, a router receives those signals and turns them into a home connection. It’s a great way to get broadband without running a line to your home or in some cases, dealing with the companies that have run those lines — wired internet is notorious for low customer satisfaction ratings.
If you’re living in a city or another area with stronger cellular infrastructure, you might be able to connect over 5G, with providers like Verizon offering speeds up to 1Gbps. You’ll also find cellular internet plans that use LTE, the previous generation of technology, or a mix of LTE and 5G. When shopping for mobile internet for home use, you will probably have only one or two plans to choose from, with a flat rate for whatever speeds are available at your address.
Remember that your speeds are not guaranteed with a fixed wireless provider like 5G. For example, T-Mobile offers two-speed tiers with a maximum of 415Mbps for download speeds, which costs $60 to $70 monthly, depending on your chosen plan. According to the company website, for customers on the T-Mobile Amplified or Amplified Home Internet plans can expect download speeds of 134 to 415Mbps. You likely won’t get that 415Mbps speed every time you’re using the internet, especially during peak internet times. CNET’s Amanda Kooser discovered that internet speeds vary after her experience with T-Mobile. Verizon also offers similar pricing and speeds with two plans ($50 or $70 per month for download speeds ranging from 50 to 300Mbps or 85 to 1,000Mbps, respectively).
Fixed wireless internet: Also wireless, but with a few strings attached
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Another wireless internet option — but one that may come with more steps and equipment while delivering slower speeds and less data — is fixed wireless. Similar to 5G, fixed wireless providers send internet signals over the air. But unlike 5G, you’ll need a mounted receiver with a direct line of sight to the nearest tower to receive those signals. Hills, trees, buildings or other obstacles nearby can distort or outright block your connection.
Fixed wireless internet speeds often range from 5 to 50Mbps. However, there are some instances where your speeds go above 100Mbps. Take AT&T Internet Air , for example, this 5G provider service boasts maximum download speeds of 300Mbps. That’s faster than what you’d get from AT&T’s fixed wireless plans. However, there are many variables that can affect the quality of the incoming signal, including distance from a local tower, so your available speeds may vary. Regardless of the speeds you can get, expect flat-rate pricing of around $50 per month. Plans also typically come with a monthly data cap of 200 to 300GB, depending on the provider.
Though fixed wireless has traditionally been a rural internet option, the connection type is rapidly expanding in metro areas like New York City and San Francisco, thanks to providers like Google Fiber and Starry Internet. Instead of beaming services to individual residences, these providers send internet signals to entire buildings, such as an apartment complex, then run service to individual units via an Ethernet cable. These providers are capable of delivering speeds much faster than traditional fixed wireless service with gigabit speeds available in select areas.
DSL (that’s “digital subscriber line”) is a fixed connection most popular in areas without access to cable or fiber internet. With DSL, your connection to the internet runs through copper phone lines. it’s similar to dial-up service in that regard, but DSL is significantly faster than dial-up and won’t tie up your phone line.
DSL internet is best for those in rural communities looking for an affordable and somewhat reliable internet connection. The speed range you get with DSL depends on the provider but a typical range can be anywhere between 5 to 120Mbps. Similar to fixed wireless options, DSL providers usually have the same flat monthly fee regardless of what speeds you’ll get. For example, CenturyLink costs $55 monthly (not including the $17 equipment rental) and you’ll either get up to 30Mbps, between 40 to 80Mbps or up to 100Mbps. The speeds you’ll get depend on your address, but that price will remain the same.
While it does lack the speed potential of pretty much every other internet type, it is typically a much cheaper and sometimes faster alternative to satellite internet.
Since DSL uses existing phone lines to deliver service, availability is high and providers can keep prices relatively low.
Notable DSL internet providers
Satellite internet: Unmatched availability, but high costs
What type of internet is Wi-Fi?
Wireless connections are fairly obvious — you have a satellite dish or antenna mounted for satellite or fixed wireless service, or your provider is Verizon 5G Home Internet or T-Mobile Home Internet.
Determining the type of connection you have can be more of a challenge, but a good speed test should do the trick. Our recommendation is Ookla for its consistency and easy-to-use features. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis). If your speed test shows similar upload and download speeds, your connection is most likely fiber. Speed tests with download speeds over 100Mbps, especially in the 200 to 940Mbps range, but with significantly lower upload speeds, indicate cable internet service.
If your speed test shows download speeds around 100Mbps or lower, it’s possible you have cable or DSL internet. In that case, take a quick peek at the back of your modem — a coaxial cable means cable internet while a telephone line means a DSL connection.
