The types of internet connections

The usefulness of the Internet is unmatched. Since the 1960s, the date of its creation, until today, various ways of connecting to the Internet through multiple means have been developed .

With this, it has been tried every time to improve its benefits and facilitate its access to bring it closer to the general public.

What are you going to find here? All the types of Internet connection that exist, Internet by fiber, WiFi, Internet in the cell phone, what is ADSL. Disused Internet types and much more info!

However, this diversity of Internet access methods  also means that many forms of access to the network of networks still coexist. Some of them have been forgotten and in disuse because they have been surpassed in terms of speed and quality of service.

This obviously leads to confusion, and that is why in this article you will find everything you need to understand the possibilities of connecting to the Internet. You will also know their advantages, disadvantages and how they work.

Internet connection by telephone line

Also called dial-up, it is the oldest Internet connection method  and was the only one used when the network of networks took  its first steps. Access is made by the user through a modem and a conventional telephone line.

This type of connection is less and less used,  since the data transmission capacity does not exceed 56 kbps,  which makes browsing very slow.

With the popularization of broadband access services and their very affordable prices, dial-up access is practically extinct.

In addition to the low speed, the phone line connection is not stable and keeps the phone line busy when connecting to the internet .

That is, you surf the internet or talk on the phone!

Regardless of the hours the internet is accessed, the expenses of the telephone bill can increase considerably.

On the other hand, it  is the simplest Internet connection.  All you needed was an available phone line, a PC with a modem, and a free or paid internet access provider.

In the case of paid access, various plans were offered with limits on browsing hours and  limited or unlimited data access.

Remember that the quality and stability of free access providers used to be lower than paid providers.

Internet connection via xDSL

The  xDSL connection  is provided through the conventional telephone network, but is different from dial-up access.

A modem converts the information into a signal in an electrical analog form that transforms it into a different frequency than that used for voice.

With this method, the Internet does not interfere with the use of the telephone. This means that you can  surf the internet and use the phone at the same time.

However, you must remember that the PC must have an Ethernet network card.

The xDSL service works by hiring an access service provider, just like dial-up, and you can access services with different speeds.

For example:

• ADSL, the speed ranges from 256 kbps to 8 Mbps.
• ADSL2 or ADSL2 + ranges from 256 kbps to 24 Mbps.
• VDSL can reach a speed of 52 Mbps.
• VDSL2 up to 100 Mbps.

But xDLS has a downside. As it is a shared service,  browsing can be slower at peak times when many users use the Internet simultaneously.

To this family of services belong:

• ADSL
• ADSL2
• ADSL2 +
• SDSL
• IDSL
• HDSL
• SHDSL
• VDSL
• VDSL2

At this point, the ADSL connection is the most used type in the world.

What is ADSL?

ADSL, or “Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line” . This is a type of technology that, using a common telephone line, allows the user to  digitally transfer data  at high speed.

The reason for asymmetric adsl technology is “asymmetric” lies in the fact that there is a significant difference between download and upload rates.

Why is it possible with ADSL to talk on the phone while browsing?

Because ADSL technology divides the telephone line into three digital channels, one for voice, another for download and the last for upload.

What are the differences between ADSL and ADSL2 / 2 +?

Basically the most noticeable difference is speed and technology. While ADSL can reach download levels of 8 Mbps (megabytes per second), ADSL 2/2 + reaches up to 24 Mbps.

However, both have the same maximum sending limit: 1 Mbps.

Why is the upload speed of both the same?

The team that developed the ADSL2 / 2 + decided to only increase the download rate (without altering the upload rate). This was according to the typical traffic profile of ADSL users, 1 Mbps would be sufficient for their needs.

Internet connection by radio (Wireless connections)

Radio wave internet access is a way to extend a broadband connection to a place where service is not available. That is to say, where you cannot carry Internet connection cables.

That point can be from a small restricted area, such as an office, to an entire city.  For that it is necessary to configure a wireless network.  Wi-fi and Wi-Max are included in this mode.

One of the advantages of radio connection is the possibility of  distributing access and guaranteeing mobility to users.

The basic infrastructure requires the following elements:

• An internet service delivery point, which can be a cable, xDSL or satellite access.
• A modem compatible with the service.
• An Access Point.
• Computers with a wireless network adapter or receiver to pick up the signal.

By sharing a high-capacity connection, users can split costs, while  the service guarantees a permanent Internet connection.

Low cost of installation and maintenance is also achieved. However, simultaneous use for downloads can impair access.

WiFi connection

We could synthesize WiFi as a set of specifications for use in wireless local networks (WLAN Wireless Local Area Network). This set is based on the IEEE 802.11 standard.

WiFi has been one of the technologies that has had the most momentum in recent years. This is mainly due to the fact that it allows you to connect to the Internet wirelessly and transparently.

Imagine a fluid, fast and secure Internet for companies!

This means that the user does not have to deal with settings that they cannot understand. You connect to a WiFi network using your username and password and you are already browsing.

In addition, among the types of Internet connections, WiFi is one of those that offers the most advantages. Mainly because it is not necessary to use cables. This allows several devices to be interconnected very easily, and at a much lower cost than using cables.

In this sense, you can connect cell phones, tablets, printers, video game consoles and any other device that has WiFi. We can also connect laptops, desktops, Smart TVs and multimedia players, among many others.

The only condition that must be met is that they are relatively close to each other.

Thanks to the fact that WiFi works wirelessly, that is to say that the data transmission is done by radio frequency, it is capable of offering unparalleled flexibility.

In addition, when setting up a network, it is the ideal alternative, especially because of its economic implementation.

The fact that you don’t need coaxial cable, Ethernet, connectors, hubs, switches, or routers , or a technician to put all of that together, overwhelmingly minimizes setup costs.

You also save yourself from destroying the structure of your office or home by putting dozens of meters of cables on the walls.

Today, practically all the devices that go on the market have a WiFi connection , which allows them to offer many and more interesting features.

The possibility that the Wi-Fi wireless connection provides to all these devices gives them unlimited flexibility to be connected, giving rise to even other technologies born from this concept, such as SmartTV.

It should be noted that the word WiFi comes from the English acronym “Wireless Fidelity “, which means “Wireless Fidelity”.

Other popular ways of writing WiFi are “Wi-Fi,” “Wi-fi,” or even “Wi-Fi.” But whatever you call it, it always refers to the same technology.

Do you want to know more about WiFi? What is a wireless network? WiFi security

Wi-Max connection

We talked above about the types of wireless Internet connections. With the arrival of WiFi everything changed, since it allowed you to enjoy your devices in a unique way.

With WiFi you can move comfortably around your home or work without losing the connection, and most importantly, without being tied to a cable . However, there is another layer to wireless communications, and that is WiMax.

Basically, WiMax is a standard that arises from the combination of broadband and wireless connection. WiMax arguably brings together the best of two worlds.

In other words, with WiMax you can surf the Internet at broadband speed, but through a wireless connection. Incredible!

But in addition to the speed advantage, WiMax offers other features. For example, it is capable of extending for much greater distances.

This allows WiMax to be used in communities and other spaces where an efficient and stable connection is required. But at the same time it maintains its wireless condition.

In this sense, the WiMax coverage range can be up to 70 km, and when working with high frequency radio waves from 2.5 to 5.8 GHz, it can reach speeds of up to 70 Mbps.

That is why WiMax is the most used type of connection when cable connections are not an option. For example on uneven terrain, especially in rural areas.

Do you want to learn more about WiMax? WiMax: What is it? How does it work? Profits

LMDS System (Local Multipoint Distribution System)

The Local Multipoint Distribution System or LMDS, acronym for the English “Local Multipoint Distribution Service” is a connection technology using radio waves, that is, wireless. Like WiMax, LMDS technology saves the cost of fixed cable installations.

This technology was designed in a cellular way, that is to say that its operation requires a series of fixed antennas in base stations.

These base stations are the ones that will ultimately provide the service to users.

The users LMDS must be within a certain area of coverage, since the distances that can reach around 35 km.

Due to the high bandwidth it offers, LMDS makes it possible to offer high-bandwidth services. Examples are fixed voice services, video on demand, and high-speed Internet access.

For its operation, LMDS uses signals in the Ka band, at 28 GHz. This range corresponds to microwaves. Precisely this fact offers certain negative characteristics, such as its high reflectivity.

For this reason, LDMS must be implemented in places where geographical conditions are as less irregular as possible. However, this problem can be overcome by using more hardware, but it makes it more expensive to implement.

Another common problem for LDMS is when it rains, a condition known as “Rainfall”. When there are climatic conditions of this type, the radio signal is impaired because it loses power when hitting the drops.

The solution to this problem is to increase the transmit power. However, in the same way as in the previous case, its implementation becomes more expensive.

Cable TV Internet connection

Cable connection is becoming more popular and uses the same infrastructure as that of the contracted cable service, which makes installation easier.

Many cable television services offer internet access at different speeds, and of course technical support, in the package.

Television service and internet data are transferred in just one cable. A device called a splitter  separates the cable signal from that of the web data, and a cable connected to a modem allows access to the Internet.

One of the advantages of this type of connection is that it is enough to connect the modem cable to the computer to have a connection, without the need to dial or activate a service.

For all of this to work, it is necessary to have an Ethernet card installed. This type of access is only possible in regions where there are paid cable television services.

This type of access makes available different types of speeds. The browsing speed, and the limit of downloads and uploaded data, depend on the package that is contracted.

In addition, the speed is not affected by the number of users or hours in which the service is used. Unlike xDSL access, the user  will always have the same Internet access speed , at any time.

Satellite Internet connection 

There are a large number of options to get a good speed Internet connection and with certain security conditions. One of the possible alternatives is the technology called “satellite Internet”.

It may not be the cheapest proposal, but it can certainly be very valuable on some occasions, especially in rural areas.

Thus, in those sectors of a country where broadband is conspicuous by its absence, the satellite Internet connection is an excellent option.

In this sense, the technological resources used are not simple at all. They require specialized hardware and tools that make the service somewhat more expensive.

One of the  advantages of a satellite Internet connection  is that access is not location dependent. In this way, you will have access to the internet wherever the coverage arrives.

However, the more remote where you are, the stronger the signal.

However, in order to  access the satellite Internet service, you will  need specific equipment that usually has a very high cost.

It is necessary to purchase an antenna capable of capturing the satellite signal and transmitting it to the computer that has an internal or external receiver modem. This allows speeds of up to 30 Mb to be achieved.

It should be noted that in some cases, the antenna is supplied by the service provider itself.

To be able to connect via satellite Internet, an artificial satellite is needed as a means of communication. This system can provide a service of similar quality to that of any of the other  broadband technologies  known to date.

The artificial satellite works to connect to the Internet in a very similar way to  digital television transmissions,  since the standard used is the same.

In both cases, the DVB protocol, or  Digital Video Broadcasting, is used.

Technology to be used for satellite Internet access

If you want to enjoy a satellite Internet connection,  you must purchase certain tools:

• A satellite dish
• A decoder
• A satellite modem.

With these three elements, you can now connect to the network through the services of any satellite Internet provider.

How does the connection mechanism work in these cases?

In principle, the parabolic antenna captures the satellite signal, which is subsequently conducted to the decoder.

Finally, it is transferred to the modem through a cable. Once the modem has a signal,  the computer connected to it can join the network.

Satellite connections have many advantages. In addition to the possibility of reaching geographical points that are not accessible by other technologies, it is  worth noting that the satellite connection can incorporate mobility .

This is possible through a simple mobile antenna that provides you with a connection at any time and place.

Satellite Internet connections typically offer speeds and bandwidths that surpass ADSL Internet services. But its price is also higher.

In addition, you have to add the expense of buying the necessary technical elements, such as  the satellite dish, the decoder and the satellite modem .

At the same time, it is very likely that the installation must be carried out by a technical service, due to its characteristics and complexity.

Do you have doubts about the speed of your Internet service? Check how many megabytes you have now!

PLC: Internet over the electrical network

Without a doubt,  PLC (Power Line Communications) technology  is one of the most interesting forms of connection mentioned in this post. This is because it takes advantage of power lines to transmit data at high speed.

This type of technology allows you to  access an Internet connection from the outlets in the house!

Surely it does not sound very logical to you because you are used to connecting to a network using a telephone line, wireless, satellite and others. However, the lines of access to the network through electrical energy are already a reality in many countries.

Power Line Communication (PLC)  allows you to access the Internet and  create internal networks to share data between different devices. This is done by taking advantage of each electrical appliance in the home as an access point to the web for any device.

It is an excellent alternative for places with poor Wi-Fi connectivity.

At present it is one of the alternative connection systems most used by users around the world. This is so because among many of the benefits it offers.

The most interesting is the possibility of using the electrical wiring of any house to exchange data between the nodes of a local network.

This allows you to save on the investment of the cables necessary to set up a network . Of course this is a point that many homes and small businesses welcome.

This type of connection works with adapters, which are placed in the sockets and take the Internet signal. It does not matter that there are walls that interfere with the signal, only electrical fixtures are required.

In this way you can create wireless networks in your home,  which although they do not reach the speed of Wi-Fi, they also have other advantages.

For example, to make a digital network connection using Ethernet cables the system would be much more complex and less practical. The installation of a PLC network is also very simple. However, its performance depends on the state of the electrical installation of the home.

Points for improvement in PLC technology

Also, since the PLC sometimes uses the same frequency used by radio amateurs, interference can occur.

Another drawback that has made further development of this technology difficult to date is the interference produced by household appliances.

Especially those that consume more energy , such  as microwaves or washing machines.

In terms of connection speed,  PLC networks can theoretically reach speeds of more than 100 megabits per second.  However, it all depends on the factors mentioned above.

As with all relatively new technology, this type of connection is in a phase of development and improvement.

Thus, a group of companies called  OPERA (“Open PLC European Research Alliance”)  is currently facing a second phase of the PLC.

They do this with the aim of having a connection technology via electricity that does not produce radioelectric interference . And that also reaches a speed of up to 200 megabits per second.

Meanwhile, the PLC occupies a minimal strip of the world-wide connections, mainly due to the deficiencies that still present and to the high cost that still supposes.

If  the practicality and simplicity of use of PLC technology   achieves higher quality, it is likely that in a short time it can become a commercially viable option.

In this sense, there are already many modems and routers that allow use by PLC.

Fiber optic connection

In the late 1980s, fiber optics was booming. Thousands of kilometers were installed to interconnect countries and continents. However, it is an older technology.

In fact, its origins can be traced back to 1950, or even as early as 1910. But the truth is that its implementation in telecommunications began in the 1970s.

Basically, fiber optics is a technology that allows the sending of information in the form of light. This light comes from laser or LED pulses , which emit binary pulses , 0 and 1.

When these pulses reach their destination, they are decoded and sent to users in different ways, generally being Ethernet.

The fiber optic cables used for this have a diameter of approximately 125 microns, which means that they are barely thicker than human hair. To form a cable, these optical fibers are bundled together.

The more groups of fibers, the greater the capacity of the fiber optic cable.

Today, fiber optics are spread throughout the world, enabling fast, reliable, and very high-speed data transmission.

This has allowed the Internet to be carried through this medium in ways that no one had imagined. With a fiber optic internet connection, you can have speeds of up to 1 Gbps. Taking into account that the maximum speed you can reach with ADSL is 24 Mbps, it is an impressive quality jump.

Some of the advantages that fiber optics offers, in addition to its higher speed, is that it is not affected by weather conditions. They also withstand electrical interference much better.

However, beyond these technical issues that matter little to the average user, with fiber optic Internet you will be able to:

• You will be able to upload and download files much faster.
• Video calls of superior quality in terms of audio and video.
• Play your titles online without lags and with excellent graphics quality.
• Backups in the cloud in record time.
• Watch series and movies in streaming with the best quality.
• More effective Triple Play services.

Mobile connections through the telephone network: 3G and 4G connections

The internet connection through cell phones is getting better and better . The advent of 3G or UMTS technology provided broadband to cell phones, and provided a speed of navigation with considerable acceleration.

However, the maximum expression, at least until today, is the appearance on the market of the 4G standard. This allows you to receive and send data at speeds previously impossible to achieve.

The 4G standard gives you the ability to watch HD quality videos and listen to music directly from the cloud, among others.

Mobility is a great advantage of services of this type. In the case of GSM networks, the transfer speed can reach 800 kbps. In the case of CDMA networks, the transfer can reach a speed of up to 2 Mbps .

These numbers are far exceeded when your phone is compatible with 3G or 4G, which can far exceed these figures. In the case of 3G it can reach up to 2 Mbps, and 4G up to 200 Mbps.

The 4G era

4G technology is IP-based. Its service is of high quality, speed and security. It is capable of offering you services of any kind, at any time and in any place.

The concept of 4G goes beyond a cell phone. The  new technology of mobile broadband networks  will allow access to data on devices running IP.

The two most explored technologies are: WiMAX and LTE.

What is 4G?

Basically,  4G technology is the logical evolution of previous mobile wireless connection technologies, such as GPRS technology, which was later succeeded by UMTS technology for third-generation mobile phones.

In this instance, it can reach minimum transmission speeds of 100 Megabits per second (Mbps). This represented by the communication of two mobiles at two different points communicating, or by a mobile and a high-speed server.

Obvious always maintaining high QoS standards.

The biggest benefits of 4G

The advantages of 4G over previous Internet connection technologies are multiple, but the most important for the user are:

• Convergence of a wide variety of services, previously accessible only with fixed broadband
• Costs reduction
• Expansion of broadband use in society

4G was developed to offer mobile broadband-based services such as Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), email, video chat, mobile TV, HDTV content, and Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) .

It also provides basic services such as voice and data, all at high quality and speed.

All this allows you, for example, to use services like YouTube or  make video calls  in a way that you could never have done.

The 5G era

There is no doubt that  5G is the starting point for new ways of communicating.

This is mainly due to the fact that this mobile technology offers higher connection speed, number of simultaneous connections and minimum latency.

All this allows you to be connected to the Internet 24 hours a day with a performance and security like never seen before.

5G technology has been developed with the connection requirements of the modern world in mind. In this scenario where more and more people are dependent on an Internet connection to carry out daily tasks, a fast connection is necessary.

Today everything depends on the Internet. Work, your homework or even household appliances, thanks to the so-called Internet of Things.

5G technology enables a hyper-connected world at full speed, dreamed of by many and hated by many more.

However, far from any political or thought discrepancy,  5G technology has already started to be part of your life,  making it easier even in the simplest and most everyday aspects.

Evolved from older technologies, 5G enables you to accomplish tasks previously only seen in science fiction movies. However, today you have them available in the palm of your hand thanks to your phone.

Examples of them are the possibility of knowing what foods you should buy with the data provided by your refrigerator. Also allow  all your devices and appliances to interconnect with each other  to offer you a user experience like you have never experienced before.

But not just for the home or the average user  5G offers fantastic benefits.

Thanks to its high data transmission capacity, added to the low latency , that is, the time elapsed between the order and the action, it allows multiple implementations.

For example, to control land or air vehicles in real time with precision and safety on the verge of perfection.

What is 5G?

Basically,  5G refers to the fifth generation of mobile telephony,  the first being 1G and so on until reaching this 5th generation.

The first generations of cell phones, remember the most memorable, only allowed to talk.

Over the years, other features were added such as the ability to send text messages, Internet connection, user applications, and more.

With  4G technology, broadband connection came to phones,  which allowed the possibility of carrying out much more powerful and versatile tasks. Examples of them are video in real time and augmented reality, among others.

The biggest benefits of 5G

There is no doubt that  the biggest benefit of 5G is its speed. This technology will allow us to receive data at 10 Gbps, with very low latency. This of course affects your daily life in every way.

This means that you will be online in true real time, a separate benefit for all those users who use video conferencing as part of their work.

However, these  speed and latency values  are not just important for the user or video, as they allow better control of all types of remotely operated tools and vehicles.

Disused internet types 

Technology advances, and it takes everything ahead. Even more so when it comes to key elements for trade and the world economy.

As the years passed, to meet the growing demand for the Internet, it was necessary to find a way to be able to transfer data in a more efficient, secure and fast way.

This resulted in some technologies being forgotten and replaced by better ones, which in turn were also replaced. And they will be replaced eventually when something better develops.

All of this is perfect. Since the consumer always ends up benefiting from all these developments. Humanity always advances, that is our best feature.

If you want to know more about technology visit this post: Advantages and disadvantages of technology

Meanwhile, on the way we are leaving the remains of technologies that we no longer use. Examples of this are these two types of Internet.

Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 

A clear example of a type of connection in disuse as it has no possibility of improvement. The Switched Telephone Network was a type of Internet connection that took advantage of the Basic Telephone Network. That is, the cable of your phone

This type of Internet was the most widespread and popular for years.

Technically speaking, the Switched Telephone Network inherited its analog functionality from the basic telephone connection. For this reason it was necessary to install a modem to modulate and demodulate the signals between the network and the computer.

Although it had its advantages, such as taking advantage of the infrastructure already in place, the truth is that its low speed, about 56 Kbps, was an important brake on any transaction. Furthermore, voice and data could not be transmitted simultaneously.

ISDN digital network 

The ISDN network is another type of disused Internet connection. It replaced the PSTN network and spread rapidly between businesses and users.

ISDN was a technology similar to PSTN, but instead of being analog, it was a digital line. In addition, instead of a modem, a network adapter was used.

The main advantage, and for which it successfully replaced PSTN connections, is the possibility of being able to carry out data transmissions while talking. However, to be able to use it it was necessary to have a new communications infrastructure, something that is always difficult to implement.