DSL, Fiber, or Cable? How to find out what kind of internet connection at home you have

Fri, Jan 22, 2021 6:19 PM Technology Broadband Installation Wifi

Not certain what kind of internet access you use at home? We're going to show you how you can figure out what broadband you've got. Maybe you already know that there are numerous types of internet services. Some of the most common types include DSL, cable internet, fiber-optic, satellite, and fixed wireless internet. But how do you understand what kind of relationship you have at home? And why does that matter?

Don't let the kind of internet that you need to be no longer a secret to you. Find out what you need to know at home about the broadband access you have. Here's how you can say what kind of Internet you've got.

Why do you need to understand what kind of Internet connectivity you have?

You may not have been the person that you are actually using to shop and sign up for the internet service provider. Maybe you moved to a home or apartment that already provided internet access, or maybe you simply didn't take part in the original decision. The sort of internet connection you have could be unclear, whatever the case.

But you need to know the type of internet that you have if you need to work from home, teach or learn remotely, or other things that require a fast and reliable internet connection. About why? To ensure that you get the best link with what you and your family use the internet to achieve.

What type of internet connection you have with the service provider?

Not generally, Even though you know the company that provides the internet, what sort of connection you have is not always clear. Under its brand name, some ISPs, such as AT&T, CenturyLink, and Frontier, provide more than one form of internet access. DSL, cable and fixed wireless kinds of connections are not unusual for an internet provider to sell.

What does Internet broadband mean?

Technically, according to the FCC, any internet that is "always on and faster than conventional dial-up access" can be known as broadband, high-speed internet. That's a fairly broad concept, one that leaves the door open for most internet providers to say that they have broadband and/or high-speed internet.

For example, speak to someone who has ever used a rural satellite internet access vs. cable access in a metro area, and it is clear that a wide spectrum of quality can be covered by the term. Cable vs. fiber internet, even the two usually fastest forms of internet, can vary in characteristics such as stability, severe weather vulnerability, upload rates, and more. Not to mention that the advertised speed does not always correspond with the real Internet speed you get at your home.

To decide what sort of internet connection your home has, there is more than one way. Check out these fast and simple ways to find out what kind of connection you're working to.

Figure out your type of internet connection by equipment device

Take a couple of minutes to find the internet equipment around your house and test it. Locate to see what wires are linked to your modem and router.

The type of internet connection will be clearly identified on the computer in most existing modem and router combinations, often referred to as gateways. But to decide your internet connection type, if your modem or router is not labeled, simply find the definition below that fits your home setup.

1. Do you have a satellite that regulates the internet on your roof? Then you use the satellite internet.

2. Look at the type of plug on the wall to which your modem is connected. If it is attached to a coaxial cable, it is most likely that you are dealing with a wired internet connection. However, if the coaxial cable's other end connects to a satellite outside your house, then you've got satellite internet.

3. You have either DSL or dial-up Internet if you notice that the modem is connected to what looks like a phone line. If you still tie up the phone line using the internet in your house then you have dial-up. If you do not mess with your home phone by connecting to the internet, or you do not have a home phone connection, then you are a DSL internet user.

4. Is there a port called 'ONT' on your modem that has a connected line? You have a fiber-optic connection.

5. Do you have a modem and a router that only plugs into the electrical outlet directly? Then you are using a fixed wireless internet connection.

Figure out your type of internet connection by Computer

Using your machine, can you decide your internet link type?
Assume you don't want to go scrabbling through the setup of the modem and router, or you're off-limits to that section. Can you still find out what kind of internet connection you have without pretending to be an electrician? No. It would be difficult to be 100 percent reliable on your kind of internet connection without seeing the equipment.

However, you can make informed guessing based on speeds. On your screen, run a short speed test, and calculate the results here (speed test)