The Internet usage saw a tremendous growth during the past few years. Our expectations in terms of Internet broadband have increased along with the pressure for better connectivity.
More and more users get connected each day. But how many of the users are aware of the existing types of networks and fully understand the distinctions between them? Maybe a few.
You may have heard these terms before when you were shopping for Internet options for your home or office. The most common types of Internet networks are DSL, Cable and Fiber - or the past, the present and the future, if you’d like a more descriptive name.
DSL - Digital Subscriber Line
Let’s start with the first one, the DSL which stands for Digital Subscriber Line. It offers a reliable Internet option which transmits digital data over the telephone. The DSL modem uses the two wires copper telephone line. This type of connection presents certain advantages such as the fact that it provides a higher speed than regular modems, requires less wires (it uses the phone line), and the ISP is responsible for the modem and installation.
The downturn is you will lose the Internet connection if something happens to the phone line. Also the service is faster at receiving data than at sending it.
Cable Modem
Cable modem Internet connection is another option to reach higher level of bandwidth.
Through the use of a cable modem (which runs faster than DSL), users can connect to the Internet over cable TV lines. Cable modems can support close to 30 Mbps of bandwidth, whereas most forms of DSL barely reach 10 Mbps. Keep in mind that performance may be affected by the traffic congestion.
Fiber Optic
Fiber optic (Fi-Os) tends to be more reliable than DSL but not as widely accessible as DSL. The fiber optic cable offers a more affordable and accessible way to connect to the Internet. The lines are lightweight strands of optically pure glass that can transport information over long distances.
It is a passive system which does not require power to be applied within the system network, but it does need a fiber cable to be run through your house or office. The installation may be longer than the DSL and in most of the cases it is done by a professional or a technician.
In addition, the Fi-Os is far more faster than DSL. The download speeds are ranging between 150 Mbps to 500 Mbps, while the upload speeds can go from 65 Mbps to 100 Mbps.
One of the main advantages of Fiber is its unmatched speed performance. It enables users to do multiple simultaneously actions (download, upload, stream, file sharing) that require wide bandwidth. Other benefits of Fiber are: less attenuation in your system, increased picture quality and more efficiency than the copper wires. The only downturn is its price which is much higher than DSL or Cable.
Fiber is considered to be a disruptive technology, meaning it will overtake and put an end to the old copper cable infrastructure in the coming years. Within only a few years, it has grown from being an unknown novelty technology to a lighting-quick network leader.