What is the internet?

 

Internet, a system architecture that has revolutionized communications and methods of commerce by allowing various computer networks around the world to interconnect. Sometimes referred to as a “network of networks,” the Internet emerged in the United States in the 1970s but did not become visible to the general public until the early 1990s. By 2020, approximately 4.5 billion people, or more than half of the world’s population, were estimated to have access to the Internet.

The Internet provides a capability so powerful and general that it can be used for almost any purpose that depends on information, and it is accessible by every individual who connects to one of its constituent networks. It supports human communication via social media, electronic mail (e-mail), “chat rooms,” newsgroups, and audio and video transmission and allows people to work collaboratively at many different locations. It supports access to digital information by many applications, including the World Wide Web. The Internet has proved to be a spawning ground for a large and growing number of “e-businesses” (including subsidiaries of traditional “brick-and-mortar” companies) that carry out most of their sales and services over the Internet.

Types of internet connections

DSL.  DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line.  It is an internet connection that is always “on”.  This uses 2 lines so your phone is not tied up when your computer is connected.  There is also no need to dial a phone number to connect.  DSL uses a router to transport data and the range of connection speed, depending on the service offered, is between 128K to 40 Mbps.

Fibre.  Fiber-optic internet, commonly called fiber internet or simply “fiber,” is a broadband connection that can reach speeds of up to 940 Megabits per second (Mbps), with low lag time. The technology uses fiber-optic cable, which amazingly can send data as fast as about 70% the speed of light. In addition, fiber-optic cables are not as susceptible to severe weather conditions as other types of traditional cables, which helps minimize outages. It also resists electrical interference effectively.

Wireless.   Wireless, or Wi-Fi, as the name suggests, does not use telephone lines or cables to connect to the internet.   Instead, it uses radio frequency.  Wireless is also an always on connection and it can be accessed from just about anywhere.  Wireless networks are growing in coverage areas by the minute so when I mean access from just about anywhere, I really mean it.  Speeds will vary, and the range is between 5 Mbps to 20 Mbps.

Satellite.  Satellite accesses the internet via a satellite in Earth’s orbit. The enormous distance that a signal travels from earth to satellite and back again, provides a delayed connection compared to cable and DSL.  Satellite connection speeds are around 512K to 2.0 Mbps.

Cellular.  Cellular technology provides wireless Internet access through cell phones or LTE.  The speeds vary depending on the provider, but the most common are 3G and 4G speeds and the next generation 5G.  A 3G is a term that describes a 3^rd generation cellular network obtaining mobile speeds of around 2.0 Mbps.  4G is the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards. The goal of 4G is to achieve peak mobile speeds of 100 Mbps but the reality is about 21 Mbps on average. Where 5G that promises up to 150 Mbps depending on location and availability.

 

 

 

 

 

What is LTE?