The Internet has long ceased to be some kind of addition to our lives, becoming its integral part. Too many everyday activities and entertainment depend on the World Wide Web. But in order to enter it, you need something more than an inserted cord in a power outlet.
Consider the main types of Internet connection: features, equipment used and user feedback on a particular type. Options are not very diverse, but nonetheless, everyone can choose something of their own for specific goals and conditions.
Cable connection
This is the most popular type of internet connection. The provider serving your area conducts a cable into your apartment through which the signal enters the house. In such cases, as a rule, only two connection options are used - through an optical cable and through a twisted pair cable.
Twisted pair
As for the twisted pair, then everything is simple. From the junction box in the entrance, a twisted cable (copper) is drawn and connected to your system unit or router. In this way, almost all multi-storey buildings are connected. Finding out which type of Internet connection (cable) is very simple in this case: if you have thin wires (compared to fiber) and an average speed of up to 100 Mbit / s, then there is a twisted pair cable. If the cable is thicker and the speed is higher, then this is fiber.
Optical cable
In another case, “optics” are put into the apartment, which is connected to a special junction box directly in the house. This type of internet connection has one very serious advantage - it is a speed that can go up to 1 Gb / s.
Using an optical cable, you can easily get not only access to the World Wide Web, but also use the services of telephony and television. That is, instead of three laid cables, you get one.
In turn, the cable type of Internet connection has two options for working with network protocols - local and virtual. Let's consider them in more detail.
The local network
The whole point of local protocols is that your provider simply assigns you a separate IP address. The provider includes all computers in one large network, where it can easily control each address. In addition, this type of Internet connection is characterized by the presence of a dynamic or static IP.
The dynamic option is the simplest, because all the network settings fall on the shoulders of the provider itself, and the user does not need to adjust anything himself. How to find out the type of internet connection in this case? If you stuck a cable into a computer or router and after a couple of seconds gained access to the World Wide Web, then you have a dynamic IP, otherwise the operating system will ask for additional login parameters.
The static version is more finicky in terms of access. Before each session, the system will request data for accessing the Internet, which the provider should have provided to you. They do not change, therefore it is enough to enter them once, and in the future, the operating system will itself gain access to the network.
This option is most convenient for online services that constantly ask you for a static IP address. How to find out what type of internet connection in this case? Most modern routers are able to determine the type of connection and inform the owner about it. If you use outdated or frankly budget equipment, you can just call your provider and clarify all the information you are interested in. They will also help you deal with the competitive model of the router and tell you how to find out the type of Internet connection on your device.
Judging by the feedback from users in numerous specialized forums, providers prefer to "land" subscribers on a static IP. For example, the same “Rostelecom” (the type of Internet connection is cable) completely introduces the Internet only to “statics”, because in this case it is much easier to track each individual user in terms of the monthly fee and the provision of some additional services. As for the quality of communication, here a lot depends on the cable used (fiber / twisted pair) and your equipment (router / network card).
Virtual network
A virtual private network, or, in other words, a VPN, is an encrypted communication protocol where the exchange of all information between the user's computer and the provider is encoded, greatly increasing security on the network. In total, there are two main types of VPN connections - PPPoE and PPTP (L2TP).
One of the most popular types of virtual network is PPPoE protocols. To connect to the Internet you only need a username and password. The Windows platform recognizes this type as a high-speed connection with conditional dialing.
A much less popular type is PPTP (L2TP), because when entering a password with a login, the user must specify the exact address of the provider's server. Another distinguishing feature of a PPTP connection is its encryption method, which is fundamentally different from PPPoE. One of the most famous providers working on this protocol is Beeline (home Internet). The type of connection with other suppliers may also vary depending on the conditions of the area (proximity of the tower, required speed, etc.).
Reviews about this type of connection vary greatly. Some are quite happy with the often changing data flow rate (watching a video, working with text information, etc.), but for someone this is a critical moment. The latter are, as a rule, gamers who need low ping (server response delay), that is, good bandwidth. For example, if you have a MTS-Internet connection type through a VPN connection (flash modem), then in the popular MOVA League of Legends and DOTA games, ping will fluctuate from 90 to 120 ms. While through a cable connection, the response time does not exceed 40-60 ms.
Combo Connection
This type includes several types of internet connection. The virtual network here is a priority type of connection, and dynamic or static IP addresses are used as an additional resource. That is, the difference between the two is the manual or automatic entry of data about the provider's server.
This type is considered one of the most difficult and is used extremely rarely. It is often used by municipal services with a multi-level office structure: a pension fund, gas services, employment centers, etc.
Phone line
Fiber optic cable seriously dominates telephone lines, but for a number of reasons (rural areas, remote settlements, etc.) it is not advisable for the provider to pull the expensive Internet cable. In this case, the availability of a home phone somehow helps, that is, an ADSL or Dial-Up connection.
An ADSL connection allows you to work on the Internet at a low speed, approximately within a dozen megabits. For most ordinary tasks this is enough. To fully work on the network, you need a modem and a telephone cable. In order for both devices to function simultaneously and correctly (a computer with a network and a telephone), a splitter is required that branches the cables to both the home telephone and the system unit.
Dial-Up connection is what is called the last century. In this case, if you work on the Internet, the telephone line will be busy. In addition, the data transfer rate is limited to 56 Kbps, which, by today's standards, is very, very small. Despite all the shortcomings of the Dial-Up connection, it is sometimes used in hard-to-reach areas.
Judging by user reviews, this method of connection is practically not in demand, because even watching a video on the YouTube channel in low resolution is a real problem. The only thing you can count on with such a connection is only letters, pictures and music in low bitrate.
Satellite Internet
One of the most expensive types of connection, but at the same time almost ubiquitous. A satellite dish allows you to access the World Wide Web even in the wilderness itself, where there are no simple communications. The only condition is the good visibility of the orbiting satellite, which is not a problem for a reputable provider.
Surely many are familiar firsthand with satellite television. In the case of the Internet, the principle is the same, with the only difference being that an additional unit with a transmitting head is installed on a plate for transmitting data in both directions.
The speed of the channel is measured in tens of megabits. One of the main disadvantages of this type of connection is sky-high tariffs and expensive equipment.
Wifi
With the protocols of "wi-fi", many are probably familiar. Someone has a router installed at home, and someone uses free entry points in public places. As a rule, Wi-Fi covers areas that are difficult to access for cable connection, such as cottage villages and other private sectors. For work, the operator sets up base stations that provide the network with a nearby area within a radius of five to ten kilometers.
A special receiver is required for connection, and if you are at a considerable distance from the base station, a special antenna amplifying the signal will not interfere.