High Speed Internet Providers

Wireless Internet is high speed Internet that makes use of wireless technology. A computer device is able to connect to the Internet using radio waves. A modem device that is integrated with your computer or a standalone wireless modem, receives data from a “hot spot”. A hot spot is basically an antenna which receives and sends radio waves to or from the computer. Using just that antenna you are able to connect to the Internet at high speeds. Wireless Internet can have a downstream speed of up to 100mbps.

As you can see, wireless Internet can provide you with a speedy connection and on top of that come the facts that it is affordable and that you don’t have to have wires all around your house.

Wireless Internet is similar to cable Internet. They are similar in the way that the bandwidth is shared among users. So it doesn’t matter how fast the connection is, if 20 or more users are using the same hotspot the speed will slow down. Nevertheless, like cable, wireless Internet also has some limitations and restrictions to the number of users.

Another double-edged sword concerning wireless Internet is the distance from the antenna or the hot spot. The speed, which can vary depending on the number of users, is also influenced by the distance from the antenna, the so called hot spot. In some cases this counts as a benefit but if you live far away it might cause some problems. Most hot spots have a range of up to 100m. So basically you will need to be in close proximity to the hot spot in order to have access to the Internet. The closer you are the greater your speed will be. If you are too far from the hot spot you may experience a laggy connection or even no connection at all.

This happens in towns, coffee shops and Internet clubs. The distance from the hotspot can be limited sometimes, but in some of the towns, wireless in public places is free. This is a great benefit since you can go to a coffee place in example and go through your email while you enjoy a nice coffee. On the other hand, wireless is measured to transmit a signal of up to 300km, but in order to do so the antenna needs to be big and strong and your line of site must be clear.

Unfortunately that is not the case. Although the technology is there, the area of coverage is not so great. Wireless can be accessed in any bigger city but if you live in a rural area that might be an issue. No matter where you are, if you don’t have a clear line of site with an antenna you won’t have access to the Internet. Which at the same time is a great inconvenience and a great benefit. Just put the two on a scale. In one hand you have Internet connection without a cable, practically from anywhere in a city. On the other hand, if there is something blocking your line of sight you won’t have that access.

Wireless Internet is mostly covered in major cities like we already said, so if you need Internet access immediately this is great. But if you want to have wireless Internet from your home or office you might want to consider the options. Standalone private connection to the wireless network is a bit more expensive than ADSL, so you might have other options to consider. If your area doesn’t have many users however, and the connection is password protected to limit the number of users, you have a great deal, especially for a business.

The speed aside, what makes wireless Internet so great is the obvious fact that you can use it without being physically connected to a network. On top of that the wireless network is expanding fast and which makes it available for more people. The signals are encrypted, which makes them secure for private and business use.

What is wireless Internet, what are its benefits and its accessibility, and the issue of expanding the wireless network?