Home internet: fibre, cable or wireless?
Today internet can reach your flat in several ways. None is always best. It depends on what is available at your building and what you expect from the connection.
Four main options
Fibre connection
A light signal in a strand. It usually offers the greatest capacity, a stable connection and balanced download and upload. Speeds commonly run from hundreds of Mbit/s to several Gbit/s, depending on the provider and the building. The downside is that it is not everywhere, and when the building is not connected it needs the owners' consent.
Cable connection
It uses a coaxial network that already runs in many buildings. Speeds are often high, but capacity in a given section is usually shared among users, so performance can vary at peak times. The advantage is that the wiring is often already in the building.
VDSL and ADSL
Internet over a telephone line. Speed depends strongly on the length of the line to the exchange or cabinet. For demanding households it can be a limit, but where nothing else exists it is still usable.
Wireless
Fixed wireless, where an antenna is at the house, or a mobile network. It helps where cable has not reached, mainly on the edges and at family houses. Speed and stability are affected by distance from the transmitter, obstacles and load.
How to choose
- You work from home, send large files, play online: consider fibre. Balanced upload and stability help.
- A standard household with streaming and a few devices: cable or good VDSL is often enough if the speed at the address is reasonable.
- A family house outside continuous development: wireless can be the fastest route until fibre arrives.
- A rented flat: ask the owner whether the building is already connected. It may decide for you.
What matters more than the technology
The real experience of internet is also shaped by the router, its placement and the wiring in the flat. A fast line behind a weak router or at the far end of the flat shows worse than you would expect. For a desktop computer or a television a cabled connection is worth more than Wi-Fi.
How it works with us
We are not a provider. Send the address, we check what is available there and help arrange the connection with a local provider. When fibre is not there, we look for the best alternative. How to check availability yourself is in How to check fibre availability, and the technology is explained in Fibre internet: what it is.
Frequently asked questions
Which type of internet is best for a flat?
The best one is what is available at your building and fits how you use the internet. In general fibre is stable and high-capacity.
Is wireless suitable for a flat in a panel building?
A cable or fibre option is usually better if available. Wireless suits mainly places cable has not reached.
Related articles and pages
Send the address, we check the rest
Tell us where you live or do business. We check what is available there and arrange the connection with a local provider. The check is free and non-binding.