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January  31, 2025
Get Updated: Popular Internet Terms You Need to Know

The internet being a vast, confusing place is no longer something to wonder about. But it’s helpful to learn some of the technical terms to avoid confusion about acronyms like DOCSIS, the difference between “Wi-Fi” and “internet,” and so on. We’ve got you covered with a simple list of some of the most common home internet terms.

Access points: Access points are Wi-Fi range extenders connected to the router via Ethernet cables running through your walls or ceiling. The wired connection lets you place Wi-Fi extenders in areas where the router’s signal may not sufficiently reach, like on different floors or down in the basement. It often produces a stronger signal than standard Wi-Fi extenders too. ACP: This is shorthand for the Affordable Connectivity Program, a now-expired federal program that aimed to make broadband affordable for qualified low-income households. Participants in the ACP received $30 per month ($75 monthly on Tribal lands) off their home internet bills. Congress failed to renew the pandemic-era program, which over 23 million homes in the US utilized.

Bandwidth: Bandwidth is the amount of data an internet service can transfer in a certain amount of time. The concept is usually measured in megabits per second (Mbps) or gigabits per second (Gbps): 1 gigabit equals 1,000 megabits. Higher numbers indicate the potential for higher bandwidth, so 1,000Mbps home internet is “faster” than 300Mbps service. Your actual internet speeds will vary depending on your provider, equipment and network congestion, but bandwidth is a useful measurement for comparing plans and can give you an idea of how fast your internet will be.

Broadband: Broadband is more than just any old internet connection. It’s a high-speed internet connection. In the US, the Federal Communications Commission has a specific definition for what counts as broadband. An internet connection needs to offer at least 100Mbps downloads and 20Mbps uploads. That’s a big boost over the previous benchmark of 25Mbps downloads and 3Mbps uploads. If your speeds are below the FCC threshold, you might want to shop for a faster option if you can get it.

Cable internet or coaxial cable: Cable internet is one of the most common types. It delivers internet to homes through coaxial cables, usually consisting of copper wires surrounded by insulation and shielding material. It’s typically faster than DSL but doesn’t reach the top speeds of fiber internet. A cable connects to a modem (more on this later) at your home. Xfinity, Cox and Spectrum are examples of major cable ISPs.

Data: Think of data as pieces of information or content. If you’re watching Netflix in your living room, you’re transferring video and audio data through your internet connection to your television at home. When shopping for home internet, consider how the ISP and plan you choose will handle your data. Gamers, for example, need to transfer data up and down quickly, so they might look for a fast fiber plan that prioritizes the speedy movement of data for both downloads and uploads.

DNS: This acronym stands for domain name system. A domain name represents the Internet Protocol address (more on that later) of a computer, server or website — because typing in “cnet.com” is much easier than remembering and entering a long series of numbers, letters and punctuation. The DNS translates what we type into what the server needs to get you there.

Data cap: Some internet providers limit the amount of data you can transfer each month. Some providers will slow your internet down once you reach the cap or charge an additional fee if you exceed it. That might not be a problem if you’re a casual internet user, but it can be annoying (and potentially expensive) if you move large files or lots of data through your connection. Take note of whether or not a data cap applies to your chosen home internet plan.

DOCSIS: Data over cable service interface specification is a telecommunications standard to consider when shopping for a cable modem. DOCSIS allows your modem to deliver internet from your cable provider to your home. There are different versions of DOCSIS, so it’s important to get the right version with the right modem for your needs. The newer DOCSIS 3.1 standard supports faster speeds than the 3.0 version.

Download speeds: The speed of your internet connection is measured in megabits per second (Mbps) but with two metrics: how fast it takes to download data and how fast it takes to upload data. Download speeds refer to the speed your home internet set-up downloads data. You can measure that speed easily for yourself with a speed test. Download speeds are also referred to as “downstream.”

DSL: The digital subscriber line is an older method of data transmission, but it’s still widely available in many parts of the US. It uses telephone lines (the same tech used for landline phone calls) to provide an internet connection. It has since been eclipsed by cable and fiber internet, both of which offer faster connections. CenturyLink is one of the most well-known DSL providers.

Ethernet: Ethernet is a computer networking technology most visible to home internet users through the use of ethernet cables to create a wired network. Ethernet allows for the transfer of data. For example, you might connect a desktop computer to a router using an ethernet cable. It has a reputation for speed and stability but requires running physical cables between devices. Some home networks use both wired ethernet and wireless components.

Fiber internet or fiber-optic cable: Often just called “fiber,” fiber-optic internet is a wired broadband connection delivered over fiber-optic cables as opposed to coaxial cables (cable) or telephone lines (DSL). Fiber-optic cables consist of a bundle of tiny glass or plastic strands that transmit data using light. They’re capable of much faster top speeds than DSL or cable internet, and typically, uploads are as fast as downloads. Google Fiber, Quantum Fiber and Verizon Fios are examples of fiber ISPs.

Fixed wireless internet: Fixed wireless sounds like two words that shouldn’t go together, but it refers to the use of radio waves to wirelessly send data from a tower to a receiver mounted on or within your home. A direct line of sight to the tower is best. Fixed wireless is often associated with rural areas that don’t have cable, fiber or DSL infrastructure. Verizon and T-Mobile’s 5G home internet services are also a type of fixed wireless internet.

Frequency Bands: The frequency bands that your router uses to transmit data are radio waves. The most common Wi-Fi bands are 2.4Ghz, 5Ghz and 6Ghz. Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E are the most common current-gen version of Wi-Fi, though the rollout of Wi-Fi 7 is raising the bar for Wi-Fi technology. Confused about the differences? Not only do these versions support faster speeds, they increase the channel sizes (allowing for much faster speeds) and in the case of Wi-Fi 7, allow your router to use two bands at once (allowing for less congestion). Reference: Top Internet Terms You Need to Know: From ACP to ZigBee

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