That covers the three main ways to get internet through wired infrastructure. But if you live off the grid, or you just want internet that doesn’t require you to be in one place, don’t despair. There are plenty of wireless internet options on the market right now.
Fixed wireless internet is an alternative way to get connected to the good ol’ world wide web that doesn’t require you to have a phone line, cable connection, or fiber optic hookup. You can do it from pretty much anywhere that there's a mobile phone signal.
Fixed wireless uses an antenna that’s affixed to your house (or trailer or mobile home or whatever you want). The antenna connects to a mobile wireless network to give you internet. It’s a relatively affordable and reliable way to get internet in rural areas, but the speeds can be slow. However, most fixed wireless providers still offer high-speed internet.
There are not very many fixed wireless providers out there right now. AT&T and Verizon are two of the best-known providers.
One of the most tried and true ways to get internet when you live in a rural area is with a satellite connection. Satellite internet uses—yep, you guess it—satellites to shoot internet data to a dish on your home. The signal then goes to a modem, which connects to your computers, smart TVs, and other devices.
Satellite internet can get pretty expensive, and it doesn’t offer very fast speeds compared to wired connections. But, if you live in certain rural areas it may be the best game in town.
There are only two satellite internet providers on the scene right now: Viasat and HughesNet. You can see how these providers compare in the chart below.
5G internet is here: lovers of wireless, high-speed internet, rejoice!
5G home internet uses a fixed receiver to pick up the internet from local 5G mobile networks. This can get you data speeds up to 1000 Mbps, which rivals even the fastest fiber networks.
While 5G home internet doesn’t require a phone line or a cable connection, it isn’t necessarily a rural internet option. In fact, the service area for 5G home internet is very limited. Companies like Verizon run 5G networks in a handful of cities, but it’s relatively new and it will likely be a few more years before the suburbs and smaller towns start to see service.
The easiest way to sidestep a lack of internet is to simply use your phone’s hotspot.
If you have a smartphone then you’ve probably used it as a mobile hotspot at some time or another. Turning your mobile device into a mobile hotspot allows your computer (or other device) to tap into the internet via a mobile phone wireless network. It’s an awesome tool in a pinch.
But you don’t have to rely on your smartphone to get a hotspot (draining your precious battery in the process). You can pick up a dedicated mobile hotspot device and use that to connect your wireless device to the internet anywhere that you’ve got a phone signal.