What Is High-Speed Internet?

High-speed internet is really as simple as it sounds: super-fast Wi-Fi. Right now, internet speed is more important than ever before. The average American spends four hours and fifty-two minutes online each day

The higher the Mbps, the faster the internet is, and the more productive those five hours can be. High-speed internet is considered to be anything 100Mbps+.

But before you start thinking, the faster the internet, the easier the connection; here’s one clarification: faster internet just means that your device responds faster to your commands. When you click a link, the page is more likely to load, and you won’t sit staring at the spinning circle of doom for minutes on end.

Faster internet does not mean that more devices can connect to the Wi-Fi at once. If you want to connect your tablet, phone, laptop, thermostat, and refrigerator, then you’ll want greater bandwidth. Bandwidth is what allows you to have more devices working at the same time.

Typically, an internet speed of 100 to 200 Mbps and above is sufficient for small households, even with gamers and streaming videos. You’ll still be able to play Call of Duty: War Zone (with several people in the same house) without any issues.

If you’re working from home and spending a few hours in Zoom or Microsoft Teams meetings, fast internet is a huge plus. You’re less likely to run into quality issues. Ever experience a meeting when the video itself lags but you still hear the audio from the call? It’s usually due to a slow internet connection.

If you have a large home people or an unusually large number of devices using your internet, it's a good idea to consider 300Mbps to 500Mbps aka extra-high-speed internet.

Here’s a chart for what you can do at various connection speeds, and we’ve got more recommendations in our guide to how much internet speed you need.

When choosing the best Wi-Fi speed for you, think about how you use your connection. Someone who only checks email at home won’t need ultra-fast speed like the professional gamer. Narrow down what you use the internet for.

Keep in mind that whether you’re using 400 Mbps or 900 Mbps, most people in a normal home setting won’t notice a difference. Once you get above 200 to 300 Mbps, your Wi-Fi should be fast enough for every device in your house. However, it is likely you’ll notice a change when you go from using 50 Mbps to 200 Mbps.

There are tons of internet service providers (ISPs) around, and they all offer different high-speed internet plans. Usually, the higher the speed, the more expensive the plan. Here’s a chart of a few common ISPs and their prices:

It’s important to pay attention to the connection type. That lets you know what kind of internet you’re using. Satellite, cable, DSL, and others are all considered high-speed internet. Cable internet is usually not as expensive as satellite internet. You can also learn more about the fastest internet providers available. 

The equipment really depends on the type of web connection you have. Remember, high-speed internet comes in all different forms (satellite, DSL, cable, etc.). If you have cable, then you need to have a DOCSIS modem. For satellite connection, there’s a dish receiver. Long story short, there’s no one-size-fits-all for high speed internet. It really depends on your connection type.

If you want to know more about what high-speed connections are available, check out this article about the best internet service providers. If you’d like to check individual reviews for Spectrum internet, Xfinity, or Verizon Fios Home Internet, we’ve got more info on those as well.