Here’s a fact. The internet is getting faster. Technology has a way of doing that. In most respects, that’s a good thing. The downside is that your current online connection will seem slower unless you find a more robust connection that allows you to keep up.
If you’re talking about internet connection upgrades, it only means one thing - fiber optic networks. Fiber internet is faster, safer, and more efficient than any other type of internet around. Unfortunately, it is not widely available yet.
But it will be one day. Who knows? Maybe you’re among the lucky few 25% of Americans already have fiber connection access. Either way, we dare you not to keep reading.
What You Need to Know About Fiber Optic Internet
Fiber is considered to be both the present and future of broadband internet. It’s the present because already around one-fourth of US internet users have access to it. It’s the future because it is a completely new redesign requiring a unique infrastructure different from what has been before.
The materials used and the way they work seem almost like science fiction. While we wouldn’t be foolhardy enough to say that there will never be a faster type of internet, it’s hard to imagine it from where we stand.
So, what is it that’s so special about fiber optic?
Defining Fiber Optic Internet
Fiber optic internet is a type of data cable filled with thin glass or plastic fibers. Rather than the copper wires that serve as the backbone of traditional internet types like DSL and cable, fiber uses flashes of light beamed along the fibers to carry the data.
The bottom line of all this technology improvement is that it results in an internet speed for the user that is about 20 times faster than anything that has come before. That’s why everyone is so interested in fiber connections.
What’s so great about the miraculous fibers that power this new broadband? We’ve already mentioned that they are faster. The reason is that copper-based technology needs an electrical signal in order to operate and tends to pick up interference. This means the signal degrades as it goes.
Glass fiber, on the other hand, needs no electrical current to operate. The light flashes along the fibers are subject to almost no signal degradation, thus going much farther and faster. You can expect speeds of 1 to 2 Gbps from fiber in raw numbers.
Additional benefits include:
- No ISP throttling because bandwidth is almost limitless
- Same speed for uploads and downloads
- Many more multiples of devices can be used without noticeable slowing of speed
How Fiber Internet Works
We’ve dipped into this topic a little, but let’s dig deeper.
Fiber optic internet, unlike copper’s analog nature, is a digital medium. It takes internet data files like movies, games, and even plain old web pages and splits them into data packets consisting of zeroes and ones.
A laser flashes these packets, Morse code-style, into one end of the glass fiber-filled cable. When we say “cable,” remember that this cable is about the diameter of a human hair and contains hundreds of the glass or plastic filaments mentioned.
A protective sheath called cladding encases the filaments and keeps the laser light inside. This newfangled way of generating an internet signal goes as far as 60 miles. When it hits the other end of the cable, a specialized modem sits there to catch the digital data packets and translate them into a form (analog) that your computer can use.
Three Types of Fiber Optic Internet
You knew it couldn’t stay that simple. There is almost always a complicating factor, and the one here is that there are three types of fiber optic internet. The differentiating factor among them is that the final internet speed you experience determines which type the ISP uses and how far the fiber makes it toward your home or business before switching to traditional copper-based technology.
We’re not going to drown you in technical minutia but here are the definitions so that you can say you’ve heard them at least once.
- FTTH - Fiber to the Home (fastest)
- FTTC - Fiber to the Curb (next fastest)
- FTTN - Fiber to the neighborhood (third fastest)
Check the graphic below for a visual illustration of how these three fiber internet types work.
Supplies for Setting Up a Home Fiber Optic Network
You’ll need equipment, tools, and specific knowledge to set up an in-home fiber optic network. Luckily, your ISP will do the heavy lifting of getting the signal to your home or business. That’s where you’ll take over.
Fiber Optic Network Cables
From our discussion thus far, you’ve probably already figured this out - you’ll need special cables. If your home is wired with old-fashioned copper cables, you won’t be able to take advantage of your new fiber connection’s higher performance.
We’ve mentioned fiber cables already and how their construction is different. As a refresher, imagine a human hair-thin cable that contains hundreds of glass or plastic filaments surrounded by a protective sheath.
A laser passes internet data down the filaments through flashes of high-speed light. An interesting note is that data can be moved as fast as 70% of the speed of light with fiber internet.
Technically, you can mix copper and fiber in the same network, but you wouldn’t want to. It will downgrade the performance of the overall network.
Fiber Optic Modem
No matter the internet type, the modem is a critical part of the process. With copper-based connections, the modem takes the signal from the ISP and translates it into a form that the devices on your network can understand.
Keep in mind that a traditional DSL or cable modem will not work with a fiber internet connection. The digital signal generated by fiber is unintelligible to these older modems. You’re going to need a fiber modem.
Trying to explain exactly what a fiber modem does can quickly lead you into the deep weeds if you don’t have a good background in the topic. Suffice it to say that it’s not actually a modem, even though we call it one.
A fiber modem is a transceiver that converts an optical ethernet signal into a protocol that your devices understand.
Your old modem wouldn’t have the vaguest idea of what to do with a fiber signal. Thus the transceiver is critical to make your new home fiber network actually work.
Fiber Optic Router
As with the modem, you will need a new router before proceeding. This fiber optic router performs the same duties with a fiber connection as your old router did with your old internet. As with the modem, your old router cannot communicate with a fiber signal.
Be it DSL, cable, or fiber, the router plays a critical part in the overall process.
A fiber router takes the signal from the fiber modem and broadcasts it wirelessly to your home or business. This forms the backbone of the network you’re creating. A router also reviews each request from your devices and allows them onto the network. It assigns each device a local IP address, so you shouldn’t have to log on every time you want to go online.
The router recognizes the device and allows it to access the wireless signal.
Setting Up Your Home Fiber Optic Network
By now, you ought to be frothing at the mouth to ditch your old internet and get a fiber optic network installed. Here are the literal steps to upgrade your home network to fiber.
1. Find an ISP that offers fiber service to your address. Remember that fiber is only available to about 25% of the US. If it turns out you don’t have access, you’ll have to wait. The good news is that new fiber cable is being laid as we speak.
2. Talk to your ISP about which plans are available and make your choice. There will likely be different speed choices at varying price points.
3. Discuss your internet speed needs. The reality is that few people need a full-blown one-gig connection. If you want it, by all means, get it but don’t think it’s necessary. It depends on how many users you have and how much high-bandwidth activity you engage in.
4. Sign up for your plan and have the ISP install a fiber optic connection in your home. Depending on the local infrastructure, the installation might be as simple as running a cable from a nearby hub directly into your house and only take a few hours. Alternatively, it might require a more complicated process that takes several days.
5. Locate your Optical Network Termination (ONT). This piece of equipment serves as the end of the line for the new fiber signal in your home. It takes the ISP’s signal and translates it into something your devices understand. This serves as the modem for your network.
6. Connect the ONT to the network box. The network box serves as the network router. We’ve already discussed a router’s functions, but here’s the short version. It creates the actual local wireless network by assigning IP addresses to your devices and broadcasting the fiber signal for them to use.
7. Plug and power up the network box. This allows the router to broadcast the fiber internet signal.
8. Connect a device to the network box. You can connect a desktop, laptop, tablet, phone, printer, or any other internet-enabled device to the fiber signal from the router. You’ll need to locate the signal via the device and ask to be assigned to the network.
9. Set up your home Wi-Fi network. At this point, you finish your network by adding the rest of your devices to the wireless signal the router broadcasts. Accessing the modem’s dashboard via a web browser would also be a good idea. The main things to do here are to change the network name and password to something hard to guess.
Final Thoughts
From the preceding discussion, it should be evident that if you have access to fiber internet in your area - get it. It’s faster, more reliable, and yields higher performance in every way. Right now, the cost might be a little higher than other internet types but should drop as more infrastructure is laid and more subscribers come on board.
In general, a fiber network has the same parts you should already be familiar with, like a signal, modem, and router. Your ISP does the heavy lifting when it comes to installing a new fiber network. What’s left for you is to identify the modem and router and connect them with a few cables.
Obviously, the big question is to find out whether or not there is fiber service in your area yet. With our free internet service provider tool, you must enter your zip code and click a button. Within a few moments, you’ll receive a list of all your local providers that offer fiber service.
FAQ
How does fiber optic internet differ from other broadband internet?
Fiber consists of a completely different set of materials and functions than other types of broadband. The cable interior is glass or plastic filaments rather than copper wire. The signal is digital and generated by flashing laser lights rather than electricity. This redesign of internet service performs better than other broadband connections in every way.
Which is better, Wi-Fi or fiber optic internet?
You can’t strictly compare Wi-Fi and fiber optic internet because they perform different functions. The fiber optic signal brings the capability for high-speed internet to your home. Without Wi-Fi to create a wireless network, you would be limited to only the devices that can plug into an ethernet jack. The bottom line is that Wi-Fi and fiber optic internet work together to create exceptional internet service.
Is fiber internet better than 5G?
Once again, it’s hard to compare these two items straight across. Fiber internet has the advantage of speed but functions in a limited wired environment. On the other hand, 5G service is wireless and pretty fast but not as speedy as fiber. To determine which is “better” requires you to decide which fits best with how you use the internet.
Who offers fiber optic internet in my area?
The best way to locate fiber optic internet in your area is to use our internet provider comparison tool to generate a list of local providers, then check to see which among them offers fiber service.
Is fiber optic internet good for gaming?
Fiber is generally accepted to be the best broadband internet service available for gamers. This is not only due to the sheer speed involved but also to what is called low latency. Latency refers to how quickly signals go from your device to the remote server and back. A delay in signal processing can be the death of you in games that rely on quick, real-time responses.
