Can you imagine life without the Internet? Sounds hard, right? Hardly a few decades ago, the Internet was almost non-existent. However, over the years, efforts are being made to help more and more people access the Internet. This has given rise to various kinds of Internet technologies. Take a look at some of them.
Wired networks
While a number of wired connections were created a long time ago, they are still being developed. Today, many homes and offices use these modes of Internet access. Here are a few examples of them.
1 Dial-up
Dial-up Internet has probably been around the longest. This mode of connection connects your PC or any other network device to the Internet using standard telephone lines. You need a public access number to use the dial-up method. However, since most other modes of Internet connection are much faster, they have practically replaced the Dial-up.
2. DSL
The Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) also uses telephone lines to connect your device to the Internet. However, it is supposed to be almost 100 times faster than the Dial-up connection. And, since it operates at extremely high frequencies, you may still make telephone calls while browsing the Internet, unlike with Dial-up.
3. LAN
A Local Area Network (LAN) connects a group of computers located close together to enable efficient resource sharing. A wired LAN uses Ethernet cables to connect devices together. This is mostly used in offices.
Also Read: Four Ways To Make Best Use of Internet
Wireless networks
Wireless modes of Internet have been developed more recently. The main advantage of this form of technology is that you may easily access it on-the-go. Here are a few modes of wireless Internet.
1 Mobile data
This is a form of Internet access that needs no introduction. It uses cellular communication network of a telecom operator to connect a portable device to the Internet. It uses 2G, 3G, and 4G Internet protocols. Efforts are being made to expand into 5G as well.
2. Wi-Fi
This form of technology runs over a physical layer (PHY) link as it consists of a data link layer protocol. This protocol ensures that many users can be connected to a single network at one time. This type of network connection is mostly found in public places like airports, railways, restaurants, and more.
3. Pocket routers
A pocket router is a portable Wi-Fi hotspot. Just like its name suggests, these routers are very small and may even fit into your back pocket. These routers are also very reliable if you want to access high-speed Internet on-the-go.
Also Read: Internet.org aims to make the world more open and connected
All of the above modes of Internet access are available by different brands and at different prices in India. Some operators like Reliance Jio even offer attractive mobile data plans over its portable 4G hotspot known as the JioFi. These plans are much cheaper; thus, making it easier for the consumers to stay connected all the time on its blazing-fast Internet.
