Home » What Is Fixed Wireless Internet? A Comprehensive Guide to Different Types of Business Internet
If you’re a business owner, you’re always looking for ways to optimize and improve your business. When it comes to your internet connection, it can be difficult to parse the different technologies and what’s best for your business. While many people think fiber is the end-all be-all all solution for professional internet, the truth is a little more complicated than that.
Other highly reliable internet solutions like fixed wireless internet can provide similar benefits to fiber. Many internet technologies have their pros and cons, and it’s important to have a solution that fits your business needs.
With all of these different options available, you may be wondering, “What type of internet connection is best for my business?” Let’s dive into what sets these technologies apart and what might be the best option for you.
Fixed wireless internet is internet from dedicated towers and buildings – or “fixed” points of presence (PoPs) delivered by microwave technology. This microwave technology allows you a dedicated direct connection to your internet provider. This means your service isn’t impacted by your neighbor’s usage like other services.
A signal from a local tower or building within a ten-mile radius will travel to receivers located at nearby homes and buildings. The signal will travel from the antenna through a cable to a modem, at which point devices can be connected via WiFi or ethernet.
You may be wondering, “How does fixed wireless internet compare to different types of internet connections?” Keep reading to learn how fixed wireless squares up to types of broadband internet and other technology.
Chances are if you’ve heard of fixed wireless internet, you’ve heard it used interchangeably with “wireless home internet” or 4G and 5G fixed wireless access. While fixed wireless and wireless home internet share some similarities, such as both relying on signals from local towers, they are not one in the same.
The most notable difference between these two internet options is the method in which the internet signal gets into your home. With fixed wireless internet, a receiver is installed on or near your home to receive the internet from your provider. These receivers require professional installation and hardware that can create overhead costs.
However, the speeds available with fixed wireless are higher and dedicated. A dedicated internet solution means you don’t share your connection with your neighbors. This results in higher speeds and improved reliability.
With wireless home internet, your connection is delivered through 4G or 5G cellular towers. This can result in data caps that don’t exist with fixed wireless.
EarthLink’s Wireless Home Internet requires no professional installation, instead relying on a modem that you can plug in, set up on your own, and start surfing quickly. Wireless home internet is a wireless internet connection without cable. The modem, rather than a receiver, broadcasts internet throughout your home via WiFi.
Satellite internet is internet received from a satellite orbiting around the Earth. A satellite dish installed on or near a residence will beam up to a satellite in the atmosphere. The satellite will then send a signal to an internet service provider’s Network Operations Center, where it will connect to the internet.
The signal then travels all the way back to the dish on the home or business to a modem, where the internet can be accessed via WiFi or ethernet.
When we talk about fixed wireless and satellite internet, the biggest difference is the distribution points (think where the internet signal is coming from) and the distance between the distribution point from the access point (how the signal gets to your home).
For satellite internet, the distribution point is a satellite orbiting the Earth, and the access point is the satellite dish on your home. The distance between the two is roughly 22,000 miles.
For fixed wireless, the signal is localized; The distribution point is a nearby point of presence, most likely within 10 miles of your home.
This distance can impact several aspects of your internet connection. Most notably, there’s a difference in latency between satellite and fixed internet – or how long it takes data to travel from the transmission point (where the signal originated) to the distribution point to the access point.
Satellite internet is notorious for high latency, which causes lags or delays in connection. This will dampen your streaming, video-calling and online gaming experience. Even with low-orbit satellite internet, the signal will have to travel farther than if you were using fixed wireless. With fixed wireless internet, you have low latency more like a fiber connection than other forms of wireless internet.
Satellite connections are also highly influenced by weather. Severe storms, strong winds and even high humidity can disrupt your internet. You’ll have to wait for conditions to improve before the connection will resume as normal. Fixed wireless on the other hand, is largely unaffected by weather.
Cable internet is a broadband internet solution that uses the same copper cable infrastructure as cable TV. Cable is a frequent primary internet solution especially in areas that have low fiber density. This is because cable lacks the low latency and high-end speeds available through a solution like fiber or fixed wireless.
Fiber internet is largely believed to be the fastest and most reliable form of internet connection. Fiber gives businesses high-speed internet with low latency. Some types of fiber offer a dedicated fiber solution to your business where your speeds aren’t impacted by your neighbors.
However, many providers use a shared service that is a mix of fiber and broadband solutions like cable. These solutions have the potential to be impacted by peak usage times.
In many ways, fixed wireless and fiber are similar when it comes to end results for businesses. Both solutions offer low latency and high speeds. The main differences are how long it takes you to get service, and the potential for service outages.
Fiber is a service that is limited to a current network structure. If your building doesn’t already have fiber, it could take 6 months or more for a company to build out fiber to your location. Even when fiber is available in your area, you can still wait for months for a provider to get service to you.
Fixed wireless doesn’t have these restrictions. So long as you’re within 10 miles of a PoP, you have the potential to get high-speed fixed wireless internet. EarthLink Business can provide fixed wireless internet service to a business in as little as two weeks. This significantly reduces the amount of time you need compared to fiber.
You might be asking yourself this question if you’re comparing the many modes of connection, but the answer all depends on you and your circumstances. There are several factors to take account of when you’re comparing fixed wireless vs. other internet solutions.
First, consider your location. While all these solutions are available in many locations, your local environment can determine which option will serve you better.
What types of internet connections do local ISPs offer you? This can determine what options you have. EarthLink is one of the largest providers of internet in the continental United States. Check your availability and see what internet options we can offer you.
Next, consider your business internet habits. Are you uploading and downloading a lot of information? You may need something like fixed wireless or fiber. Are you just running a point-of-sale machine and a computer in the back? Maybe a 4G LTE or business broadband solution is better for your business.
Understanding your business needs is an important first step to understanding your internet needs. If those two sets of needs aren’t inline, you may need to make an internet change!
Looking for a wireless business internet provider in your area? Ready to get started with fixed wireless internet service? EarthLink will connect you to what matters most.
Call 855-768-4219.
980 Hammond Drive, Ste 400
Atlanta, GA 30328