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What is the Best WIFI Service in NC?

What is the Best WIFI Service in North Caronlina?

Which comes first: the chicken or the egg? In North Carolina and elsewhere the internet connection comes first. It's your connection to the World Wide Web. Wi-Fi distributes your internet connection to devices throughout your home. Without an internet connection you won’t need Wii-Fi but once you have an internet connection, you'll want WiFi to share the intentet signal with other enabled devices throughout your home.

Depending on where you live in North Carolina you can connect via traditional broadband cable, fiber optic, mobile fixed wireless 5G or 4GE, satellite internet, or DSL over phone lines. Fiber optic cable is the fastest internet possible and tends to be available in metropolitan areas for slightly more than other connection types.

A partial list of North Carolina internet providers appears below. Speeds are the maximum achievable on the plan but aren’t always guaranteed. Where a range is shown, the higher speed may be attached to a more expensive plan. Some providers require contracts. Data allocations can be unlimited or capped. Some providers quote plan rates that are part of a promotion. When the promotion ends rates can increase, sometimes dramatically. Check directly with providers to confirm service options at your address. Plan details can change. Rates exclude additional fees and taxes and may require autopay plus paperless billing.

Are Internet and Wi-Fi the Same?

No. "Internet Service" and "WiFi Service" are often used interchangeably, but they refer to different aspects of how we connect to and use the internet. Understanding the distinction is important for making informed decisions about your home or office network setup.

Internet Service

Internet service is provided by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and refers to the actual connection to the global network of computers known as the internet. This service can be delivered through various means, including broadband (like DSL, cable, or fiber optic), satellite, or cellular networks.

Function: The primary function of an internet service is to give you access to the internet. This means being able to browse websites, send emails, stream videos, download files, and more.

Connection Types: It can be wired (like DSL, cable, or fiber optic) where a physical line is connected to your home or office, or wireless (like satellite or cellular) where the connection is established via radio waves.

WiFi Service

WiFi, short for Wireless Fidelity, is a technology that allows devices to connect to a local network wirelessly using radio waves. It's a method of local networking that enables devices like smartphones, computers, smart TVs, and IoT devices to connect to the internet wirelessly when within range of a WiFi router or hotspot.

Function: The primary function of WiFi is to distribute the internet connection locally. A WiFi router or hotspot takes the internet connection from your ISP and broadcasts it wirelessly, allowing multiple devices to connect to the internet without needing a physical cable.

Dependency: WiFi itself doesn't provide internet access. It needs an underlying internet connection from an ISP. Without an active internet service, a WiFi network would only allow for local file sharing and device connectivity but not internet access.

In summary, internet service is your gateway to the global internet, provided by ISPs through various means. WiFi, on the other hand, is a local wireless networking technology that distributes this internet connection to devices within its range. You need an internet service to access the internet, and you use WiFi to spread this access wirelessly to various devices.