Fiber optic internet is a data connection carried by a cable filled with thin glass or plastic fibers. Data travels through them as beams of light pulsed in a pattern. Fiber optic internet speeds are about 20 times faster than regular cable at 1 Gbps.

Fiber is fast. While DSL uses copper phone lines to transmit data, fiber uses ultra-thin glass strands that carry light instead of electricity. Since light can travel very quickly through the fiber-optic cables, fiber connection can see gigabit speeds 100x faster than DSL.

Fiber networks require an optical network terminal or ONT. It’s a box where the fiber connection enters your home, powering your Wi-Fi network. It’s installed either inside or outside your home. Check outside walls, garage, basement, and closets. If you locate an ONT, it may be outdated, and you’ll still need a technician to install and bring the Ethernet cable and proper router to your home.

If your ISP doesn’t require a technician to set up your connection, these are the steps to self-install fiber internet:

1. Locate your fiber network terminal.
2. Connect the fiber terminal to the network box.
3. Plug in your network box.
4. Connect your device to the network box.
5. Set up your home Wi-Fi network.

Overall, fiber’s design is simply better for data transmission over long distances than cable’s electrical signals. Fiber cables can also carry much more bandwidth than similarly sized copper cables and are immune to interference because there are no electrical signals in use.

Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Fiber internet is much faster and much more reliable than DSL internet. In some cases, it’s cheaper than DSL too, making fiber the obvious winner if you had to choose between these two connection types.