How Does Broadband Work
By: Cheryl Bowman
So, how does broadband work? Broadband uses cables to transmit data at high speeds. Unlike dial-up, a broadband internet connection is always on. Depending on the service and type of broadband, it is 10 to 100 times faster than a 56kbps modem.
Why Is Broadband Networking Faster?
Think of your phone line as a single-lane road. Data can travel on this road back and forth, only so much at a time, because of the space available. Just like a single-lane road, all of the cars must stay in a single line.
There are a few different types of broadband that open up the road to varying degrees. ADSL uses your phone lines (that single-lane road) to transmit data, except ADSL divides the single lane road into many lanes, so that more data can travel back and forth. The phone line is divided out so that voice travels over one set of lanes, while data uses different frequencies to travel on other lanes. This allows even more information to be sent back and forth, thereby increasing the speed.
How Does Broadband Work
Cable modems use coaxial cables, the same cables that bring picture and sound to your television set. If your phone line is a single-lane road, coaxial is a 10-lane superhighway. Add fiber optic lines to the mix, and you've got even more capacity. Cable broadband provides speeds of up to 1.5Mbps, sometimes more, depending on the provider, the quality of the coaxial cables and the type of modem. If you like to stream video to your computer or you frequently download large files, you'll see a big speed increase when you use a cable modem. Determining the answers to the question, how does broadband work, means knowing the different types of Broadband.
Wireless Broadband
Wireless broadband does not use any type of cables. Data is transmitted via radio links between your computer and the service provider's facility. This technology uses long-range directional equipment to provide data streams, enabling the user to connect to the Internet. Wireless broadband typically uses an external antenna. It's good for areas where it would be cost-prohibitive to install cables or other wires for broadband. Wireless broadband has virtually no bandwidth restrictions; it's like an endlessly wide highway in both directions. However, radio signals don't travel as quickly as light and they're susceptible to many kinds of interference.
Satellite Broadband
Satellite is the other type of broadband. Satellites are used primarily for television service and they operate on a limited number of frequencies. Speeds range from 500Kbps to 80Kbps, and are slower than DSL and cable modem.
Like wireless broadband, a satellite broadband network sends signals through radio waves. These are transmitted from your satellite dish into space and then back to a receiving station. The sheer distance involved is part of the reason satellite is slower. Speeds for satellite broadband can also vary depending on where the satellite is in its orbit, weather conditions and the line of sight between your dish and the satellite. Satellite is most useful if you're constantly on the road or if you're in an area that's too remote to receive wireless broadband signals.
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