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Home Internet, Simplified: Here's Everything You Need to Know (but Were Too Afraid to Ask)

The best internet connection is one you don't ever notice, and while we use the internet for everything these days, most of us don't know the first thing about our internet plan beyond the bill. As broadband experts, we've come a long way in terms of reading broadband nutrition labels, deciphering ISP-marketing jargon and learning how to boost our own home networks. In this article, we'll give you the rundown on how your internet works and how to pick the best possible plan. But if you take awa

Internet Archive is now an official US government document library

The US Senate has granted the Internet Archive federal depository status, making it officially part of an 1,100-library network that gives the public access to government documents, KQED reported. The designation was made official in a letter from California Senator Alex Padilla to the Government Publishing Office that oversees the network. "The Archive's digital-first approach makes it the perfect fit for a modern federal depository library, expanding access to federal government publications a

You Can Now Get Starlink for Just $15 a Month in New York, but There Are Still Some Hurdles

Starlink has brought high-speed internet to millions of rural Americans for the first time. It’s also one of the most expensive internet service providers in the country. So, how is it available in New York for just $15 a month? If Starlink wants to sell internet in the state, it has no choice. That’s thanks to the Affordable Broadband Act, a New York state law passed in January. However, customers will still have to pay $349 upfront for Starlink's equipment kit. That might be an insurmountable

Inter-Planetary Network Special Interest Group

IPNSIG was founded in 1998 by Vint Cerf and researchers within academia and NASA/JPL. We are now a full Chapter within the Internet Society, known as the Interplanetary Chapter. We work to extend terrestrial networking into solar system space, which is consistent with the Internet Society’s objectives to grow the internet to unpopulated areas, and connect the unconnected domain—and to ensure that even in space, “The Internet is for Everyone”.

I've Used T-Mobile 5G Home Internet for Years: Here's What I Love and a Few Things I Can't Stand

Albuquerque, New Mexico: home of flavorful green chiles, 300 days of sparkling sunshine, the premier International Balloon Fiesta... and achingly slow internet. Of the top 100 cities in the US, Albuquerque ranks in the bottom quarter, according to data from Ookla. (Disclaimer: Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, the same company that owns CNET.) Home internet was a two-horse race in Albuquerque for years: CenturyLink DSL and Xfinity cable. I spent decades on DSL, watching my internet speed tests march

I Tried Orb, a New Internet Speed Test. It Might Be the Best I've Ever Used

Internet speed tests aren't just for people who obsess over their internet speeds. When my friends or parents are experiencing an inevitable home internet slowdown, I recommend always starting with a speed test. I've tested and used dozens of internet speed tests. The market is pretty saturated with them. Ideally, the best internet speed test diagnoses your bandwidth blues as simply as possible -- no ads, no extra features you can't make sense of, and no slowing down your Wi-Fi. Speed tests are

New Speed Test Results Reveal AT&T Fiber as the Fastest Internet Provider in the US

There's been a lot of talk about internet speed lately. From various company taglines -- "Don't take slow for an answer" -- to the latest news about Japan's internet data transmission record, it's all about the speed. Today, Ookla released its Speedtest Connectivity Report for the first six months of 2025, and AT&T Fiber topped the list as the country's fastest fixed internet service provider. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) What does that mean? Does it tell us

Broadband Deserts and Reproductive Care: The Devastating Impact on Health Resources

We don’t often think about the internet as being good for our health. In fact, “internet” and “health” are primarily related in a negative context in online spaces -- we’re getting too much screen time, we’re “chronically” online, etc. It may come as a surprise, but access to the internet is commonly recognized as a "super" determinant of health. Limited internet access has been linked to high mortality rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, and having the internet in easy reach means we can stay

Japan Just Broke the Internet Speed Record. How Fast Is It? You Could Download all of Netflix in Under a Minute

What if you could download Netflix’s entire library in under a second? How about every English language page on Wikipedia (including all revisions) five times over? That’s the dream scientists at Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology have made a reality, achieving a world record in data transmission speed of 1.02 Petabits per second over 1,123 miles -- roughly the distance between Miami and Cleveland. To put that in perspective, we usually measure internet spe

Blip: Peer-to-peer massive file sharing

Really fast. Blip’s fast relay supports multi-gigabit speeds, even over long distances where other services slow down. Because there are no separate “upload” and “download” steps, sending with Blip can be at least twice as fast as many other services. The recipient will start receiving right away rather than having to wait for you to finish uploading. Now, Blip might seem like magic, but it can’t break the laws of physics! Performance will be affected by the upload speed of the sender’s intern

Blip: Peer-to-Peer Massive File Sharing by Former Dropbox Engineers

Really fast. Blip’s fast relay supports multi-gigabit speeds, even over long distances where other services slow down. Because there are no separate “upload” and “download” steps, sending with Blip can be at least twice as fast as many other services. The recipient will start receiving right away rather than having to wait for you to finish uploading. Now, Blip might seem like magic, but it can’t break the laws of physics! Performance will be affected by the upload speed of the sender’s intern

Want a Fiber Internet Connection? Read This First

We write a lot about fiber internet at CNET. It's often touted as the "gold standard" of broadband by policymakers, experts and internet users alike. The Fiber Broadband Association estimates that a little over 76 million homes have made the switch to a fiber internet connection, representing a growth of 13% in the past year. If you've ever struggled with slow speeds or outages while using cable, 5G, satellite or (God forbid) DSL internet, you've probably considered switching internet providers

DOCSIS 3.0 vs. 3.1 vs. 4.0: How Are They Different?

If you have cable internet, then you're using DOCSIS technology. DOCSIS stands for Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications, and it's a standard that defines how your modem relays cable internet signals to and from your home. If you have cable internet from Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity or a regional cable internet provider like Armstrong, you're using a DOCSIS-compliant modem. The DOCSIS 4.0 cable modem is ideal since it produces faster upload speeds. But while specifications for DOCSIS 4.0 h

AT&T Promo Code: Get a Gift Card Worth Up to $200

Major wireless carriers: A necessary evil if you travel a lot, have a family, or are just interested in coverage that’s reliably consistent and widespread. AT&T is the third-largest provider in the US (first for 5G), with the largest coverage map. I’ve had various AT&T plans for more than a decade, first for just myself and now for my whole family, even though I only get one cell bar at my house and have to stand in one 5-square-foot patch of yard to make a phone call. And have lost entire days

FCC to eliminate gigabit speed goal and scrap analysis of broadband prices

Kevin Hanson said: You can live anywhere and get broadband via Starlink for like $100 / month. It's expensive so there's an affordability gap, but there's no longer a connectivity gap based on geolocation. You can live most places and get 5G to the home. Companies are charging $30, $40, $50ish a month for internet services that is going to be more than reasonable for most families. Meanwhile, Amazon is launching satellites in space to compete with Starlink. Meanwhile, fiber continues to roll

Best Prepaid Home Internet Plans for July 2025

Our picks 90001 Edit ZIP code Why we chose these providers Sort by Best prepaid home internet plan 100-200 Mbps $30 - $45 per month Check with NOW Internet Provider not available in 90001 Edit ZIP code Or call to learn more: (866) 671-3650 Best prepaid internet plan for Cox customers 100 Mbps $50 per month Check with CoxStraightUp Internet Provider not available in 90001 Edit ZIP code Or call to learn more: (844) 812-6251 Best 5G prepaid home internet for rural areas 87 - 415 Mbps $50 - $70 per

Starlink Got Faster In the Past Two Years. It's Still Not Regularly Meeting Broadband Speeds

Starlink is nearly twice as fast as it was two years ago, according to a new report from the speed test site Ookla. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Median download speeds from the satellite internet provider have steadily ticked up over the past few years, going from 53.95 megabits per second in 2022 to 104.71Mbps today. That’s an impressive feat considering Starlink added about 5 million customers over the same period and recently passed the 6 milli

Best Internet Providers in Kansas City, Missouri

What's the best internet provider in Kansas City? Kansas City is known for its many nicknames, including the City of Fountains and Paris of the Plains. But it's also known for its fast, reliable internet. It easily makes the city a standout for anyone looking to move into the area -- particularly if you're thinking of working remotely or have a large family that relies on great internet for entertainment purposes. With that in mind, after thoroughly testing what's available, Google Fiber is CNE

Best Internet Providers in Gilbert, Arizona

What is the best internet provider in Gilbert, Arizona? CNET recommends Cox as the best internet provider in Gilbert, thanks to its fast speeds and broad coverage. Its service also includes equipment costs in the monthly fee and comes with competitive introductory prices that provide solid value, though prices typically go up after two years. It also offers the fastest speeds in the area, reaching up to 2,000Mbps. If you want the cheapest internet in the area, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is the

I Get 5G on My Phone at Home, So Why Can't I Get 5G Home Internet? Here's What I Learned

If you can get 5G on your phone while at home, you should be able to get 5G internet at your house, right? Not exactly. 5G is no longer the shiny new thing, thanks to efforts from major carriers AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, but 5G home internet service isn't strictly available at the same addresses as 5G cellular service. I ran into this when I switched my mobile carrier from AT&T cellular service to T-Mobile phone service. I was immediately impressed with the phone's 5G performance. However, ev

There's an Online Community That Believes the Internet Died in 2016. Here's How AI Fits Into the Picture

It's no surprise that the rise of artificial intelligence is sparking debates among experts. Moreover, whether you use ChatGPT or Google Gemini, generative AI is increasingly being integrated into our daily lives. It's only fair to ask: Could AI take over the internet? Some members of the online community reckon it already has. This old online theory is on the rise again, and it all has to do with Shrimp Jesus. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET's parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against Open

Best Internet Providers in Seattle, Washington

What is the best internet provider in Seattle? CNET recommends Quantum Fiber as the best internet provider in Seattle. The fiber provider offers fast, symmetrical speeds, unlimited data and affordable plans starting at $50 for 500Mbps. Power users that need more data can opt for a 2Gbps plan at $95. If Quantum isn’t available at your address, Astound Broadband, T-Mobile and Xfinity are solid alternatives. If you're looking for the cheapest internet in Seattle, Ziply Fiber and Astound offer pla

Best Internet Providers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

AT&T and Spectrum are CNET's top picks when it comes to the best internet providers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. AT&T Fiber is our top pick, offering faster download and upload speeds over a fiber connection, with plans ranging from $55 to $245 a month. It delivers all that at a price comparable to Spectrum -- our second choice for Milwaukee residents. If you're a heavy internet user, whether it's for working from home, just browsing or keeping your kids entertained -- Milwaukee has several solid o

Best Internet Providers in Charleston, South Carolina

What is the best internet provider in Charleston? CNET's top choice for internet providers in Charleston is AT&T Fiber. With plans starting at $55 a month and fast speeds, reliable service, it's a no brainer. But even if AT&T Fiber isn’t in your neighborhood, you’ve still got great alternatives. This includes Home Telecom and options from Xfinity and Spectrum. Prefer wireless? T-Mobile and Verizon both offer dependable 5G home internet across the city. Charleston stands out for its broadband a

Low-Income Internet Guide for All 50 States

A recent CNET survey found that 63% of Americans paid more for home internet last year than the previous year. In addition, the Affordable Connectivity Program came to a halt in 2024, leaving 23 million households without a suitable alternative to low-income internet accessibility. Many households were in rural areas with limited internet options, and nearly half were military families. In the wake of the loss of the ACP, many internet service providers, including CenturyLink, Google Fiber and

Best Internet Providers in Columbia, South Carolina

What's the best internet provider in Columbia? CNET’s top pick for the best internet in Columbia, South Carolina is AT&T Fiber. The fiber provider took the top spot thanks to its fast speeds, reliable performance and great value. Plans start at $55 per month and go up to $245 for the 2-gig plan. If AT&T Fiber isn't available in your area or you're just looking to explore more options, there are other providers to consider. Whether you’re streaming, gaming or working from home, the best interne

‘Eddington’ Director Ari Aster Couldn’t Stand ‘Living in the Internet.’ So He Made a Movie About It

Like a lot of us, Ari Aster spent the summer of 2020 trapped inside and scrolling on social media. Also like a lot of us, the experience left him feeling pretty bad. “I was living on Twitter,” Aster tells WIRED, “and it was really agitating me.” But unlike most people, the director of Hereditary, Midsommar, and Beau is Afraid wasn’t just doomscrolling on Twitter to pass the time. He was doing research. That summer, Aster wrote the script for his latest film, Eddington, a modern western set in

Americans Are Paying $78 Monthly for Internet on Average: Here’s What to Do if Your Bill Is Too High.

If you've been with the same internet provider for a while, it probably seems like it gets more expensive by the year. That's not wrong: 63% of adults are paying $195 more on average for internet than they did last year, and high prices are the no. 1 reason people choose not to have a home internet connection at all. I analyzed over 150 plans from the country's biggest internet providers to figure out what the typical cost of internet is in the US, and I found that the median price is $63 per m

Best Internet Providers in Chandler, Arizona

What is the best internet provider in Chandler? After much research and testing, Cox comes out as the top pick for the best internet service provider for most households in Chandler. Despite not being the fastest ISP in the area, Cox still offers plenty of speed and stands head and shoulders above its fellow ISPs with its wide coverage area. Plans start at $50 a month and go up to $140 per month for the 2-gig plan. For affordable plans, consider Verizon 5G Home Internet. It offers three plans i

Best Internet Providers in Cary, North Carolina

What is the best internet provider in Cary? CNET recommends AT&T Fiber as the best internet provider in Cary. It offers reliable service with plans that suit most households and includes unlimited data and equipment at no extra cost. If speed is your priority, Google Fiber is one of the fastest options in Cary, with plans from 1,000Mbps to 8,000Mbps. It’s also known for excellent customer service, earning top marks from J.D. Power in the South region. But if you don’t need gigabit speeds, ther