Fibre vs Wireless

What is the difference between fibre and wireless?

Fibre Internet

Fibre Internet is the wired choice of our present times. It has replaced traditional copper-based facilities such as ADSL and Ethernet over Copper. With high speeds and extremely reliable service, mainly due to the fact that fibre is not prone to theft.

Pros and Cons of Fibre Internet

Pro 1: Connection Quality

The top benefit of fibre optic Internet is the quality of your connection. Unlike other wired connections, and especially wireless, fibre’s signal barely degrades the further it moves from the source of the connection. For example, copper has a distance limitation that can’t even be addressed adequately with repeaters. At a certain distance, you simply run out of signal.

Additionally, fibre has a significantly higher resistance to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio-frequency interference (RFI), meaning the signal won’t be disturbed by things that carry an electrical signal, like power lines or your building’s physical infrastructure.

Since environmental factors have little effect on fibre, it can reach speeds anywhere from 10 Mbps to 100Gbps. This speed is unmatched by competing technologies.

Pro 2: Security

Another advantage for fibre is its ability to maintain a more secure network. With DDoS attacks on the rise, it’s essential to keep your business safe in any manner possible. The only way to disrupt fibre optic Internet is to cut a cable. If a fibre cable is compromised, the entire system is impacted due to a disrupted signal, allowing you to identify breaches more rapidly and react accordingly. This is as opposed to copper circuits which can be tapped, and data can be intercepted without you knowing it.

Since there are no signals radiated externally from the cable, it also makes it impossible for others to “listen in” on your transmission, further securing your network.

Pro 3: Scalability

Optical fibres are five times smaller and twenty times lighter than copper wires making them easier to install than other options. They also allow for easy upgrades of equipment since new cables can be laid over the original fibre. This makes it a great solution for growing businesses or those looking for network expansion.

Since fibre’s can be turned on or off as required, businesses can install fibre optic cables in preparation for future growth and route their service until it is required.

Pro 4: Overall Cost

While the initial cost may be higher, the overall cost of using fibre optic Internet is lower than other methods.

Fibre cables require less for maintenance costs as they’re resistant to corrosion, making their connection much more reliable. This makes them the leading option in areas where other wires may be exposed to elements and require replacement over time.

Con 1: Risk of Damage

While there are benefits of fibre optic cables being light and thin, they’re also at a higher risk to physical damage. If unprotected, it is significantly easier to damage these cables during rewiring or renovations to your infrastructure. It’s important to hire companies that understand how to work with fibre cables when installing as cables can be damaged, especially around corners.

With the higher risk of these cables being physically damaged, it also leads to the potential of more people being affected. Since more employees are using the same cable, an outage could lead to a larger disruption in productivity throughout your business.

Con 2: Initial Cost

With a substantially higher initial costs, compared to other traditional methods of connectivity.

Pros and Cons of Wireless Internet

Wireless is a non-contact (non-wired connection) in the air, this form of internet is fed from a tower. Most towers get internet from Fibre as (as explained above or other wireless towers) and the cycle continues.

Pro 1: Initial Cost

Wireless networks offer a solution to fibre-optic’s high initial cost in places where fibre is not already built out. Much of the installation fees are diminished as wireless networks do not require as extensive an operation as fibre. For a short-term fix, wireless could be the best option for your company. You would only need an antenna and network access that the antenna connects to.

Pro 2: Quick Installation

With wireless Internet connectivity, it is possible to setup a connection in a day, if antenna is available. There is no digging required and no reliance on a third party such as the phone company or a fibre carrier.

Con 1: Signal Strength

One of the largest issues with wireless Internet is that signal strength degrades the further you move from a broadcast station. Fibre optics mitigate this through a wired network, but wireless, even at its best, isn’t able to provide the same high speeds to your company.

Con 2: Security

Maintaining security with wireless networks is far more demanding than with a fibre optic network. Where a fibre optic cable must be cut for access, anyone with the right skills can access a wireless network. There are also limited ways for them to be tracked. It’s harder to crack when using licensed spectrum, but with wi-fi, security risks may result in use just for general use transmission rather than data that really should be protected from compromise.

If maintaining a secure network is of extreme importance to your business, using wireless Internet connectivity, especially unlicensed spectrum, may not be the right choice for you.

Deciding Factors to get fibre or not.

1. Reliability of Fibre vs. wireless

Fibre is hands down the most reliable method of connecting to the internet, not only vs. wireless, but across all methods of internet connection. This is because fibre-optic cables are not susceptible to interference, and they are not worth being stolen, so there is no need to worry about downtime due to theft.

2. VOIP

Fibre has an added benefit of being able to run handle VOIP (your phones for your business) . This Opportunity to run your VOIP over your fibre is due to the reliability and the quality of the fibre.

3. Availability of Fibre

Considering the reliability, speed, and consistency of fibre the big factor to take into consideration is wether or not there is fibre or not?

Ultimately Fibre is your businesses best friend, for any companies that are interested to know more about fibre we would be more than happy to help and you can mail us at sales@crispfibre.co.za