Best Internet for Apartments

Living in an apartment or condominium can make it trickier to make sure you can get the fast, reliable internet you need. Here’s how to make sure you’re able to get a good connection in your apartment, and how to switch providers if you need to.

How do I get internet for my apartment? Is it included, or do I need to find a provider myself?

This really varies among different apartment and condo complexes. In many cases, the owner of the property will provide internet as part of the cost of your rental, or as part of your utilities costs. 

If this is the case, you may be kind of “stuck” with whatever provider and type of connection your complex provides. Switching to a different provider can be tricky, especially if it’s a totally different type of internet connection. 

If you do want to switch, you may need permission from the building’s owner. Overall, home 5G internet – which uses the same 5G network as mobile phones, but is set up as its own separate home internet connection option – is probably the easiest to set up without needing intervention or approval, since it’s entirely wireless. 

Getting WiFi in your apartment or condo

Whatever ISP and type of connection you have, you’ll need a router if you want WiFi. If your apartment or condo has fiber through Fidium, this is already provided by default. (Though if you need something high end, check out our post on the best WiFi routers for fiber for some suggestions.)

What kind of internet service is common in apartment or condo complexes?

There are several different types of internet connection available, with different speeds and features, each based on a different kind of underlying infrastructure. You may find any of these in apartment complexes.

Fiber optic internet

Fiber internet is relatively new, and hasn’t yet expanded to all of the US and Canada. However, access is quickly expanding geographically, and in areas where fiber is available, it offers the fastest speeds and best degree of overall reliability – without being significantly more expensive than other options. 

You’ll also get the same fast speeds for uploads as you do for downloads, which isn’t true of other means of accessing the web. 

Cable internet

Cable is by far the most common type of internet connection in the US. This option uses the same infrastructure as cable TV, so its availability is very widespread, with an estimated 88% coverage nationwide.

While cable’s speeds can’t match what fiber can provide, it’s still one of the better options when it comes to speed, outpacing DSL by a good bit. Speeds generally vary with which cable package you select from your local ISP, but you can find cable internet with solid speeds of 100-200 Mbps.

DSL

DSL internet is transmitted through telephone landlines, though it isn’t the same as old-school dialup. With speeds usually ranging from 45-100 Mbps, it’s not as fast as cable, and the latter has largely supplanted it as the most common type of broadband connection.

In some areas, particularly those which are relatively rural, DSL could potentially be your only suitable option. It’s generally okay for most everyday personal internet use, although you could run into issues with HD video streaming at times.

Satellite internet

Satellite internet isn’t particularly common, and is mostly used in underserved rural areas that don’t yet have the infrastructure for cable or fiber internet. It’s known for being quite slow, yet relatively expensive compared to other options. 

Satellite internet is generally a last resort that you’ll want to avoid if possible.

5G home internet

5G home internet is a newcomer to the internet service landscape, even more so than fiber. You may be familiar with its infrastructure from your cell phone, which probably uses 5G for its data connection.

5G stands for “fifth generation,” as it’s the successor to 4G LTE, the previous iteration of cell phone data coverage. 

Don’t get 5G home internet mixed up with simply using your cell phone’s hotspot for access on other devices. It’s actually its own separate service, available in some areas through providers like Verizon. It works similarly to cable, with a key difference being that 5G’s infrastructure is entirely wireless. 

With typical speeds of 100-300 Mbps, 5G tends to run a bit faster than cable internet. Since it’s entirely wireless, it’s fairly easy to switch over in an apartment without needing to talk to the landlord.

What’s my best option for internet in my apartment?

If it’s available in your area, fiber optic internet is far and away the best option. You’ll get faster speeds, upload speeds that match the download speeds, and excellent reliability without having to worry about slowing or outages.

Choosing the right internet plan for your apartment

Internet providers of all kinds offer a selection of different home internet service packages. The right choice for yourself will depend on your internet usage and needs; your budget; and what’s available in your area.

If you do a lot of HD streaming, online gaming, and other data-heavy activities, you’ll probably want to spring for a better package with higher speeds. This can also apply if your household tends to have a bunch of people using the internet all at the same time – several roommates gaming or watching Netflix can add up and slow down your connection if you have cable internet.

Fiber is generally the best option if it’s available in your area. Despite its much higher speeds and other benefits over cable connections, the difference in price between the two tends to be pretty negligible.

You can check out Fidium@Home’s internet plans and price points here.

The verdict on the best internet for apartments? Fiber optic wins again.

Between its fast speeds, great reliability, and affordable pricing, fiber optic internet from Fidium is a top tier choice for apartment residents if it’s available near you.

Ready to make the switch? Click here to find out if Fidium@Home is available near you!