Finding the Best Backup Internet for Your Home

Table of Contents

• Why Do I Need a Backup Internet Connection?
• Understanding Your Backup Internet Options
• Backup Internet for Work-From-Home
• Conclusion

Ever wish you had a second path to getting online? Whether it’s your roommates sitting in a work conference at the same time you’re trying to lead a meeting, your kids playing video games while you’re trying to stream a movie, or just a loss of internet while the provider repairs the lines, we’ve all been there.

And if you haven’t planned out how to stay online, like downloading files ahead of time, you can quickly become frustrated waiting for videos to buffer and sites to load.

But fear not — with an internet backup device, you can basically have a generator for your wired internet. That’s right, we said it: a generator model for your internet connection.

Making the Case for Home Backup Internet Connections

Wondering why you’d want to pay another monthly bill for internet service when you… already have internet service? Great question!

Just like you can use an ethernet cable to hardwire into your networks if the WiFi is acting spotty, you can use a wireless internet backup to boost your internet connection. A backup internet connection is especially helpful if you have a larger or data-loving household. Using many data-heavy activities at once slows everyone down. For example, if one person collaborates on large files while another streams a movie, it can cause delays.

Using a backup internet device during those high-traffic times takes some of the pressure off your network. This allows everything to work more smoothly. If you’re in the middle of an important call or interview and want to have a signal without interruption

One thing to keep in mind is that wireless home internet does have a data plan, or a limited amount of data you can use every month. So, if you have fiber internet at your house, this plan works best as a true backup.

Bonus: if you’ve got a second home or are moving, you can use a wireless internet backup to stay online. Cue up that cleaning playlist and enjoy high-speed internet without waiting for a professional to roll up the driveway.

Understanding Your Backup Internet Options

There’s a lot to consider when looking for a backup internet connection for your home. You may want to consider your backup internet’s price, reliability, or ease of access. Below we cover a few of your options to find the best backup internet for your home.

Wireless Home Internet for Backup

Cellular backup internet, also known as wireless home internet, is a dependable option for folks living in rural areas who want great internet service. This system uses nearby cell phone towers instead of a wired connection.

It provides 4G backup internet in your home. Plus, the signal is local, so it’s more reliable and has less lag time than satellite internet. With speeds up to 100 Mbps, wireless home internet is also faster than DSL.

It functions similarly to a mobile hotspot: it uses cell towers and requires a monthly data plan. But it can also support way more devices (think: dozens instead of a handful) and won’t burn through your phone’s battery. And with speeds up to 100 Mbps, 4G backup internet is three times faster than your phone.

A wireless internet backup is the best of both worlds between wired and wireless internet. And we’ve got you covered if you still have questions about wireless home internet.

Using Mobile Hotspots as a Backup

A mobile hotspot can be your emergency internet backup device when all other options fail. Using your smartphone’s cellular connection, you can connect your devices to the internet. When using your cellphone as an internet backup device it’s important to keep in mind what you’re using it for, and your data plans.

Some data plans may put limits on your hotspot, and you could experience slowing of your speeds or expensive charges. Unless you’re using it for a short amount of time, it’s best to use a mobile hotspot as a last resort.

Fixed Wireless for Home Internet Backup

Fixed wireless is a dedicated internet service for home and business. Fixed wireless offers a reliable wireless internet backup with high-speeds and low latency. This puts fixed wireless ahead of many home internet backup options in terms of performance and reliability. However, for many consumers fixed wireless may be too expensive for a backup internet service.

Fixed wireless also requires professional installation at your home. So, if you’re looking for an affordable plug and play solution, this may not be the best backup internet for your home.

Satellite Internet as a Backup

Satellite internet is a preferred internet option for many rural areas that don’t have large fiber networks. Satellite internet can give you internet access from almost anywhere in the world using a dish that receives internet service from satellites in orbit.

While satellite internet is available almost everywhere, there are some key drawbacks to consider. Satellite is a high latency backup internet solution. This means it may not perform well for things like video calls and playing online video games. It also is impacted heavily by weather so if you live in a rainy area, it may not work well for you.

Backup Internet for Work-From-Home

If you work from home, a secondary internet connection could be even more important for you. Picture this: your cable internet plan works just fine most of the time. But during the after-work rush, it slows down because the folks who live in the places around you are all home and streaming TV.

There are several factors to consider when setting up backup internet for work-from-home. The first thing to consider is path diversity. If you get two cable services from the same provider, you will still experience the same slowdowns. To avoid this, consider using two different providers or two different types of service. For example, if you have a fiber connection, try using fixed wireless as a backup. Or, if you currently have cable, maybe try satellite as a backup.

Another factor to consider is the reliability of your backup internet service. If you do a job that requires large data transfers or streaming video a high latency service like satellite may not be the right fit for your work-from-home backup internet service.

Don’t let an internet outage halt your work. With other options available, like wireless home internet, fixed wireless, and satellite internet, you can simply switch network connections and keep business moving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is cellular backup internet?

Cellular backup internet is an internet service that provides internet access to your home through 4G LTE/5G cellular service.

Can you use cellular failover internet during a power outage?

Because cellular failover internet relies on cell towers, if your phone has a signal, your device does, too. So just because your wired internet plan is down, your wireless home internet plan can still work.

One caveat? It does need electricity to work. In other words, you’d need a generator or an uninterruptible power supply for your internet network to work if all the power was out.

Why do I need a home backup internet connection?

A backup internet connection is helpful for a variety of reasons. It can provide a second internet connection to use if your home uses a lot of data streaming or transferring large amounts of data. It can also act as a failover solution if your primary fiber or cable service goes out.

Conclusion

Just like you grab some bottled water when you’re expecting a storm or keep a frozen pizza on hand for nights when you just don’t want to cook, you deserve a back-up plan for your internet connection, too. EarthLink Wireless Home Internet offers a variety of plans, so there’s something to fit your needs. Plus, it’s easy to install and doesn’t require expensive equipment fees. Get started by calling us today at 866-618-0264.