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6 days ago | 
cnet.com | Cierra Noffke
You don't need to be a genius to pick out a good internet plan, but you do have to do a little research. Important information is often buried in the terms of service beneath marketing and industry-speak. I've spent hours reading through internet service provider offerings -- and the customer service reviews about those offerings. It's boring, but the key to getting a decent internet deal -- one that saves you money and comes with enough speed -- is reading the fine print.
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1 week ago | 
cnet.com | Cierra Noffke
If there's anything I've learned about internet in the past year I've been reviewing internet providers, it's that fast speeds are actually not the most important part of a good internet plan. Most of us won't be able to tell the difference between 400Mbps and 1,000Mbps. What we do pick up on, however, is latency or lag. When it comes to working remotely, low latency is key to getting through the day without interruption.
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1 week ago | 
cnet.com | Cierra Noffke
Internet speed tests aren't just for people who obsess over their internet connection. If you're having an inevitable home internet slowdown, my first recommendation is always to start with a speed test. In fact, I’ve tested and used dozens of internet speed tests -- the market is pretty saturated with them.
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1 week ago | 
cnet.com | Ry Crist |Cierra Noffke
US households pay a monthly median of $63 for internet, and that doesn't include the extra fees you get charged for equipment or maintenance. Not to forget, this cost only goes up over time because of price hikes, according to a CNET survey. One easy way to save on your monthly internet bill is to buy your own internet equipment instead of renting it from your provider.
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1 week ago | 
cnet.com | Cierra Noffke
It's not cheap to get high-speed internet, so if you're paying top dollar for top speeds, you should ensure you're getting your money's worth. Although the advertised speeds may be coming into your home from your internet service provider, there could be other factors slowing your connection. Before upgrading to the next speed tier or buying a new router, let's go back to the basics.
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1 week ago | 
cnet.com | Cierra Noffke |Trisha Jandoc
Slow internet can disrupt your workday, your gaming and even your doctor's appointments. Maybe you've noticed a dip in your upload and download speeds. While there are many reasons for a lagging Wi-Fi connection -- and some quick fixes you can try -- there's also a real possibility that your slow speeds are out of your control. Although technically illegal, your ISP could be intentionally throttling your internet connection. TL;DR: If you suspect this is happening to you, get a good VPN.
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2 weeks ago | 
cnet.com | Cierra Noffke
Diagnosing the environmental sustainability of the internet might seem, at first, like trying to figure out where the molecules of water in your morning cup of coffee originated. Water is constantly evolving, cycling through our environments and often carrying the secrets of the places it last passed through. The internet, in all its complexity, appears to operate in a similar fashion.
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2 weeks ago | 
yahoo.com | Cierra Noffke
Diagnosing the environmental sustainability of the internet might seem, at first, like trying to figure out where the molecules of water in your morning cup of coffee originated. Water is constantly evolving, cycling through our environments and often carrying the secrets of the places it last passed through. The internet, in all its complexity, appears to operate in a similar fashion.
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2 weeks ago | 
cnet.com | Cierra Noffke
Since its widespread launch in 2019, 5G home internet has become a staple in many urban homes and a viable solution for rural connectivity. While I generally tout a “fiber-first” mindset when recommending cost-efficient, reliable high-speed internet options, 5G has often surpassed my expectations, and consumers seem to think so, too. J.D. Power data from 2024 and 2025 suggests that customers prefer fixed wireless internet, specifically 5G or 4G LTE, over both fiber and cable internet.
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2 weeks ago | 
cnet.com | Cierra Noffke
When I moved to a house that was serviceable for fiber internet, I jumped at the chance to ditch cable for fiber. My roommates and I had spent the past three years with Spectrum, often frustrated by the occasional price increases and internet outages in our area. Switching to fiber internet meant symmetrical download and upload speeds and better reliability for roughly the same price I'd been paying Spectrum.
