Cable vs. Fiber: Which One Is Better?

Here’s cable versus fiber in a nutshell. Right now, fiber internet has the fastest plans and symmetrical speeds, but that’s probably going to change in the next several years as cable internet incorporates new technology enabling multi-gig symmetrical speeds. Plus, it’s more widely available than fiber.

Overall, cable and fiber are both reliable internet connections. Both can reach 10,000Mbps (10Gbps). We’ll compare the two in detail so you can decide which connection is the best for you.

Compare cable internet provider speeds and prices

What is cable internet?

Cable internet is a service that uses cable TV lines (coaxial cables) entering your home or office to connect you to the internet. It offers fast download speeds, great reliability, and wide availability—you can probably get it where you live.

Coaxial cables consist of a copper (or copper-clad steel) core, an insulating sheath, aluminum and copper shields, and an outer plastic layer. The copper core carries data waves that piggyback modified radio waves sent along unused cable TV channels.

The way cable internet providers deploy these coaxial cables means that connections from each home converge at some point, typically at the entrance to your neighborhood or somewhere nearby. Your provider’s fiber network picks up from there unless you live in areas where your cable internet provider still needs to install fiber.

Cable internet technically has the same speed potential as fiber internet, but cable operators currently limit speeds due to the underlying infrastructure and how they distribute bandwidth across their networks. Multi-gig and symmetrical cable speeds are on the horizon, however, as operators like Xfinity and Mediacom adopt the emerging 10G platform.

The best cable internet plans

If you don’t need the extra upload speed of fiber internet, cable is still a great way to go. It’s more widely available, uses existing cable TV lines, and is often cheaper than fiber.

Compare fiber internet provider speeds and prices

What is fiber internet?

Fiber internet is a service that uses fiber optic lines entering your home or office to connect you to the internet. It offers superfast download and upload speeds, but you’ll be lucky if it’s available in your area.

Fiber uses LED or laser pulses to denote ones and zeroes—the basic units of data. The signals are received by a device on your end and interpreted as data—think Morse code but with light instead of sound.

A single fiber-optic cable typically has one optical core made of glass or plastic. Yellow single-mode cables have a thin core (8–10 µm) designed to send a precise beam (think laser pointer) across long distances up to 25 miles. Orange and aqua multimode cables have a larger core (50–100 µm) that is designed to bounce multiple beams across short distances up to 1,300 feet—great for data centers.

In all cases, the fragile optical core is wrapped in inwardly reflective cladding, which helps contain and carry the light signals regardless of bends or curves in the cable. Lightweight Kevlar is used in the cable’s buffer and jacket to protect the core.

However, you’ll often see pictures of one large cable containing up to 144 single-mode optical cores—each coated in a reflective cladding. Other large cables merely bundle single-mode or multimode (or a mix of both) cables together in a single waterproof sleeve and PVC jacket.

Overall, fiber’s design is simply better for data transmission over long distances than cable’s electrical signals. Fiber cables can also carry much more bandwidth than similarly sized copper cables and are immune to interference because there are no electrical signals in use. Plus, there’s no electrical equipment along the lines that can fail and stop your connection—it’s all passive networking.

In short, fiber internet is the newest and best type of wired internet available for homes. Unfortunately, its newness is also a setback, as there isn’t existing fiber infrastructure for home use in a lot of the US, especially in more rural areas. Rolling out new fiber internet infrastructure is slow and expensive, which is why cable internet providers stick with coaxial cables versus installing all-new fiber lines for each customer.

The best fiber internet plans

Fiber-to-the-home internet availability is limited across the US. If you do have access to fiber internet in your area, it’s the better choice over cable because it offers equally fast uploads and downloads. It’s more reliable, too, as it uses unpowered devices between you and the fiber provider, and the transmission isn’t affected by external interference like cable internet.

Cable and fiber speed comparison

Fiber and cable can send and receive data at the same speed, believe it or not. In fact, popular cable internet service providers like Xfinity and Spectrum have hybrid networks: they’re mostly fiber but keep the coax cable lines in place for the “last mile” so prices remain affordable to customers. Spectrum installs fiber-to-the-home internet, too.

For now, cable internet plans don’t have symmetrical speeds due to the way operators “split” a connection’s bandwidth between upstream and downstream. In the early days of cable internet, providers assumed customers needed more download speed than upload, so they have distributed bandwidth across their networks accordingly using varying download-upload ratios, like 10:1 or 20:1. The Federal Communications Commission even defines “broadband” as 25Mbps download and 3Mbps upload based on cable (and DSL) internet’s limitations.

Some cable internet providers now offer 2,000Mbps plans, including Cox and Xfinity, but uploads are just a fraction of that speed at 100Mbps (which still ain’t bad for cable). That limitation will change in the near future as cable internet providers switch to a “high-split” architecture enabling symmetrical speeds—one of the biggest selling points of fiber internet.

Fiber normally doesn’t have asymmetrical speeds like cable: the upload speeds are generally identical to the download speeds. Ziply Fiber has one of the fastest residential fiber internet plans you can get at 10Gbps (10,000Mbps), followed by Google Fiber and Optimum at 8Gbps, and AT&T, Frontier, and WOW! at 5Gbps. You may even find a local fiber service in your area with a 10Gbps connection.

Overall, most people do much more downloading than uploading, so asymmetric bandwidth isn’t often a deal-breaker. Still, symmetric speeds can be a lifesaver if you have multiple people in the house that are working or going to school remotely and need to video conference at the same time.

Cable vs. fiber: Price

To compare apples to apples, let’s look at what different fiber and cable companies charge for gigabit internet packages.

Gigabit internet price comparison

Data as of 5/30/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

As shown above, fiber and cable gigabit internet packages tend to cost around the same amount. There are outliers, of course, but most gigabit plans cost $70–$90 per month. If you are choosing between gigabit internet plans, we recommend going with fiber, since cable and fiber are usually comparable in price (and you get faster upload speeds).

But not everyone needs gigabit internet. Gigabit connections are usually the most expensive plans available. Cable and fiber internet providers typically have other fast internet plans from 100Mbps to 900Mbps.

Setup and equipment comparison

New homes require a professional installation to get cable or fiber internet. The technician installs all the lines and equipment necessary to get you online. You cannot self-install internet in a new home.

Existing homes with cable or fiber already installed can take advantage of the self-install option for a cheaper price. Generally, you can connect a cable modem or gateway to wherever the coaxial cable enters your home. Fiber subscribers connect a gateway directly to an existing optical network terminal (ONT) or a fiber wall jack, depending on the installation. In both cases, a standalone router usually connects to the cable modem or ONT via Ethernet to create your local wired and wireless network.

But there may be times when a professional install is needed to get internet in an existing home. Cables may be damaged, the internet access point needs to be relocated, or you may need additional equipment to take advantage of your existing cabling, for example.

ONT vs. modem: A brief comparison

An ONT is different than a cable modem, but they sometimes resemble each other. Both translate signals into Ethernet-ready data that are received and forwarded by a router. The difference is a fiber ONT translates light signals like Morse code, while a cable modem converts radio signals.

Fiber-to-the-home internet installations can be a bit more complicated than cable internet ones. Some setups have a larger ONT mounted outside or somewhere inside, like a closet or garage. Fiber or Ethernet lines connect it to one or more wall jacks, although some setups use coax cables instead if available. Newer setups have ONTs that resemble modems or use a gateway that combines the ONT and a wireless router into one unit.

Your home network

Finally, your home network starts with a wireless router connected to the ONT or cable modem. It creates your Wi-Fi network and distributes data to your wired and wireless devices. Rental fees usually cost about $5–$15 per month. You won’t see a standalone router if your internet provider supplies you with a gateway.

Verdict: Fiber is the best connection

Get fiber if it’s available for a reasonable price in your area. It’s more reliable than cable in most cases and (for now) has faster upload speeds. But if you don’t have access to fiber or you don’t need gigabit speeds, cable is certainly the best alternative.

FAQ about cable vs. fiber