Common Internet Terms and What They Mean
Understanding a few basic internet terms can save you a lot of frustration—and help you get the most out of your service. Here’s a quick breakdown.
Router (Gateway)
Your router (sometimes called a gateway) is the main device that connects your home to the internet. Think of it as the traffic controller of your digital life—deciding what gets sent out and what comes back in.
If you lease a router from MVT, you don’t just get a Wi-Fi access point (the thing that magically beams internet into your devices). You can also enjoy some powerful extras—all manageable through an easy app on your phone.
- Built-in security: Antivirus and firewall protection to keep your network safe.
- Device prioritization: Lets you give priority Wi-Fi access to specific devices (like a work laptop over a gaming console).
- Content filtering: allows you to block websites, apps, and entire categories of content for specific users (great for boosting productivity…or pretending you don’t know why Instagram isn’t loading).
Wi-Fi
Did you know? Wi-Fi is not the internet itself. It is simply the wireless connection between your devices (phones, laptops, TVs) and your router.
So when your Wi-Fi is slow or not working, your actual internet connection may be fine—the issue could simply be the wireless signal inside your home.
Megabits vs. Gigabits (Internet Speed)
Internet speeds are usually listed in megabits per second (Mbps) or Gigabits per second (Gbps). The difference: 1,000 megabits = 1 Gigabit.
That means a Gig-speed plan is 10x faster than a 100 Mbps plan. To put it in real terms: downloading a 5 GB file takes about 7 minutes on a 100 Mbps plan — and under a minute on a Gig plan.
We hope you’re getting the speed and connection you need to work, play and stream with ease. However, if you’re experiencing slowdowns or lagging, you may need more speed, a new router or a better connection than you have today. Reach out anytime, and we’d be happy to point you toward the best solution.