To help clear things up, here are descriptions of both terms:

The Internet Is a Highway

The Internet has been called the Information Superhighway and with good reason. Just like a road that connects two cities and moves people and goods, the Internet is a digital maze of routes that connects thousands of computer networks so they can exchange bits of information. Using an agreed-upon language called the Internet Protocol, these interconnected devices use the Internet’s digital “roads” to exchange data that is then translated into human-consumable form at the other end.

When you purchase Internet service from an ISP, you’ll get what you need to connect your devices to the Internet. For example, we at Madison provide a fiber-optic cable to connect your location to our network and an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) to go inside your home or business.

Wi-Fi is an Access Ramp

Wi-Fi refers to a wireless network that allows computers, smartphones, or other devices within a particular area to connect to the Internet (and each other) without being physically connected by a cable. Because information is transferred using wireless transmitters and radio signals, physical proximity is necessary for a good connection.

Is connecting to Wi-Fi the same as connecting to the Internet? The short answer is no, not technically. Wi-Fi is what transports the Internet service to your devices, but Wi-Fi is not Internet service. That’s why you can have strong Wi-Fi signals but still experience slow Internet speeds.