‘If you type ‘Google’ into Google, you can break the Internet. So please, no one try it, even for a joke’
Jen – It Crowd (Channel 4)
The internet… A vast network of endless information, gifs, funny cat videos, and so much more.
In the era of remote working and zoom quizzes, the internet has become a priority for us all. When else have we been able to watch a video of a dancing goat whilst shopping for Christmas presents for the family; all while waiting for the kettle to boil.
Since it’s International Internet Day – here at OverclockersUK, we can’t think of a better time to celebrate everything that makes the internet. From its humble beginnings to the different types of wired and wireless (Wi-Fi) connections, modems and routers, and online gaming.
Everything you might ever need to know about the internet – is right here!
The Beginning
The internet is all about instant access to information. Be it for entertainment, work, social media, and anything else you desire. It is all about finding and sharing content with others.
At its birth, the internet was a military tool used in the 1950s and 60s. ARPANET became one of the first general-purpose computer networks. ARPANET grew and evolved through the 1970s and 80s, until finally in 1991 the World Wide Web became available to the public.
After this, the popularity of the internet boomed! This resulted in the launch of search engines, such as Google in 1998, which revolutionised the way people searched for information. The wonderful web kept on growing into what become known as, Web 2.0. The focus turned towards creating an internet network that was more focused on social networking. As a result, the earliest social media platforms were created, including Digg and Facebook.
And the rest is history.
The internet has continued to evolve into what we love and use daily in 2021. Now, there is a growing plethora of social media, entertainment, and so much more for you to explore.
Wi-Fi Explained
With the internet at the centre of everything that we do, it’s never been so important to stay connected. However, understanding how to establish a stable Wi-Fi connection is both a complicated and tedious task.
I’ve done my best to help you and simplify Wi-Fi along with what it takes to create a connection in your home or office.
The most important things that you need is a modem and a router.
The modem is the handy tool that connects your home network to the wider internet. Whilst a router, allows all your wired and wireless devices to access the internet all at once. Both are equally important, as, without one, you won’t be able to surf the web across all your devices.
In 2021, both are often integrated into one box that serves as a modem and a router. This is the box that your internet provider hands to you. However, this isn’t always the case. In some cases, you will have a separate modem and router.
What you might not know is, we have a wide range of routers on offer. I’ve picked out two of my favourites.
The TP Link Archer is ideal for home and office use. Or if you are an avid gamer – the ASUS ROG Rapture is tailored to help you achieve an optimised gaming performance.
TP Link Archer VR600 Wireless Gigabit Modem Router
| Specifications |
|---|
| Up to 1.6Gbps |
| Superfast VDSL Broadband |
| Easy Set-up |
Experience fast Wi-Fi connectivity, thanks to the TP Link Archer VR600 Router. Capable of powering dual-band Wi-Fi with speeds of up to 1.6Gbps. The Archer VR600 serves as a DSL modem and wireless router, combining the two devices into one package. This device is capable of delivering impressive VDSL broadband that can reach up to 100Mbps for blisteringly fast internet browsing. What’s more, two dedicated Wi-Fi networks provide you with stable connections, thanks to reduced wireless interference. Along with, three external antennas, the Archer VR600 creates an expansive home network. Perfect for home and office use.
Available to buy for £99.95
ASUS ROG Rapture WI-FI 6 RGB Gaming Router
| Specifications |
|---|
| Wi-Fi 6 Standard |
| Built-in Quad-Core Processor |
| Ai Network Protection Security |
Armed with an ASUS ROG Rapture Gaming Router, harness the power of lightning-fast Wi-Fi performance. Packed full of intelligent features, and designed to optimise your gaming experience, this router is perfect for those who enjoy AAA gaming. With a quad-core CPU, this router provides triple-level acceleration to boost your gaming traffic. Thus, lowering the ping rate and gaming latency. What’s more, tri-band networking means you can dedicate one 5GHz band to gaming only. Meaning you will experience streamlined gaming, without battling for bandwidth across the other devices on your network.
Available to buy for £389.99
Expand Your Network
Expand your home or office network further with an access point or mesh Wi-Fi system.
Ideal for an office space, an access point creates an individual wireless local area network (WLAN). By transmitting a Wi-Fi signal in a specific area, an access point connects to a wired router or hub. A mesh Wi-Fi system, on the other hand, utilises a primary router along with a series of satellite modules placed strategically around your home. These modules are all part of a single wireless network and deliver you full Wi-Fi coverage. Unlike traditional Wi-Fi routers, they all share the same SSID and password.
If you are interested in creating a whole-home mesh network, take a look at the TP Link X60 or one of the many other devices we have available.
TP Link X60 WI-FI 6 Mesh System (3-Pack)
| Specifications |
|---|
| Wi-Fi 6 Standard |
| Whole-Home Coverage – Up to 650m |
| WAP3 Security |
With Wi-Fi 6 support and reaching up to 5GHz, experience ultra-fast whole-home coverage with the TP Link X60. In order to deliver you the best connection, your device will automatically connect to the fastest Deco module. In addition to this, ultra-low latency results in more responsive gaming and video-chatting. Perfect for the whole family.
Available to buy for £419.99
Wired vs Wireless
You may be struggling to choose between a wired or wireless connection when setting up your network. Both methods have their own benefits.
A wireless network is perfect for those looking for a cable-free set-up, that is easy to install. Forget being tied to your desk, your devices will stay connected to the internet wherever you roam.
On the other hand, a wired network utilises cables to connect your device to the internet. Whilst you are tethered to a router, you will still share your bandwidth with others, but there are fewer traffic interruptions. All you need is a spare Ethernet port and cable.
When selecting an Ethernet cable, the way to decide which type is perfect for you is to start with the speed of your internet connection. The rule of thumb is, the higher the numbers, the faster the frequency. This will result in improved download speeds and connections.
- Cat 3 – 10Mbps / 16MHz
- Cat 5 – 10-100Mbps / 100MHz
- Cat 5e – 1,000Mbps/1Gbps / 100MHz
- Cat 6 – 10Gbps up to 55m / 250MHz
- Cat 6a – 10Gbps up to 55m / 500MHz
- Cat 7 – 100Gbps up to 15m / 600MHz
- Cat 7a – 100Gbps up to 15m / 1,000MHz
- Cat 8 – 40Gbps up to 30m / 2,000MHz
Different Wi-Fi Types
Now, I’ll make this as simple as possible – different Wi-Fi types exist. Each with its own function.
The most common connection is a wireless LAN (WLAN). Commonly known as ‘home networks’, these create access within a building or a limited outdoor area.
The other variants are:
- Wireless MAN: Wireless Metropolitan Area. Installed in cities for people to access Wi-Fi outside an office or home network.
- Wireless PAN: Wireless Personal Network. Cover a limited area – the most common example is Bluetooth.
- Wireless WAN: Cellular technology is used to access outside the range of a wireless LAN or MAN network.
As the different types of Wi-Fi have developed over the years, so have the standards of Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi Standards
Wi-Fi standards, detail how accurate the signal is. Measuring how far the signal can reach and how much data it can send. As technology and our understanding of Wi-Fi evolves, so has the standard. From 802.11b to Wi-Fi 6.
1999
- 802.11b – 2.4 GHz to deliver 11Mbps up to 150 feet.
- 802.11a – 5GHz to deliver 54Mbps. Mainly used in business.
- 802.11g – 2.4GHz to deliver 54Mbps. Advancement in Wi-Fi speeds and coverage.
2009
- 802.11n – Operates at both 2.4GHz and 5GHz to deliver 300Mpbs. Utilised MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output). Multiple receivers could operate simultaneously to produce an increase in data.
2014
- 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) -Operates exclusively at 5GHz to deliver 433Mpbs. Wi-Fi 5 utilise multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) to deliver streams to multiple devices all at once. In addition, beamforming, transmitted radio signals directly to the specific device.
- 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) – The latest standard of Wi-Fi used today. Operates in 2.4 and 5GHz to deliver 9.2 Gbps. Improved MU-MIMO to deliver faster performance and to connect more devices in your home.
Wi-Fi 6 is not the final standard.
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) has been projected for 2024. Aiming to deliver users blisteringly fast speeds at better ranges, along with support for multiple bands for an improved home network.
*Wipes brow* *deep breath*.
The complicated part is over. Let’s move on to the fun stuff!
Gaming and the Internet
With the birth of the internet, came online gaming. Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) and MMO Role-Playing Games (MMORPG) are an ever-growing genre of gaming that takes place on the internet. The most popular MMOs involve role-playing and interaction with other players online.
Whilst the popularity of online gaming boomed in the 1990s, believe it or not, the first MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) was developed in 1979! MUD (MultiUser Dungeon) was a text-based role-playing virtual world where players battled fictional monsters. It even featured a chat room – think of a 1970s version of World of Warcraft.
Hop into a DeLorean and fast forward to 2021 … and online gaming has evolved into a global platform of millions of players.
You can fight, hunt, craft, buy, and sell together in your favourite fantasy worlds. From World of Warcraft to Second Life or Destiny 2, there is an MMO for everyone. One of the most popular to date (and my personal favourite), is Elder Scrolls Online.
Elder Scrolls Online
‘One of the best MMOs available today’
PC Gamer
With 18 million players online, Elder Scrolls Online is an active-adventure RPG, set in the fictional world of Tamriel. An ever-expanding story, with DLC still being actively released, Elder Scrolls Online, has so much for you to explore. And you control it all!
Customise your character and your class to create a game that is unique to you and your game style. Choose how you want to experience the world of Tamriel. You can undertake any mission, in any part of Tamriel – however, you like. You can decide to embark on a solo expedition to the end of the world or an adventure with your friends. Thanks to the extensive multiplayer mode, you can complete quests and explore monster-ridden dungeons with your squad. You can even engage in PvP battles against millions of other players.
If you are a fan of MMOs or are looking to begin your adventure, I’ve picked out a gaming PC that is perfect for you to play Elder Scrolls Online and many more MMOs.
The Karambit Gaming PC –
| Specifications |
|---|
| Lian Li Lancool 205M Gaming Case – Black |
| 700W 80+ Gold Rated PSU |
| Intel Core i9 11900F Hyperthreaded Eight-Core Processor |
| Intel B560 (Socket 1200) DDR4 Motherboard |
| Cooler Master 240mm AIO Liquid CPU Cooler |
| 16GB DDR4 3200MHz Dual Channel Kit |
| Selection of: Gen3 & Gen4 M.2 Solid State Drives 2.5 SATA Solid State Drives Large Capacity Mechanical Hard Drives |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6 Graphics Card |
| 2.5Gb LAN & Wi-Fi 6 |
| 7.1 High-Definition Audio |
| Microsoft Windows 10 64-bit |
Harness the power of the Intel Hyperthreaded i9 Core Processor, perfect for cutting-edge AAA gaming. With a 5.2GHz turbo speed and equipped with up to 16GB DDR4 RAM means you will experience lightning-fast multi-tasking. In addition, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Graphics Card will unlock incredible graphics and even real-time ray tracing. Perfect for experiencing Elder Scrolls Online and many more MMOs in mesmerising cinematic quality.
With a range of customisation options on offer, you can tailor the Karambit Gaming PC to suit your individual requirements.
Available starting from £1.999.99
With so many MMORPGs on offer, you might be thinking about upgrading your set-up so you are combat-ready! So, I’ve selected some of my favourite peripherals and chairs that are sure to take your battle station to the next level!
ASUS ROG Spatha Wireless Optical Gaming Mouse –
| Specifications |
|---|
| Wireless Gaming Mouse |
| Optical Sensor – Up to 19,000DPI |
| Customisable RGB Lighting |
| ROG Micro Switches |
Combat ready – the ASUS ROG Spatha allows for dual-mode connectivity. Play wirelessly thanks to the 2.4GHz RF or with a USB Type-C connection. The choice is yours! Take down your foes with ultimate precision, thanks to the optical sensor, capable of reaching up to 19,000 DPI. With on-the-fly DPI control, you can make quick adjustments, even during the most intense battles. The colour changing DPI scroll, adds a dramatic flair as well as informing you what DPI setting you have chosen.
In addition to this, 12 fully programmable buttons mean you can create individual macros, that are easy to reach. Synchronise with Aura RGB Lighting to create a colourful display that can match the rest of the devices in your battle station.
Available to buy for £149.99
Corsair Scimitar USB RGB Optical Gaming Mouse –
| Specifications |
|---|
| Optical Sensor – Up to 18,000DPI |
| 17 fully programmable buttons |
| Four Zone RGB Lighting |
| OMRON Switches |
Perfect for MMO and MOBA gaming, the Corsair Scimitar Gaming Mouse has been optimised to deliver a high-precision, reliable performance. At its heart is a PixArt PMW3391 optical sensor, capable of reaching 18,000 DPI, that can be altered on the fly. This mouse is designed to be comfortable and durable, with an ergonomic shape and OMRON switches. What’s more, thanks to 17 fully programmable buttons, create and control individual macros to suit your needs. Capable of holding up to three onboard profiles, these can be customised as many times as you need. Add a splash of colour to your battle station with the customisable RGB lighting. Synchronise with other compatible devices in your arsenal through iCUE software for a unified display.
Available to buy for £74.99
Elgato Wave 3 USB Microphone –
| Specifications |
|---|
| Anti-Clipping Technology |
| Multifunctional Control Dial |
| 3.5mm Headphone Jack |
| Adjustable Desktop Stand |
You’ll need a pro-grade microphone to communicate with your teammates in your latest campaigns. Armed with the Elgato Wave 3, experience crystal-clear discourse thanks to the anti-distortion technology. Mute sensors mean all you need is a touch to quickly mute your microphone. Ideal for when you get those unwanted disruptions. What’s more, connect with Wave Link software to control up to seven audio sources for a streamlined battle-set up. Perfect for streamers and professionals alike.
Available to buy for £159.95
How can we talk about Elder Scrolls Online, without mentioning the incredible noblechairs Hero – ESO edition.
noblechairs: Hero Gaming Chair – The Elder Scrolls Online Edition –
| Specifications |
|---|
| Ergonomic Design |
| Adjustable Back and Lumbar Support |
| Cold-foam Upholstery and Memory-foam Headrest |
| Black and Gold Embroidery |
Transport yourself to Tamriel with the noblechairs ESO Edition, upholstered in premium quality PU vegan leather with excellent climate control technology. With built-in micropores and dense cold foam, the ESO chair delivers exceptional comfort from the beginning to the end of your campaign. In addition, with adjustable back and lumbar support, and a DIN EN 1335 certificate, this gaming chair is perfect for both work and play. So, you can battle your way through Tamriel, and those long workdays.
Available to buy for £389.99
Share Your Thoughts With Us!
I hope you enjoyed our deep dive into the wonders of the internet.
If you have any thoughts or you want to share your favourite MMO – tell us in the comments below or share over at @OverclockersUK.
And, just remember, if all else fails – have you tried turning it off and on again?
- 17 min read
Ruth Rowley
Author
Ruth has been with Overclockers UK for over a year and has gone on to write about everything ranging from in-depth hardware guides to monthly game releases.
Outside of writing blog posts, she can be found wrapped in a blanket with her black cat, engrossed in a book or playing life-simulation games such as The Sims, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing.
Read More >>