Internet Guides
Plain-English help for getting faster, cheaper, more reliable internet in South Africa — what to buy, how to fix it, and how to read the numbers.
What Internet Speed Do You Actually Need? (South Africa, 2026)
Most South African homes need far less speed than ISPs upsell. For the majority, a stable 25-50 Mbps fibre line handles streaming, video calls and working from home comfortably. This guide maps real activities to the Mbps you actually need, explains why upload and shared use matter more than the headline download number, and gives plain recommendations by household type.
Read →BuyingFibre vs LTE vs 5G in South Africa: Which Should You Get?
Fibre is the best home internet if it reaches your address. LTE is the affordable fallback where fibre hasn't arrived, and 5G fixed-wireless sits in between: fibre-like speeds with no trench, but patchier coverage. Here's how to choose for your home.
Read →TroubleshootingWhy Is My Wi-Fi So Slow? Fixes That Actually Work
Slow Wi-Fi is usually fixable at home, and the culprit is rarely your actual internet line. This guide walks you through diagnosing the real problem step by step, starting with the single most important test: comparing a wired speed test to a Wi-Fi one.
Read →Explainers"Uncapped" Explained: Fair Use Policies and Throttling in SA
In South Africa, "uncapped" almost never means "do anything you want at full speed forever" — most plans carry some kind of fair use policy (FUP), prioritisation or peak-time shaping in the fine print. This guide explains what uncapped, capped, FUP, throttling and shaping actually mean here, how fibre and mobile differ, and exactly what to check before you sign up.
Read →ExplainersHow to Read a Speed Test: Ping, Jitter, Download and Upload
A speed test gives you more than one number, and each one tells a different story about your connection. This guide explains download, upload, ping, jitter and packet loss in plain English, shows what good and bad look like for South African fibre, LTE and 5G, and how to test properly so the result you see is the truth.
Read →BuyingHow to Choose the Best Fibre ISP in South Africa
With South African fibre you're really choosing two things: the physical network in your street (Openserve, Vumatel, Frogfoot, MetroFibre) and the ISP that sells you the line. This guide shows you how to find your network, pick the best ISP on it, and compare or switch without overpaying.
Read →PracticalKeeping Your Internet On Through Load-Shedding
When the power goes out in South Africa, your fibre usually goes with it — not because the line is damaged, but because the small boxes in your home (and the equipment in the street) all need electricity. A modest battery for your router and ONT, plus a mobile backup plan, will keep you online through most load-shedding slots.
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