Welcome to Japan.
Japan is a good country with beautiful culture, safety and good food.
However, it is difficult to communicate if you cannot use Japanese.
I will help you to live a comfortable life in Japan if you are from abroad.
This site will help you to have a comfortable Internet life.
5 types of Internet services
There are five major types of internet services in Japan.
There are fiber optic lines, home routers, mobile wifi, Mobile phone tethering, and free wifi.
The five types of internet services differ in line capacity, price, and convenience.
The Internet service you need depends on how you will use it.
Below is the Internet you need for each use.
- Fiber optic line is suitable for people who share the Internet in the house with family and friends. It is suitable for people who use internet games, web conferencing, videoconferencing, and VOD without limitation.
- Home router is for people who share the Internet at home with family and friends. They are suitable for people who cannot install fiber optic lines or who plan to move to a new house.
- Mobile wifi is suitable for people who use the Internet outside the home for work or travel, and for people who do not play games on the Internet but want to use the Internet a lot.
- Smartphone tethering is suitable for people who want to use the Internet outside the home casually and who use the Internet infrequently.
- Free wifi is suitable for people who want to use the Internet at a low cost and with little inconvenience when they are out and about or traveling.
Fiber optic lines
Fiber optic lines can transmit large amounts of data at high transmission speeds.
And it is very stable and can connect multiple devices.
I explain the details of fiber optic lines in this site.
The Internet of Things (IOT) is currently advancing around the world.
This means that everything will be connected to the Internet.
The same is true for Japan.
If you are a long-term resident of Japan, we recommend installing an optical fiber connection.
Having an optical line in your home will increase your satisfaction and productivity in both your professional and personal life.
Fiber optic lines have many advantages. However, there are also disadvantages depending on your lifestyle.
Please see below for a list of advantages and disadvantages of fiber optic lines.
- Advantage
- Stable even when multiple devices are connected at the same time.
- Data transmission speed is fast.
- Unlimited data capacity.
- PlayStation and PC online games can be played comfortably.
- Easy to exchange heavy data.
- Disadvantages
- Wiring work inside the house is required.
- It takes at least one week from the time of application to the time of Internet use.
- Installation and initial costs are high.
- Cannot be used outside the house.
- Communication speed may be slow in an apartment building.
Home router
Home router creates a great WiFi environment by simply plugging the device into an electrical outlet in your home.
Many home routers have unlimited data capacity.
And they are faster than mobile wifi.
If you can get a 5G connection, the speed will be close to fiber optic.
Home routers have better antenna performance than mobile wifi and can connect multiple devices.
It is recommended for those who live with family and friends.
And since there is no need to perform installation work, the process to start using the Internet is quicker.
It is suitable for people who often relocate or stay in Japan for a short period of time and want high performance internet.
The weakness of the home router is that it depends on the strength of the signal.
The 5G line is only available in limited locations in Japan. If you expect speeds on par with fiber optic lines, you need to do some careful research.
If you absolutely need stable and fast Internet, an optical line is recommended.
Please see the advantages and disadvantages of home routers below.
- Advantages
- No wiring work is required.
- Home moving can be done easily.
- You can start using the service as soon as the day after signing the contract.
- It can be used just for watching movies without any problem.
- Depending on the model, you can even take it with you (an electrical outlet is required).
- Disadvantages
- Slow speeds in areas with weak signals. Prior investigation is required.
- Speed is not as fast as fiber optic line. It is not stable.
- It is not suitable for PlayStation and PC games that use the Internet.
- It takes time to exchange heavy data.
- Some types of home routers have data capacity limitations.
Mobile wifi
Mobile Wi-Fi is a small, lightweight mobile router that connects computers, smartphones, tablets, games, and other devices to a mobile Wi-Fi router, allowing Internet access inside, outside, or anywhere in the house.
The router itself is smaller than a smartphone, making it easy to carry around. It is the perfect service for those who want to use WiFi easily anywhere!
Mobile wifi does not require installation like fiber optic lines. The main feature of this service is that it can be easily contracted.
Comparing the number of devices that can be connected, mobile wifi can connect more devices than smartphones and less devices than home routers.
It is possible for up to two people to be connected at the same time.
Mobile wifi is recommended for people who work in cafes or libraries or who come to Japan on vacation due to the ease of contract and mobility.
Please see the advantages and disadvantages of mobile WIFI below.
- Advantages
- No installation required and ready to use
- You are on the go.
- Lower cell phone communication charges.
- Multiple devices can be connected.
- Some companies offer easy contracting and cancellation
- Disadvantages
- Slow data transmission speeds in some locations and environments
- Need to charge the battery
- Weak data connection power compared to fiber optic line or home router
- Need to carry it with you
- Communication limitations
Cell phone ＆ Sim card
Tethering uses data communications from smartphones and other devices to connect computers, tablets, gaming devices, etc. to the Internet. Tethering is an optional service for smartphones.
There are four major phone companies in Japan that offer tethering using smartphones and tablets.
There are also cheap sim cards that rent and operate lines from those companies.
Tethering is an easy Internet style with no extra baggage.
However, some telecommunication companies offer tethering as an optional plan.
In some cases, you need to “apply in advance” when using tethering.
The problem with tethering is that the amount of data communication increases when multiple devices are connected. With a low-capacity rate plan, there is a possibility that the data communication speed will be limited soon.
If you are worried about communication limitations, we recommend that you use a mobile WIFI with unlimited communication.
Please see below for a list of advantages and disadvantages of smartphone tethering.
- Advantages
- No extra cost is required if you have a smartphone contract.
- You can use the Internet environment at an overwhelmingly low cost of about 500 yen per month at the highest.
- There is no need to carry a wifi router.
- Disadvantages
- Tethering uses so much data that data transmission is limited.
- There is a risk of running out of battery power in your smartphone.
- Compared to mobile wifi, there are fewer connection lines. (about 5~8 devices) Difficult to use with more than 2 people.
Free wifi
Free Wi-Fi is a free Wi-Fi spot that anyone can use in public places or inside convenience stores, cafes, etc.
In Japan, the number of free wifi spots has increased with the Tokyo Olympics.
Free wifi is free and convenient to use.
However, you need to be careful when using it.
Unencrypted free wifi can be intercepted or snooped on.
A third party could easily see the URL you are clicking on, your personal information, or the contents of your email.
And free wifi can slow down data transmission speeds if there are many other people connecting to it.
If you need secure internet outside your home, mobile wifi or smartphone tethering is the way to go.
Please see the advantages and disadvantages of free wifi below.
- Advantages
- Computers, tablets, and other devices without mobile communication lines can be used.
- You can save on packet communication fees when you exchange large data volumes over free wifi.
- If few other people are using the system, stable speeds and high data rates can be achieved.
- Disadvantages
- If the communication is not encrypted, there is a possibility that information such as credit card numbers may be leaked to third parties because of public wireless LAN.
- If many users are concentrated in one location, the line may become congested and communication may be slow.
Did you find the information you wanted?
If you want other information, please look at the other pages.
This site has information on fiber optics line, home routers, mobile wifi, sim cards, and free wifi.
Click on each word!
It will take you to a page with all the information.
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