The use of technology leads to societal changes. This includes university work where both teaching and learning are changing and the effect of using technology on student performance is required. This work investigated the impact of internet use on the academic success of students from five universities in Ecuador. A random sample of 4.697 people was drawn and categorised into internet usage profiles for academic activities and entertainment, using factorial analysis and cluster analysis. The resulting categories were used as independent variables in Multinomial logistic regression models that sought to determine whether the use of the Internet had an impact on academic success. The results show that those engaged in interactive activities with peers and teachers or those who use the various Internet tools in a balanced way tend to be more academic successful than those who only seek information. As regards entertainment, there was a positive impact of internet use on academic success. Students who download audio, video and software content, and those who use all entertainment possibilities, have a lower tendency to suspend than students who use the Internet minimally. In terms of gender, there are differences in academic and entertainment practices.