When you think you have the fastest internet speed on the market, then you try to post a video to Facebook and your internet speeds drop to a crawl. Immediate panic. And, seeing the spinning wheel of doom doesn’t help matters.
Unfortunately, that’s what low internet upload speeds can do to you.
A fast connection to the web is essential for doing things like online banking and shopping or watching videos on your computer. In order for these things to function properly, you’ll need to know the range of good upload and download speeds.
Keep on reading to learn all about internet bandwidth and what makes good internet speed possible.
What Is Internet Bandwidth?
To put it another way, bandwidth is a highway. More lanes mean more space for vehicles to go, speeding up traffic and enabling more automobiles to reach their final destination.
It’s helpful to know how many megabits per second (Mbps) your home Wi-Fi connection has. The more data you can download at a respectable rate, the more internet bandwidth you have. Because more data can flow, you can raise the pace at which it flows.
So, how much broadband are you in dire need of?
It is important to consider both download and upload speeds when determining what internet speeds you require for different activities. If you spend most of your time online, one of these two factors may be more important to you than the other.
Good Upload and Download Speeds 101
What you do online on a daily basis determines how fast your internet connection should be. Speed should always take into account how many users are using the service at one time.
A decent internet download speed should be at least 25Mbps on average. For this example, we’ll assume a few individuals in a household or business are using the internet at the same time. Gaming, music downloads, and surfing the internet can all be done at this level of speed.
The average internet speed in the United States is 42.86 Mbps. While the average upload speed is 74Mbps, a decent download speed may reach 204Mbps.
Upload vs Download Speeds
A server’s download speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps), which is the amount of data sent from a server to a user’s device. Downloading data is required for a variety of online activities, such as streaming music from Spotify, downloading huge files, or watching Netflix films.
Upload speed measures the speed with which data may be sent from your computer to another internet-connected device or server. Some internet activities need the transfer of data in the opposite way, although downloading information is more typical.
You need fast upload rates to transfer data to another server when you send emails, make video calls on Zoom or even play live tournament-style video games.
What Is a Good Download Speed?
According to the FCC, rates of 25Mbps or more are considered acceptable download speeds since they fulfill the FCC’s minimum broadband speed requirement (FCC). If you have a large number of devices and family members using the internet at once, the speed at which you may download files may be affected.
Since the outbreak of the epidemic, our online habits have shifted significantly. We can now both work and study from the comfort of our own homes, and we can also indulge our passion for highly detailed online games. Fast internet is now defined as having a download speed greater than 100 Mbps.
You should aim for a package that provides 25 Mbps of bandwidth for each member of your household, so you may simultaneously video conference and play online games without disrupting each other.
Video game console makers recommend a minimum download speed of 3 Mbps and an upload speed of 0.5 Mbps to 1 Mbps in order to ensure that your game runs smoothly.
1.5 Mbps is suggested for Zoom video conferences, but 10 to 20 Mbps will provide a more fluid experience.
In order to use services like Hulu, Netflix, Sling TV, and others, you’ll need a download speed of at least 25 Mbps. If you have more than one person streaming at the same time, you’ll need at least 50 Mbps of bandwidth.
What Is a Good Upload Speed?
Because the FCC has set a minimum upload speed of 3 Mbps, 3 Mbps upload rates are deemed acceptable. For those who often post movies to YouTube or work from home, a plan with faster upload speeds may be necessary.
Consider plans with at least 10 Mbps of upload speed if you have a lot of devices in your home uploading simultaneously. Upload speed affects a variety of things, including how well you’ve heard and seen during video conferences, how quickly your video is uploaded to TikTok, and so on.
Why Do Packages Tend to Have Slow Upload and Fast Download Speeds?
Because the vast majority of internet activities need much more download bandwidth than upload bandwidth, most service providers place an emphasis on download speed rather than upload speed.
Most online activities, as you’ll see in the examples that follow, depend largely on having access to high download rates. As long as other activities need the transfer of data in both ways, the typical user will demand faster download rates than upload.
Fiber internet connections, on the other hand, are an anomaly. As a result, several broadband providers provide the same upload speed as their download rates.
You can always check the internet providers in my area to compare speed ranges and packages.
Good Internet Speed: Exploring Your Options
People should be aware that most of us don’t get the full benefit of broadband speeds at home.
Internet speeds may be slowed due to other individuals on the network using up capacity, how Wi-Fi signals degrade in the house, and a variety of other variables. Yet, now you’re familiar with the good upload and download speeds, so you can make an educated decision when picking the right internet plan.
Next step, check out our technology section for more tips and advice on getting the best internet connection possible.
