What Is A Good Download Spped

What Upload Speed Do I Need to Live Stream? Alex Hilleary • December 14, 2018. This post explores identifying upload speeds required for broadcasting, finding your current bandwidth, and troubleshooting potential connection issues. It's the main post in our series on upload speed for live streaming. How Much Internet Speed do I REALLY need? Posted December 23, 2015. For a 2-way video call, Skype recommends 0.3 Mbps as a minimum upload and download speed. Factors That Affect Good Internet Speed It is generally accepted that Internet speed of between 10 and 25 megabits per second is considered to be good, according to RS Web Solutions. Lower speeds may result in buffering and longer download time.

Internet service providers like to make a lot of claims about upload and download speeds when you sign up, but do you ever wonder how those numbers compare to the speeds you're actually getting on a day-to-day basis? These are the best internet speed tests to help you determine your upload and download speeds, as well as identify other issues with your network, such as packet loss, latency issues, or physical connection problems.

Further reading

Note that some of these sites may not work with an ad blocker enabled. You can either add the site to your whitelist, or look for an option that doesn't mind an ad blocker.

The best

SpeedOf.Me

SpeedOf.Me is an HTML5-based speed test that's lightweight and designed to replicate real-world browsing and downloading conditions by requesting a series of files of increasing sizes and recording the speed at which they're downloaded. Not only does the site display a graph of speeds achieved in real time, but it also allows you to track your results against previous tests.

Rather than selecting a location, the website calculates the quickest and most reliable server from 88 available servers, and all files are downloaded and uploaded in sequence — rather than simultaneously — to imitate real internet browsing conditions.

The rest

SpeedSmart

SpeedSmart is a smooth, HTML5 speed test that works with all devices and is reliably problem free. It provides download, upload, and ping information for your connection. That ping information can be particularly valuable if you're trying to run down a problem or do a slightly deeper analysis of your connection than obtaining simple speed information. SpeedSmart also offers an app that you can download and run to keep a full history of results, but unless you're tinkering with optimal bandwidth for gaming or using it professionally, the website works just fine.

TestMy.net

If you're looking for a test that offers more data than the average speed test, TestMy.net runs a series of tests and provides a lot of useful comparison data. There are separate options for both download and upload tests, so be sure to try them both. Note that you have to download this speed test, as it's not entirely run via the website.

When it's done, the results rate your speed compared to other recent users, giving you a good idea of where you stand. TestMy.net also displays a graph with your connection over time, so that you can see if you had trouble sustaining a good connection the whole time. If these numbers are a little unfamiliar to you, there's also plenty of documentation and easy-to-understand guides that can help you better identify what the problem is with your internet connection.

Speedtest.net

Ookla's bandwidth diagnostic software shows up on a number of the other speed test sites listed here, but the most full-featured iteration of the test is on Speedtest.net, which is owned by Ookla. The tech used here is both intelligent and speedy. It picks a nearby server (out of a list of more than 1,000), runs a full test, and returns information on upload and download speed, latency, and packet loss.

You can fill out a survey after the test, answering questions about the claimed speed of your ISP and monthly connection costs. This allows Ookla to amass an impressive database of consumer connection information, which can be viewed and broken down by region — in the U.S., this is a major variable in internet speed — on its NetIndex site.

Internet Health Test

Do you want a more complete look at how your Internet speed performs when it's pushed? The Internet Health Test takes longer than other web-based tests, but that's because it's very thorough. The test runs your connection through a gauntlet of servers and infrastructure to see how it does in a variety of situations.

Don't worry so much about the average speed here — it's probably lower than your other tests. Instead, look at the different configurations that were run to see how well your connection did in various server arrangements. If you really want to dive in, you can compare this to how you normally use the internet to see your expected speeds based on your typical activity, but that could take some research.

Fast.com

Fast.com is a simple site run by Netflix — and we mean really, really simple. The site automatically launches a speed test and brings up a giant number to show you just what your Mbps look like.

Of course, Netflix largely intends this to be used for people who want to test if their current speed can handle Netflix content, especially high-def and 4K (even on your PC) content, which may benefit more from higher download speeds. That said, you can use the test nearly anywhere, and for anything. If you're not interested in any of the charts or latency data — you just want a simple speed number — then Fast is made for you.

A simple definition of bandwidth is the speed at which you get access to the Internet.

Businesses often find themselves using the same Internet connection that they used years before, even though technology has progressed. Their connection seems to get slower and slower. And they are left wondering why.

Good bandwidth means faster speeds when working online. At some point we've all had the feeling of 'taking forever' to access cloud applications or download a large file from online. Or we've experienced latency interruptions while trying to stream a video online — when the video stops and stutters repeatedly. That can slow down your work. It wastes valuable employee time. It can lead to unhappy customers who have to wait for customer service because 'the system is slow today.' If you have a voice over IP phone system, it can lead to poor call quality. Dropped calls and garbled sound can lose sales.

Do you or your employees find yourselves grumbling over slow Internet regularly? Do you find yourself wishing downloads would 'go faster'? Do you feel your company's work is being disrupted and is slower than you'd like? Then your bandwidth may not be keeping up with your current needs.

Factors That Impact Speed and Performance

What many people don't realize is how many factors affect available bandwidth. One of the biggest factors is the number of people using your Internet connection at any given time. Ten people using the same Internet connection at the same time will result in slower speeds than one person using it.

Another way to look at it is to compare bandwidth to a sprinkler system. If you have one sprinkler attached to one pipe, the amount you can get out of that sprinkler is considerably more than what you can get out of it if you had 10 sprinklers attached to that same pipe. And if the pipe isn't big to begin with, or if it's old and leaking, it could slow down those sprinklers to a trickle.

Another culprit is the number of devices connected to your network. If each employee has a desktop computer, a tablet and a smartphone using WiFi, those devices may be downloading or updating apps in the background, even when you don't think they are in use. Tablets and phones are not the only devices. Printers today connect to the Internet for updates and print jobs. Even refrigerators are now able to connect to the Internet. For each additional device turned on, it can be like having an additional person using your bandwidth.

Your speed is also affected by how you use your Internet connection. Certain applications are bandwidth hogs. Video conferences are becoming more popular, especially with customers. Desktop sharing may be necessary for remote employees. Those applications can gobble up available bandwidth. Downloading or uploading large files, like graphics files and videos, also takes more bandwidth than simple email or Web surfing. Voice over IP (VoIP) phone systems also put demands on your bandwidth. Cloud-based file sharing apps may be syncing in the background. Some of these are installed by default on employee devices and can be working at the same time as your company's file sharing is syncing.

Do you see how quickly competing demands on bandwidth can pile up — and slow down your online work to a crawl?

Another factor is the type of Internet connection you have. Some types, such as cable and fiber optic, in general are inherently faster than DSL.

Still another factor is your equipment. When was the last time it was checked or changed? Case in point: your modem and routers. You may be one or two generations behind what's available today on the market. For example, the latest wireless router available is 802.11 AC as opposed to older versions such as 802.11 N, G, and B. If you upgrade your router, make sure your network card is up-to-date as well. If you haven't upgraded your equipment in years, you may not realize how limiting that old equipment can be. You may not even be getting your ISP's advertised speed, due to equipment limitations.

What is Considered a Good Bandwidth?

What Is A Good Download Speed For Iphone

That brings us to the question of what you need and what you should expect for your connection in your business. As described above, speed depends on how many people are using your Internet connection, how many devices are connected, what you're using your connection for, and the type of connection you have.

There are a couple of ways to look at bandwidth usage. One way is to assess whether your company is a light user, moderate user or heavy user of Internet:

• A light user is a company that mainly requires Internet for purposes of email and some Web browsing.
• A moderate user is a company that tacks on uses such as cloud-based business applications, streaming video and regular file downloads.
• A heavy user is a company that layers on VoIP phone systems, business TV service, a high volume of large files being transferred, video conferencing, desktop sharing and/or multiple devices per employee.

Which level most closely describes your business's needs?

An older rule of thumb sometimes used is to start with 5 Mbps and allow 0.5 Mbps bandwidth per employee after that. However, that does not take into account today's heavier demands, such as VoIP, online file sharing, HD video streaming, video conferencing and multiple devices per person and office.

'Just squeaking by' with your Internet connection is not satisfactory to most small businesses today. Also, give yourself some cushion so that you have the ability to grow.

There are more demands placed on your bandwidth today and those will grow. Websites are more image intensive. We do more sharing and moving around of files. VoIP phones, online meeting apps and video conferencing are widespread. Video has turned into HD video and soon will be at 4K resolution, placing even more demands. And we expect faster times than we did five years ago.

Today, a high speed business Internet connection can deliver 150 Mbps or more — with up to 1Gbps in certain cities — depending on providers and what is available in your area. If you have noticed slowness, you may be surprised to learn just how slow yours is. In my experience, most business owners don't realize how fast a high-speed Internet connection can be.

They also don't realize how their own bandwidth stacks up, or fails to. To check for yourself, visit an online speed test site. (Comcast Business has such a site when you can test your connection speed. It takes less than a minute — go here to run the test.)

What Is A Good Download Speed For Switch

The real question to ask yourself about bandwidth is: are you getting what you need in your company to be competitive in the marketplace and operate at the high performance levels you expect? If not, you may want to look at the different high-speed Internet options for businesses that are available in your area.

Bandwidth today is more affordable than ever. Ordering higher speeds is like buying in bulk. The more bandwidth you order the better the value because the cost per Mbps goes down.

What Is A Good Download Speed

Slow connection speed Internet Download Photo via Shutterstock

What Is A Good Download Speed For Streaming Movies