#What should my download speed be how to#
#What should my download speed be download#

#What should my download speed be download#

Download speed is generally more important than upload speedĪlthough we constantly both download and upload information online, for most of us, the information we upload is generally much smaller. Download speeds are also generally the faster of the two speeds, so most advertisements tend to focus on them. Most ISPs advertise only download speeds, so you might not even realize that upload speeds are a separate thing. If you livestream video or use video chat like Zoom or Skype, you won’t even be able to connect if your bandwidth is too low. If you’re a content creator that works with video, audio, or other media with large file sizes, slow upload speeds could mean waiting for hours to post your content online or store it on a cloud-based server. We all use upload speed, but some people rely on it heavily. Uploading is an essential part of using the internet.

That information has to travel from our browser to the appropriate server in order to tell it which information it needs to send us.

We also use it every time we click on a link or type a search term into Google. We use our upload speed when we want to post a video to Facebook, or send a picture from our phone to a friend. Although we don’t think about it as much as we think about downloading information, we upload information all the time. Upload speeds are used when you want to send information from your device to another location on the internet.

#What should my download speed be how to#

Multiple signal bands, along with other features like beamforming, MU-MIMO (multi-user, multiple input, multiple output), and other Wi-Fi 6 technologies, can allow your devices to take maximum advantage of your high-speed internet connection.įor more information on how to get the most out of your Wi-Fi network, check out our look at the fastest gigabit routers and the fastest gigabit modems currently on the market.

This can be really important if you have a lot of devices on your home network. Many Wi-Fi routers boast incredibly high speeds due to having dual-band or tri-band technology, which essentially allows them to broadcast multiple Wi-Fi networks at the same time. Wi-Fi routers can often be the bottleneck that keeps you from getting the speeds you need. It doesn’t matter how fast your internet connection is if you can’t get that speed to your actual devices. 1 For many households trying to keep up with work, school, and social connections, upload speed suddenly became the bottleneck.Īs a general rule, your Wi-Fi router should always be as fast or faster than the internet speed you’re paying for. While it’s tempting to dismiss upload bandwidth as something needed only by businesses and content creators, it’s worth noting that upload traffic increased dramatically after the COVID-19 outbreak as people had to figure out new ways to live their lives at a distance. Fiber is also the most reliable type of connection, making your livestream much less likely to have issues-even if you stream at peak-use times. Fiber-optic networks have symmetrical upload speeds, which means if you have a 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps) connection, you have 1 Gbps upload and 1 Gbps download speeds. At the very minimum, you’re going to want to find a cable provider that has upload speeds on the high end, between 25 Mbps and 50 Mbps.Īn even better solution for those who rely on uploading is fiber, as long as it’s available in your area. If you use your home network for work, school, or streaming on a regular basis, ADSL’s low upload speeds are definitely going to be a problem. Upload speed becomes much more important if you want to use video chat, upload high-resolution images, or livestream video from your home. Asymmetric DSL (ADSL) usually has speeds up to 1.5 Mbps, while cable internet can have upload speeds from 5 Mbps to 50 Mbps.įor most online activities, even ADSL’s 1.5 Mbps is more than enough for a smooth internet experience.

Generally, a good upload speed to shoot for is 5 Mbps.