Everything You Need to Know About the Internet Speeds

Most of the time when we use our smartphones or laptops, we’re connected to the internet. Sometimes, we get blazing-fast speeds, and the other times, the same internet connection becomes spotty.

Have you ever wondered about the factors that determine our internet’s performance? Or how much internet speed do we need for most online activities? Well, to know answers to these questions, read on:

Important Factors Related to the Internet:

Upload Speeds:

The upload speed of the internet refers to the amount of time it takes to upload the data from your device to the internet. It may be uploading a picture to Facebook or Instagram or simply sending a file to your colleague on WhatsApp.

If an internet connection offers higher upload speeds, then it takes less time to upload the data to the internet.

Download Speeds:

The download speed of the internet is the opposite of upload speeds. It refers to how long your internet connection takes to download data from the internet.

For instance, when you hit a website’s URL, the time it takes to load is determined by the download speed. Or simply when you download a file from WhatsApp or an app from the Play Store, then all these activities will be done quickly if you have a higher download speed.

Latency:

The amount of time a network takes to transfer data from one point to another is called latency. It’s the measurement of delay in a network.

A connection with high latency generally means it is slower as compared to a network with low latency which is considered a fast connection.

Bandwidth:

In simple words, bandwidth is your network’s capability to carry the maximum amount of data at a time.

When we connect more devices or use multiple apps on a connection, the bandwidth decreases because it needs to cater to all the devices and data at a single time.

Packets/Packet Loss:

The data we send/receive over a network gets segregated into smaller units called packets. And when some of these data packets do not reach their destination, then we call it packet loss.

Jitter:

Jitter is the measurement of the time data takes to reach its destination and to come back to the host destination.

Network Congestion:

Our internet connection gets congested when we send more data packets than it can cater to. As a result, our internet may get slower and it’s called network congestion. A connection with little bandwidth gets easily congested, simply because it has a little capacity to carry data packets.

So, What is a Good Internet Speed?

Broadly speaking, a good internet speed generally varies from one user to another. However, for most households, internet speeds ranging from 100-200Mbps should be enough for different tasks. For instance, for online activities like HD streaming, using basic AI tools or work-related software, gaming, or remote learning, the 100-200 Mbps bracket should easily cater to their needs.

How Much Internet Speeds Do You Need for Different Activities?

In general terms, the following speeds are considered good for the following tasks:

As you can see, these speeds should easily cater to the above tasks. However, even 100Mbps speeds may not be enough if you want to stream 4K videos on one device and play heavy games with smooth graphics on another.

However, to do so, you should go for a service provider that offers super-fast internet speeds to support all your online activities. AT&T is one such example that provides symmetrical speeds (download and upload speeds are the same!) up to 1 gig. Plus, the  AT&T customer service is available 24/7 to cater to all your internet needs like a breeze.

Bonus Section: Tips to Improve Your Internet Speeds:

In this section, I will explain some simple ways to amp up your internet speeds.

• Upgrade to a Better Plan:

One of the easiest and quickest ways to get more internet speeds is to simply upgrade your plan to one that offers more speeds.

Also, keep in mind that if a plan is advertised to offer 100Mbps, then it may offer slightly lower speeds because signals get disrupted while making their way to our homes. Also, the distance between our homes and service providers plays a role in diminishing internet speeds a bit. So, always go for a plan that offers slightly more speeds than you require.

• Place Your Router in an Ideal Position:

Sometimes, our internet slows down because the internet signals barely reach our devices. It’s because internet signals travel via airwaves and may get obstructed by heavy furniture, walls, or electronic devices.

To get more internet speeds, ensure to place your router away from heavy furniture and electronic devices. Also, you can use WiFi mesh or WiFi extenders to extend the internet signals.