How To Increase Bandwidth

How much speed do I need?

There are a lot of internet providers today, with each claiming to have a good connection speed.

But what does a good connection speed mean? And how much of it do you really need?

This article will discuss the various factors that go into determining the amount of internet you need. But first, let us look into the most common terminology used by your service provider and what it means. We’ll also go over how to increase bandwidth and optimize your bandwidth usage.

What is Ping?

Ping determines whether a certain server is reachable. It sends a data packet to a server and waits to see whether it comes back. If it does, then it is reachable.

What is Ping Time? 

This is a measure of the speed the data packet takes to travel to the server and back. This time is measured in milliseconds. Thus, if your connection does not register the request within a few seconds, you will likely experience a lag in your online processes.

What is Latency?

Latency is the measure of the time taken for data to be transferred from one point to another. This is not to be confused with ping. Ping refers to signaling a server to determine whether you can establish a connection. Latency refers to the time taken to send data between two places.

What is Mbps?

This is the standard measure of internet speeds, and it means megabits per second. Essentially, it is a measure of how much data you can transmit each second.

Upload Speed and Download Speed

Download speed refers to the rate at which your internet connection can transmit data from the server to you. It is very important to load a website, download files, or stream music and videos. 

Upload speed refers to the rate at which your internet connection transmits data to servers. As such, this metric is an important consideration when sending files or emails, gaming, and video chats.

How to Figure Out Your Current Internet Speed

Your internet service provider will charge you based on the speed of your WI FI network. The faster, the costlier. As such, it is important to know if you’re getting what you paid for.

Here’s how to tell your actual internet speed:

1. Connect your computer to your router via an Ethernet cable.
2. Open your web browser.
3. Go to www.speedtest.net

A speed test will indicate your download and upload speeds. They will likely be slightly below or above what you pay for, and that’s ok. 

However, if they are significantly below what you are paying for, it is time to talk with your provider. Nevertheless, as internet speeds tend to fluctuate throughout the day, carry out the speed test at different times of day and see whether the average is close to what you pay for.

What Internet Speed Do I Need?

The amount of internet speed one needs varies between individuals as many factors determine it. For instance, you have to consider the number of people who will be using that Wi Fi network, the activities they will be involved in, the bandwidth required for those tasks, and how many of them will be using the connection simultaneously. The hardest part lies in figuring out what bandwidth each process consumes.

Best Internet Speed for Online Gaming

Generally, you will need download speeds of at least 3 Mbps and upload speeds of at least 1 Mbps to get most games to play. These also happen to be the minimum required internet speeds for online gaming on Xbox One and PS4. Nevertheless, as these are the minimum requirements, you might need a faster connection depending on the following factors:

Connection Type

Wired vs Wireless

Your computer communicates with your router using either a wired or a wireless connection. Wired connections typically offer a faster and more reliable internet connection. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that you will be having problems with your wireless connection if you are close to the router and have no walls separating you from it.

Latency

As expected, the farther away you will be from the server, the higher your latency. Your latency rate generally depends on the quality of your connection, especially if you are playing peer-hosted games.

As such, the lower your latency, the better. Moreover, it should not be higher than 150 Mbps as you and the other players will experience a noticeable lag.

Best Internet Speed for People Who… 

Stream Videos

As with online games, video streaming websites such as Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, and Amazon also have their own minimum internet speed requirements. You know that you have a poor connection or subpar internet speed if the content has to load every minute or two while streaming.

As a rule of thumb, to enjoy a smooth standard definition video, you should have internet speeds of at least 2 Mbps. However, if you want to watch the video in HD, 3D, or 4K, you will need a much faster connection.

The average range of internet speeds for the different video qualities across the various streaming platforms include:

1.0 – 2.5 Mbps for standard definition content

3.0 – 4.0 Mbps for high-def videos (720p and 1080p)

6.0 – 9.0 Mbps for 3D HD movies

Over 11 Mbps for 4K streaming

Obviously, these are just averages, and certain streaming sites will require more bandwidth and internet speed than others. Your speed will also vary depending on your modem, which allows your computer to interpret online connections

Best Internet Speed for People Who Work From Home 

The type of speed you need for your home office largely depends on the tasks you carry out and the number of people using the WI FI. If you’re by yourself, you can afford slower speeds of about 5 Mbps download, 1 Mbps up. Unless you’re working with high-demand projects like videos and picture editing, an average ethernet connection should handle your workload without too much problem.

Email and Basic Browsing

If your internet connection aims to primarily use email, browse websites, and download files occasionally, you do not need an ultrafast internet connection. In fact, 2 Mbps will be more than enough reliable internet for basic tasks on your web browser.

Standard Quality Video Streaming

If you are streaming short videos regularly, such as those on YouTube and Facebook, you also do not need a very fast internet connection. However, 2 Mbps may not be sufficient, especially if you are using more than one device.

High-Def Videos

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High-definition videos require a lot of Mbps. Thus, if your office regularly watches HD videos via multiple devices or computers, you will need an above-average internet speed of around 10 Mbps. This kind of speed allows you to watch and download HD content without delays.

Video Editing

If your line of work involves huge file downloads and uploads such as video editing and programming, or you have many people using the connection, then consider having speeds of above 10mbps.

What is Internet Throttling?

Internet throttling refers to when providers intentionally slow down internet speeds to regulate network bandwidth traffic and minimize internet bandwidth congestion to reduce the risk of the system crashing (which can lower your speeds). Bandwidth throttling can be very inconvenient because it gives you slow internet, no matter how good your internet plan or access point are.

How to Bypass ISP Throttling

You can bypass ISP throttling by using a VPN service. A good VPN service works by collecting all your information, encrypting it, and sending it through a secure pipeline. Therefore, this data is undetectable to the ISP, ensuring that the ISP does not know what you are up to. As such, they cannot throttle your surfing experience.

The kind of speed you need depends on the kind of activities you do on the internet. It also changes depending on how many connected devices you intend to have. Additionally, your location also plays a role in the kind of speeds you can enjoy as rural areas may suffer from low internet speeds. 

For example, 2 Mbps is about the average speed in many rural places, while urban centers can enjoy faster internet speeds of over 10 Mbps. These are not the only internet speeds you are limited to, as some providers offer gigabit internet service. The gigabit internet service provides you with speeds of up to 1 Gb/s which is the equivalent of 1000 Mbps.