How fast is fast?

How fast is fast?

How much speed do you need? We took a look at popular speed tiers common Internet service providers offer. Here’s what they’re capable of.

True speed isn’t easy to gauge. Several factors can affect how much speed you get at a given time. Some of the more common include:

COMPUTER COMPONENTS | Fiber Internet can’t reach its potential on outdated devices. Low memory, slow processor speeds and computer configurations can bog a network down.

WI-FI STRAIN | Even fast broadband isn’t infinite. The more devices you connect to a network, the less speed there is to go around. Also, those connecting in rooms far from your router won’t get the full effect of network speed. Wireless repeaters can strengthen your signal in more rooms.

BROWSERS | Which browser’s best? Depends on who you ask. Many devices default to Internet Explorer. That platform has improved in recent years. Plenty of users, though, choose alternatives, such as Google Chrome, Opera, and Mozilla. Some browsers are also better for customization and privacy.

What can I do with my speed?

5MBPS | Usually a base offering from providers, this speed will usher you easily from site to site, email to email. Conducting significant downloads or letting many users on the network won’t be so easy.

12MBPS | It’s likely not strong enough to support a family of browsers. A single user who doesn’t game and stream all the time should find browsing, social media and video clips a smooth operation.

24MBPS | Song and videos will download in half the time they would at 12Mbps. At this speed, you should notice an upgrade in sound and video quality, too.

50MBPS | Stream, game, and connect everyone’s device to the network. You could even begin that startup in your basement at this speed. Cloud computing is also within your realm.

75MBPS | This’ll support a startup or family with several users. Symmetrical speed at this tier would be excellent for sending video and audio files.

100MBPS | Video chats, streaming TV, gaming, and other bandwidth-dependent activity becomes virtually buffer-free. It doesn’t matter if you’re using several devices. As a home network, 100Mbps can handle about anything.

Internet speed tests

Your Internet service provider likely has one. So does Google, as well as other independent sources, if you’re skeptical. A typical Internet speed test will measure data speed through a connection. It will account for download and upload speed, download first, usually.

It also takes into account latency, that pause between a request and answer from a server. Turn off access to all other devices when you conduct a speed test, to ensure the most accurate results.