Download speed measures how fast data is able to travel from the Internet into your home network and to your device, whereas upload speed measures the opposite; the speed in which data is able to travel out of your network and to the Internet.
Also read | Internet Speeds Explained: Everything You Need to Know
Here are some common activities you will be performing on a
regular basis but perhaps not know that download and upload speeds are
influencing.
Download:
·
Browsing a webpage on the Internet
·
Downloading copies of files from a cloud-based
storage system to your device
·
Streaming video on Netflix
·
Streaming music from Spotify
·
Updating software to the latest version
·
Checking email and opening attachments
Upload:
·
Attaching files to an email and sending it
·
Uploading files to a cloud-based storage system
such as Dropbox or Google Drive
·
Starting a live video stream on Skype
·
Uploading photos to Instagram or posting on
Facebook
·
Uploading a video to YouTube
When comparing the internet speeds that different ISPs
offer, most people will find the download speed to be more important than the
upload speed as they spend more time downloading information than uploading it.
Some ISPs won’t even advertise the upload speed and only
show the maximum download speeds you can receive based on the location of your
home.
Most broadband packages will offer much faster download
speeds than upload speeds. Notice how the upload speeds I receive are
considerably slower than my download speeds:
My upload speeds are almost five times slower than my
download speeds. If it were to take my 30 minutes to download a file from the
Internet, it would take me almost two and a half hours to upload the same file.
Up until recently, not many people have been too concerned
about upload speeds; they just needed a fast download speed. The popularity of
cloud-based storage solutions such as Google Drive, Dropbox or iCloud has
increased the demand from faster upload speeds as of recently, though.
The faster fiber packages these days will offer
significantly faster upload speeds in addition to faster download speeds.
We are seeing the gap between download and upload speeds
decreasing which is great for those of you looking to use the Internet for
transferring large files.
What Is a GoodInternet Speed?
What you consider to be good or bad Internet speeds really comes down to what you are looking to use your Internet connection for.
Ask yourself the following questions to help you determine
what download and upload speeds will be best for you:
·
Are you using the Internet for business or
pleasure?
·
What are you using the Internet for on an
hourly, daily, or monthly basis?
·
Will you be streaming high-quality video or
downloading high-resolution photos?
·
Will you be casually browsing the Internet and
checking emails?
·
Will you be online gaming?
Opting for a high-speed Internet connection comes with a
host of benefits, including:
·
No loss of speed if you have multiple users
using multiple devices at the same time
·
Lack of buffering when streaming TV shows,
movies or making video calls
·
Less lag when gaming online
That’s not to say you need to subscribe to the fastest
available package; you don’t need much more than 1 Mbps for basic web browsing,
social media, and email, and Netflix recommends just a 5 Mbps connection for
streaming their high definition content.
Here is a helpful chart to provide estimates on the download
speeds you will need to perform certain tasks and activities. This is assuming
you are the only one using the Internet at a time, so if you have multiple
users you will need to account for the extra bandwidth.
Internet Speed Testers
There are several easy-to-use online Internet speed testers
that will give you an idea of your download and upload speeds within seconds.
I have a dedicated article on how to test home network speed
in which we look at what is actually being tested when running a speed test,
how to best prepare your home network for the test, how to perform the speed
test itself, and what to do if the results are not what you expect.
Also read | What should be the upload and download speed
Can You Complain to
Your Provider About Internet Speeds?
You are able to complain to your Internet service provider
if the speeds you are receiving are considerably slower than what they
estimated when you signed up with them. They can give you advice on how to
increase your speeds, but of course, there is a limit to this.
If your Internet speeds aren’t what you expected them to be,
my recommendation would be to perform several speed tests over a period of time.
Record the speeds you are receiving, making a note of the date and time of day that
you are running the tests.
This way you will have a record of the speeds you have
received over time and how long the issue has been persisting for. This will be
a great backup for when you do complain to your ISP rather than just saying “my
Internet is slow”.
Your ISP is more likely to help you if they can see you have
made an effort to monitor the issue and provide some useful data for them.
Be persistent with your ISP. Don’t just assume that it is
your router or modem that is faulty, or that it will magically improve
overnight when it has been an issue for a while. Contact your ISP and be sure
to escalate if you feel you aren’t getting the support you need.
One thing to bear in mind is that most ISPs will advertise
an “up to speed”. This is a disclaimer to say this is the absolute fastest
speed you are capable of receiving, but this may not necessarily be what you
actually receive all of the time.
Non-fiber broadband users have found that the “up to” speeds
can differ quite significantly based on location, whilst these speeds are
generally what around 10% of customers receive.
Many fiber customers have found speeds below the maximum
possible speeds quoted as a result of network capacity, usage, and other
factors.
Keep these “up to” speeds you were quoted when subscribing
to your Internet package in mind when complaining to your ISP.
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