<html><body>
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align:center" id="tag-2"><strong>What are download and upload speed?</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">To measure Internet speed, both paid and free Internet speed tests calculate 3 main specs: ping, download, and upload speeds. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Good Internet speed is the best because it can make or break your online experience. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Every time you do things online from watching Netflix to playing video games, whether you like it or not, you only want as good as Internet speed. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">So, if you're experiencing buffering or lag, it's time we discuss the difference between downloads and uploads. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Let’s see!</p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify" id="tag-9"><strong>Download speed?</strong></h3>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">To define:</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Download speed refers to how many megabits of digital data per second that your network allows retrieving from the Internet. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Digital data can be in various forms such as text, photos, files, and audio. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Some Internet-based activities such as downloading large files, listening to music on Spotify, or streaming videos on Netflix are all download data.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="What is my download speed?" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Why-are-upload-and-download-speeds-different_2.jpg" style="display:block; height:360px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:640px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>What is my download speed?</em></p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify" id="tag-19"><strong>Upload speed?</strong></h3>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Unlike download speed,</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Upload speed refers to how many megabits of digital data per second is delivered from your device to other servers via the Internet. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">These digital data also include text, files, photos, or audio.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Even though downloading data is more popular, some Internet activities require data to move the other way. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">You need quick upload rates to send data to someone else's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Server" rel="Nofollow" target="_blank">server</a> to send emails, play real-time video games, make video calls on Zoom, etc.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="What is my upload speed?" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Why-are-upload-and-download-speeds-different_3.jpg" style="display:block; height:512px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:640px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>What is my upload speed?</em></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Both download and upload rates are measured in megabits per second or Mbps, Mb/s. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">This measures Internet bandwidth or how much data is delivered per second.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Besides, you are able to see other measurements: kbps (kilobits per second), Gbps (gigabits per second).</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">A megabit equals 1,024 kilobits. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">This indicates that 1.0 Mbps is 1,000 times quicker than 1.0 kilobits per second (Kbps). </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Also, 1 Mbps is equal to 1 million times of 1 Gbps. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">In general, you will see Mbps regularly because it is the most suitable unit for the data transfer rate.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align:center" id="tag-38"><strong>Why are upload and download speeds different?</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Firstly, you should take a look at common online activities as well as their classification to have an overview.</p>

<table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:640px"><tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align:center">Common downloading activities</td>
			<td style="text-align:center">Common uploading activities</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
			<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Downloading files</p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Watching streaming videos</p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Playing online gaming</p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Downloading large files </p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Downloading information from a website</p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Watching Netflix movies</p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Online shopping</p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Visit a website</p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">…...</p>
				</li>
			</ul>
</td>
			<td>
			<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Conducting video conferencing, video calls</p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Uploading files</p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Posting a photo to social media</p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Broadcast Livestream</p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Using cloud-service</p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Upload information to a website</p>
				</li>
				<li dir="ltr">
				<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">…..</p>
				</li>
			</ul>
</td>
		</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">From the table above, you can see the difference between the 2 specs clearly. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">As <a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/article/upload-and-download-speed-explained-78" target="_blank">upload and download speed explained</a>, due to the opposite direction, download differs from upload. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Most users spend far more time downloading (including browsing web pages or multimedia files) than uploading. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Even with the same activity, downloading is often more consumed than uploading. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">For instance, If you visit Amazon to buy a hat, your browser is continually downloading photos and text as you explore and adverts that appear alongside your search results. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">In contrast, the only information that has to be uploaded is the information from the links and buttons you click and the search words you look up. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Thus, upload speeds are typically not required to be as fast as download rates.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">As a consequence, you often see that uploading speeds are slightly slower than download speeds. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="Shopping online on Amazon requires more download bandwidth" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Why-are-upload-and-download-speeds-different_4.jpg" style="display:block; height:361px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:500px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center">Shopping online on Amazon requires more download bandwidth</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">This is normal! </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Most high-speed Internet connections like satellite Internet, cable Internet, or DSL tend to provide asymmetric rates and better speed for downloading. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Hence, if your upload speed appears to be slower than your download speed, this is understandable.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Upload speeds for the home network are sometimes one-tenth of your download speed.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, this proportion changes. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">For better or worse, lots of people all over the world must learn and work from home. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">All office setups and equipment are great but Internet connections keep us safely learning, working, and connecting with others.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Indeed, download speeds remain the most significant aspect of our Internet connection.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Despite that, upload speeds are becoming increasingly vital as we continue to adjust to what may be the new normal.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify" id="tag-104"><strong>What are good download and upload speeds? </strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">After understanding the basics of download and upload speeds, let’s check what is called “good” speed!</p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify" id="tag-107"><strong>Download speed</strong></h3>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Refer to the following information:</p>

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">High connection speed: 25 Mbps download speed is called a good rate.</p>
	</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Generally, an Internet provider offers an advertised speed of up to 1000 Mbps.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Typically, conduct a speed test in residential areas, the results are around 150 Mbps. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Speeds from 3 to 25 Mbps are still considered fast download speeds. </p>

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Slow Internet speeds: anything below 3 Mbps download speed.</p>
	</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Dial-up: Dial-Up refers to any connection that is less than 1 Mbps. </p>
	</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">It's nearly non-existent and incapable of supporting streaming, most Internet searches, or any type of online gaming.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="What is a good download speed?" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Why-are-upload-and-download-speeds-different_5.jpg" style="display:block; height:360px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:640px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>What is a good download speed?</em></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/article/what-is-an-acceptable-download-speed-559" target="_blank">What is an acceptable download speed?</a> </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Well, It should be at least 3 Mbps.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">However, the higher the rate is, the better your network connection is. </p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify" id="tag-131"><strong>Upload speed</strong></h3>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">This is the general rule you should apply to know whether your upload speed is good:</p>

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Fast upload speeds: Anything beyond 5 Mbps is considered "high speed" Internet. </p>
	</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Most ISPs (Internet service providers) do not promote their maximum speed since it is not as important as download speeds. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Upload speeds of up to 150 Mbps are possible with some symmetrical carriers, however, this is exceptional. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Anything between 3 and 5 Mbps is considered a typical good upload speed and will not have an impact on your daily life.</p>

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Slow speeds — anything less than 1 Mbps. It is fairly unusual for Internet upload speeds in densely populated places to fall into the Kbps range.</p>
	</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload are good rates" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Why-are-upload-and-download-speeds-different_6.jpg" style="display:block; height:383px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:640px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload are good rates</em></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Using a free <a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/article/download-speed-test-538" target="_blank">download speed test</a>, you can determine your Internet upload speed and gauge your download speed.</p>
</body></html>