<html><body>
<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align:center" id="tag-2"><strong>Download and upload speed explained</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">What does download and upload speed mean? </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/article/why-are-upload-and-download-speeds-different-560" target="_blank">Why are upload and download speeds different</a>?</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">The following part will help you answer these questions.</p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify" id="tag-8"><strong>What is download speed?</strong></h3>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Well, </p>

<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">The download speed refers to the rate at which it can retrieve data from the Internet. </p>
</blockquote>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">The unit of the download speed is Mbps. </p>

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

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="Download speed" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Upload-and-download-speed-explained_2.jpg" style="display:block; height:307px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:500px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>Download speed</em></p>

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

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Meanwhile, </p>

<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Upload speed refers to the rate at which data may be transmitted from your devices to the Internet via your Internet connection. </p>
</blockquote>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">It’s also measured in megabits per second ( Mbps).</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Sending emails, playing live tournament-style videos online gaming &amp; video calling a friend, etc are uploading activities.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">It’s because they require good upload speeds for you to send data to someone else’s server.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">So <a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/article/upload-and-download-speed-explained-78" target="_blank">does streaming use upload or download speed</a></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Streaming activities such as watching Netflix movies, and streaming videos will consume downloading data. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="Upload speed" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Upload-and-download-speed-explained_3.jpg" style="display:block; height:341px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:500px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>Upload speed</em></p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify" id="tag-34"><strong>Difference between download and upload speed</strong></h3>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">The quality of your online experience is greatly impacted by both upload and download speeds, so it's critical to grasp the differences between these two.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Look at this infographic to get more details:</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><img alt="How download and upload speed differ" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/imgs/20231213/why-is-my-download-speed-slower-than-speed-test-11.jpg" style="height:960px; width:720px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>How download and upload speed differ</em></p>

<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align:center" id="tag-42"><strong>Download and upload speed test</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">What is the Internet speed test? </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Let’s get the upload and download speed test explained!</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">The Internet speed test is used to check the speed of your home network based on 3 specifications: download speeds, upload speed, and ping. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">The definition of the first two has been mentioned previously.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Regarding ping, it’s the measure of latency (lag) from your computer to the server and then back to your computer. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">A ping is sent to a server (which contains a packet of information 32 bits long, those are a combination of 32 0's and 1's) then the server sends that back.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="Ping, download, and upload are 3 specs of an Internet speed test " src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Upload-and-download-speed-explained_4.jpg" style="display:block; height:138px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:640px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>Ping, download, and upload are 3 specs of an Internet speed test </em></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">The Internet service you connect to often limits your download and Internet upload speeds based on the plan you pay periodically, local congestion, etc. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">When you feel your Internet performance is so laggy, it is time for you to run the checks to know the current speed of your wired connection, your Wifi. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/" target="_blank">MySpeed</a> may be a good choice for you. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">After running the test, it will show you the statistics measured, and potential problems &amp; suggest you some solutions to tackle them. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">You also can compare the results of specifications with the speed the Internet service provider gives you.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Then, you can know whether the Internet package chosen is worthy or not.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align:center" id="tag-61"><strong>How does the speed test work?</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">The mechanism of a speed test on the Internet is also simple. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">When clicking the “Go” button of the speed check, multiple tasks occur. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Firstly, the Speed test sends a simple signal (a ping) to the server then it responds. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">The test will check the speed of the ping in milliseconds.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="The ping rate is measured in ms (milliseconds)" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Upload-and-download-speed-explained_5.jpg" style="display:block; height:291px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:500px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center">The ping rate is measured in ms (milliseconds)</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">After the ping test is finished, the <a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/article/download-speed-test-538" target="_blank">download speed test</a> starts. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Your computer will attempt to download a small piece of data. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">The function of this activity is to measure 2 things: how long it took to get that piece of data &amp; how much of your Internet data is used to download.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="MySpeed will check your download and upload speeds" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Upload-and-download-speed-explained_6.jpg" style="display:block; height:204px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:640px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>MySpeed will check your download and upload speeds</em></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Finally, the speed checks online test upload speed. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">It’s essentially the same process as the download test but in reverse. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Let’s take MySpeed as an example:</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="MySpeed is easy to use" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/imgs/myspeed%20gift.gif" style="display:block; height:236px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:420px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>MySpeed is easy to use</em></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Instead of pulling data from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Server_(computing)" rel="Nofollow" target="_blank">server</a> to your PC, the test server uploads data from your PC to the server.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align:center" id="tag-87"><strong>What are good download and upload speeds?</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Believe it or not, not all speeds are created equal. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">You need a high-speed Internet connection for streaming video than you do for email, for example. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Therefore, generally, the Internet service provider offers Internet packages that have a download speed higher than the upload speed. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Let’s see what an acceptable download and upload speed are!</p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify" id="tag-93"><strong>What is a good download speed?</strong></h3>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">In general, a download speed of 5 Mbps per person is enough for most basic tasks like email and web surfing.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Have a look at the following pic for more details:</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="Good download speed for some activities" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Upload-and-download-speed-explained_8.jpg" style="display:block; height:1600px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:640px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>Good download speed for some activities</em></p>

<h3 dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify" id="tag-101"><strong>What is a good upload speed?</strong></h3>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Generally, a good upload speed should be at least 10 Mbps.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Unlike download speed, Skype recommends upload rates of 1.2 Mbps or above for HD video calling.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">However, if you frequently use your home network for work, streaming, or online coursework, you'll want much more than this. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Aiming for 25 Mbps is a reasonable benchmark.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">In case you want a high upload speed, you might want to think about switching to a fiber-optic connection if it's offered in your area.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Look at the info below for more details:</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Upload-and-download-speed-explained_9.jpg" style="display:block; height:1600px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:640px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>Good upload speed</em></p>

<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align:center" id="tag-113"><strong>How to get a good download/upload speed result?</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Many factors affect Internet speeds, such as the location, transfer technology, the number of people you share the connection with, etc.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Thus, Internet users need to take notice of some tips below:</p>

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Before running the test, make sure that you turn off all unnecessary tabs, applications, and browsers running</p>
	</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">These can take download data or Internet data to use so that it could make the test not check the good download speed and the result is wrong.</p>

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Try to test several times for the most accurate result</p>
	</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Also, try to avoid testing during peak hour since the fact that many people checking simultaneously can affect your result.</p>

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">VPN (a virtual private network) should also be stopped because it uses its Internet connection, not your real one </p>
	</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Therefore, running the speed check online while turning on the VPN will test the speed of the VPN. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="You’d better stop VPN for a better download/upload speed" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Upload-and-download-speed-explained_10.jpg" style="display:block; height:404px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:640px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>You’d better stop VPN for a better download/upload speed</em></p>

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
	<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Place your router far from the other electronic devices </p>
	</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">In some cases, other electronic devices, especially cordless phones and microwave ovens, can interfere with wifi, influencing wifi signals transfer. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">It will be a good idea for you to move your router near other broadcast devices like Internet-capable stereo receivers and game consoles.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><img alt="Place the router in a proper position" src="http://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/Upload-and-download-speed-explained_11.jpg" style="display:block; height:360px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:640px"></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>Place the router in a proper position</em></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">This will make it easy for you to plug these devices into your router using an ethernet cable.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Then, it’ll improve the quality of your video, music, and game streaming experiences. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Also, it makes the test result more objective and accurate.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align:center" id="tag-145"><strong>Internet providers’ download and upload speeds</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Plans with a higher download than upload speeds are available from several internet providers.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">However. the type of internet provider you require is mostly determined by your online habits and the number of people in your home that use the internet.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Here are our suggestions:</p>

<table class=" table table-bordered"><tbody>
<tr>
<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Provider</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Monthly price</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Download speed</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Upload speed</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">AT&amp;T</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">$55.00 – $180.00</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">10 – 4,700 Mbps</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">10 - 4,700 Mbps</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">CenturyLink</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">$30.00 – $70.00</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">100 – 940 Mbps</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">1 – 940 Mbps</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Xfinity</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">$9.95 – $299.95</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">50 – 6,000 Mbps</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">10 – 6,000 Mbps</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">T-Mobile</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">$50.00</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Up to 245 Mbps</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Up to 245 Mbps</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Spectrum</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">$49.99 – $89.99</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">300 – 1,000 Mbps</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">10 – 35 Mbps</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
</tbody></table>
</body></html>