Choosing the right internet speed is important because you don’t want to face lags and disruptions during your online experience. That being said, how can you choose the right internet speed? We got you covered!
This article will explain how you can choose the right internet speed for your online needs. We’ll cover some important aspects that will illuminate what you need to consider when finding the right internet plan with the right speed. So, let’s get started:
Your Usage
The first thing that you need to evaluate is your usage. You need to know what activities you will be using the internet for. This will help you find the right internet plan, which features the required speed that you need.
For starters, if you’re gaming and streaming at the same time, you need at least 25 Mbps internet dedicated for the purpose. This range can go high if you’re streaming at a higher quality than HD. However, you also need to consider the platform that you’re streaming with. Some platforms don’t allow streaming content more than HD quality.
Apart from this, the average user can be accommodated in a 5-10 Mbps internet plan. This covers general browsing, working from home, streaming on mid-quality on multiple devices, etc.
With this, you need to check out the internet plans that offer the level of tiers you wish to buy. Some internet plans offer additional services such as gateways to ensure that you get ample coverage with your internet connection.
Apart from this, Xfinity internet plans also provide Wi-Fi hotspots that make it easier to use the internet without exhausting the data. You can check out their plans and get one that accommodates your usage.
The Number of Users
Apart from your usage, you need to know the number of users that will be using the internet connection. As highlighted earlier, you need to ensure that the plan you’re getting offers ample speed to accommodate your activities as well as the number of users on the network.
For instance, if you’re a sole user, then you can choose a plan with a speed that will accommodate your needs such as gaming, streaming content in high quality, working, etc. In such a case, you don’t need to bother with the number of users.
However, if more members are using the internet, you’ll also need to know the number of devices that will be using the connection. For instance, you can use the internet on your PC/laptop while using it on your phone as well.
This means that your bandwidth is divided between different devices. Hence, the speed is divided between these as well. Therefore, the greater the number of users and devices, the greater speed you need.
If you think a plan with only 5 Mbps will work for all users that stream Netflix in 4K, then you’re mistaken. You’ll need more than just 5 Mbps to accommodate all users as well as save enough to run a hefty task whenever needed.
The Processes
We highlighted earlier that you need to know the number of users to ensure that the plan you’re choosing accommodates them all. Next, you’ll need to know the number of devices that will be using the connection as well. But the story doesn’t end here.
You’ll need to know what kind of processes these users or devices will be running. It’s as important as knowing the price of the internet plan that you’re getting. Knowing the kind of processes that you’ll be running will help you know the right bandwidth and speed needed for your internet connection.
The following is the general description of the average speed needed for each process:
| Kind of Task | Internet Speed Needed |
| Checking emails, general browsing | 1-5 Mbps |
| HD Streaming | 5-25 Mbps |
| 4K streaming | At least 40 Mbps |
| 4K streaming and gaming | At least 100 Mbps |
These aren’t standard figures and vary based on the abovementioned factors. However, these are enough to illustrate the speed you would need for different processes. With this, you can observe the number of users and come up with the amount of internet speed you need in your internet plan.
For instance, if you’re gaming and streaming, but the stream quality is HD, and 4 other users are consuming it for general browsing, then a plan with 30 Mbps speed is enough. This speed will accommodate all users simultaneously.
Any consumption above the activity levels given above would need more. In other words, if you’re using the internet for even a single extensive task, you’ll need more speed for it.
The Connection Type
Although the type of connection will matter the least since, still, it’s an important factor that you should consider when choosing your internet plan. Fiber optics is the fastest connection type that gives more than 1 Gbps internet speed. The speed tier depends upon the provider that you’re acquiring the connection from.
If you’re choosing anything other than fiber, then you’d need to consider the speed they’re offering. Other connection types include DSL, cable, satellite, etc. Depending upon the type, the speed offered varies since all the types mentioned earlier are slower than fiber.
However, you also need to consider whether fiber is available in your area or not. If not, you’ll have to settle for other connection types amongst which DSL is the fastest. Then again, you’ll need to check with your provider for speed tiers that they’re offering with DSL.
Closing Thoughts
Well, there you go! Using these pointers, you should be able to find the right internet speed for your needs. Make sure that the provider you’re considering offers the speed you want. Apart from that, find out the connection type that your provider is offering and choose your internet plan accordingly.
