Your business internet connection and internet speed is crucial. You may not need the fastest upload and download speeds, but it’s important your internet connection meets your requirements.
If you’re confused about what sort of internet speed is right for your business, take a look at the table lower down the page.
This tool checks your internet speed for downloads and uploads.
About your internet speed checker results
How does the speed checker work?
The speed checker transfers a fixed amount of data between your computer and a server on the internet.
What's the difference between the download and upload speed?
The download speed is how fast your connection can receive information from the internet. The upload speed measures how fast your connection can send data.
Why is my download speed much faster than my upload speed?
Because most people download much more than they upload, many internet connections sacrifice some upload speed for faster downloads.
However, this may not be best for your business, particularly if you send out large files or require a connection that allows people to log in to your company network via the internet. In these cases, consider a connection with faster upload speeds too.
My internet connection is meant to be faster. What's going on?
Broadband suppliers tend to quote connection speeds under ideal conditions, so you may not be able to achieve the maximum speed.
Other factors can affect your connection too - for instance, the internet speed checker will report a lower speed if other people are using your connection at the same time.
What do the download and upload speed figures mean?
The internet speed checker measures your connection speed in kilobits per second (Kbps) and megabits per second (Mbps). 1Mbps is the same as 1,024Kbps.
However, as these figures don't mean much by themselves, we've put this table together to help you understand your results:
| Download speed | Good for... | Typical connection | Time to download a two-hour film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56Kbps | Emergency access | Old-fashioned dial-up | 4 hours |
| 128Kbps | Single computer, occasional use | 3G mobile connection | 2 hours |
| 512Kbps | Single computer, occasional use | 3G mobile connection | 30 mins |
| 1Mbps | Single computer, occasional use | 3G mobile connection | 15 mins |
| 2Mbps | Up to 3 computers (adequate) | Broadband over phone line (slow) |
7 mins |
| 5Mbps | Up to 5 computers | Broadband over phone line (average) |
4 mins |
| 10Mbps | Up to 5 computers | Broadband over phone line (medium) |
3 mins |
| 15Mbps | Up to 10 computers | Broadband over phone line (fast) |
2 mins |
| 20Mbps | Up to 20 computers | Broadband over phone line (very fast) | 1 min |
| 50Mbps | Up to 30 computers | Fast fibre optic | Under a minute |
| 100Mbps | 100+ computers | Super-fast fibre optic | Seconds |
This table is a guide only. The download times shown are based on ideal conditions, and may be slower in the real world.
The best internet connection for your business depends on lots of factors - not just the speed. It's worth checking with an IT supplier to find out what would suit your business best.
You can use this internet speed checker to check your internet speed for any kind of connection, including fibre optic, broadband, cable, dial-up and mobile 3G broadband.
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