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Thoughts On Broadband Speeds The fact that most broadband connections are advertised based on their speeds can be something of a niggle for many people because although the providers would like you to think that download and upload speeds are consistently fast, the truth is that the issue is far more complex. Until recently the standard maximum download speed that most people were told they could achieve in their home was 8Mbps, but with advances in ADSL technology this has been boosted up to 20, 24 and even 50Mbps depending on the service you choose. Regardless of the advertising or predicted line speed, most people will appreciate that sometimes a connection can feel very sluggish. This is usually due to the time of day at which you choose to use your connection, as the world wide web, like the roads, gets clogged with traffic in the peak evening period. However, this is not always the root cause of slow broadband speeds and a number of factors can limit your ability to enjoy the internet at its best. This can sometimes be down to your own equipment, but if you think your provider is not offering you the service you signed up for, you will need to take action and perhaps choose a new firm for your broadband needs. In order to assess the true speed of your broadband connection you will need to carry out a broadband speed test. This is a simple process that does not require any extra software and can be performed in your favourite web browser. There are a number of speed test sites available and to get the most accurate results make sure you choose one that is based in your home nation. A broadband speed test will assess your real time line speed by downloading a file to your PC automatically and recording the speed in Mbps, before reversing this process and uploading a file to the speed test servers to gage your upload speed. Usually this will take a minute or two, depending on the speed of your connection and in some cases you will be provided with more detailed information on the findings of the test, which you can then use for reference or pass on to your provider as evidence of an issue. A broadband speed test can be a useful tool, but only if you use it appropriately. You will need to run the test more than one and perhaps at different periods during the day to assess whether your network provider is living up to its promises or whether it is time to make a change and look for other broadband deals. You will also need to pause or shut down any programs or processes running on your PC that are using your internet connection, as these will have a negative impact upon the results of the speed test and will make it less accurate. This might involve kindly requesting that the other members of your household refrain from downloading or chatting online while you perform the speed test. A good speed test reading should ideally match up to the line speed of which your internet provider claims your connection is capable. If you see a string of consistent discrepancies, something may be awry. |