Peacock TV says you need internet speeds of 3–8Mbps to stream shows and games on its platform, but you’re better off with about 25Mbps of speed for every device streaming at the same time.

I stand by my recommendation whether you’re binging The Office on weekends, catching live games on Sunday Night Football, or letting your kids loose on The Croods franchise.

Check your internet speeds now

The first step in finding out whether your internet is fast enough to stream Peacock is to find out what speeds you’re getting now. Click below to check on your current device and browser.

If you’re planning to stream Peacock from a mobile device, check out our free speed test app for Apple devices or Android devices. When you log in to the app, tap Start Video Test for a recommendation of the resolution your connection can handle.

Peacock TV speed basics

The secret to streaming Peacock is, well, no secret at all. The speeds you need to stream Peacock are the same speeds you need to stream video on any platform.

Understanding some basics will make it all more clear.

The golden rules of streaming

• Most platforms (including Peacock) adjust resolution automatically based on your device and your internet speed
• The more devices streaming at once, the more speed you need
• For streaming live TV or 4K (ultra-high definition), cable or fiber internet will work best

Minimum speeds for Peacock

The official word from Peacock is that you need a minimum speed of 3Mbps to stream in standard definition and a minimum speed of 8Mbps to stream “certain high-quality live events and ultra-high definition premium content,” which is Peacok’s fancy way of saying 4K.

There’s no way to control your Peacock resolution, but you can watch live events with only the Premium option. Here are the two plan options and our speed recommendations for each.

Why do you need a bandwidth buffer for streaming?

You might be wondering why we suggest 25Mbps per device for streaming when Peacock itself says you need just 3Mbps or 8Mbps. It’s a fair question!​​ There are a few reasons.

1. There are probably other devices on your network (or other apps on your device) using your bandwidth at the same time you’re trying to stream. Cell phones, smart appliances, security cameras, and gaming consoles are common culprits.
2. Your actual speeds may be slower than the max speeds on your plan. Slower-than-promised speeds are most common on cable, DSL, and 5G internet.
3. Speeds can degrade between your networking gear (router or gateway) and your device, especially if you are using Wi-Fi and the gear is in another room or on another floor.
4. Older devices can’t handle speeds as fast as what modern internet providers dish out, so your weakest link may be that 12-year-old Samsung TV in your basement or that Roku device you bought in 2017.

What do you need to stream Peacock in 4K Ultra HD?

Peacock TV offers some shows and movies in what it calls 4K Ultra HD, but not all devices are supported, and there’s no official list of 4K programming. There’s also no way to opt out of 4K resolution if the show you choose is available in 4K and your device and internet speed support it.

This setup is a little unusual among streaming platforms. YouTube TV, Netflix, and Disney+ all let you set your resolution manually if you’re trying to save on data or bandwidth.

Even though 4K is hard to come by on Peacock, streaming expert Bill Frost says he loves the service.

Frost agrees with HighSpeedInternet.com that you need a bare minimum of 25Mbps per device to stream Peacock (or any video) without running into problems. He says he had only minimal problems when he had a 25Mbps DSL plan for his home internet, and almost no problems when he had a 100Mbps fiber plan. He now has a gigabit fiber plan, but says he sees virtually no difference in streaming quality since he upgraded.

Get a fiber internet or cable plan to watch in high definition

If you go with my speed recommendation for streaming, you would need speeds of about 75Mbps to take full advantage of your Peacock subscription. That’s because you can watch three streams at one time.

Lucky for you, it’s pretty easy to get a plan with download speeds of at least 75Mbps from cable and fiber internet providers, no matter where you live. You can also get those speeds from 5G home internet.

If you have to rely on satellite or DSL, you may have trouble getting 75Mbps speeds.

Best internet plans for streaming Peacock in high definition

If you’re already paying for streaming services, it makes sense to get the best internet service you can. Below are top options with speeds fast enough to stream Peacock in high-definition.

How to watch Peacock with slow internet

You can watch Peacock with internet that’s slower than our recommendation, but you might run into buffering delays or poor picture quality. If that’s happening to you, try kicking other devices off your Wi-Fi network by logging into your router.

You can also try skipping the Wi-Fi by plugging your TV, console, or PC directly into your gateway or router with an Ethernet cable.

Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to save on data if you have a strict data cap on your internet plan. If you have Peacock Premium with Plus, you can download some shows to watch later, but it won’t help much. The other common way to save on data is to manually downgrade your resolution, but, as mentioned above, that’s not an option with this streaming service.

Best internet plans for budget Peacock viewers

How to adjust video resolution on Peacock

The Peacock Help Center doesn’t list any way to adjust your resolution manually, no matter which streaming device you’re using. But I didn’t stop there. Instead, I checked for options on Chrome and Safari browsers, an Apple TV 4K, a Vizio smart TV and even a Chromecast device from 2020. Sure enough, Peacock just autoplayed without resolution options on every device.

How to troubleshoot problems with Peacock streaming

If you’re having trouble with Peacock or run into that dreaded “something went wrong” screen, try a few standard tricks.

How to troubleshoot Peacock on a computer:

• Close other tabs
• Exit and restart the browser
• Clear your cache
• Switch browsers
• Restart your computer
• Try a different device
• Check your internet connection

How to troubleshoot Peacock on a TV:

• Close and restart the app
• Close other apps
• Close and restart your streaming device or smart TV
• Uninstall and reinstall the app

Simultaneous screens error

You may run into a Peacock screen that says you’ve reached the simultaneous screen limit. It means you or someone with your login is trying to watch on too many screens at the same time. Even though you can have up to six profiles on a single Peacock account, you can watch on only three screens at once.

To solve the problem, close Peacock on every device except the one you’re trying to use at the moment or change your password to stop the moochers in their tracks.

How to choose the best internet and Peacock plan for family viewing

Peacock offers only two plans, Peacock Premium and Peacock Premium with the Plus add-on. With the cheaper plan, you get access to most of Peacock’s library, but you have to suffer through ads. With the Plus add-on, you can skip (most of) the ads and you get perks like live TV and the ability to download shows to watch later.

Many of Peacock’s other features, such as the ability to create multiple profiles and watch in 4K, are the same whether or not you have Plus.

If my household is already paying for Peacock, it makes sense for us to pay the $6 extra per month to skip ads and download shows.

Peacock parental controls

We don’t have young kiddos in the house these days, but we occasionally have younger family and friends visit. For them, we’ve set up a few profiles based on their ages. Here are the standard options for profiles, with allowed ratings per profile:

It’s nice that you can lock the profiles with a 4-digit PIN, but we wish there were more options such as the ability to ban specific shows. It’s yet another example of Peacock’s “what you see is what you get” philosophy.

Can you clear watch history on Peacock?

Imagine a scenario where you accidentally binge watch something a little racy or potentially embarrassing—say, Love Island or The Big D on your preteen’s profile. When you discover your error, of course you want to remove the show from the profile so your kiddo doesn’t see it as a suggestion.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to clear your watch history or to remove a show from the Continue Watching section on Peacock. The only workaround we know is to go to the last episode of the show, fast forward to the end, and let it finish. Sadly, this won’t work on shows that air new episodes.

In other words, be very careful which profile you use on Peacock. And if you really want to watch something that might be embarrassing later, make sure your profile lock PIN is set and secure (or pay for a separate account altogether).

FAQs about Peacock

Plans disclaimers

Internet providers would simply love for you to sign up for their fastest plan available. But let’s get real here, folks: You don’t need Gigabit internet if all you do is check email and post pictures of your latest culinary efforts on social media. Heck, you don’t even need it in a household of five. Gigabit internet and faster is best for running a public web server, transferring large files to and from a remote network, or livestreaming gameplay to Twitch.

So, what’s the difference between megabits and gigabits? Which internet speed is faster than the other? We’ll break down the technical details as simply as possible so you can determine if you need gigabit internet speeds or a slower connection.

Is your current internet speed in the megabit or gigabit range?

Mbps vs. Gbps: What’s the difference?

The difference between megabits per second (Mbps) and gigabits per second (Gbps) is the number of bits (that is, the amount of information) you can send and receive each second.

In the days of dial-up, modem speeds were usually measured in kilobits per second (Kbps), like 28.8k and 56k. Modern-day broadband speeds are now measured in Mbps or Gbps. Here’s how the bits stack up:

• 1,000 bits = 1 kilobit
• 1,000 kilobits = 1 megabit (or 1 million bits)
• 1,000 megabits = 1 gigabit (or 1 billion bits)

Internet speed in Mbps or Gbps doesn’t mean data travels at specific speeds like cars zooming down a freeway—all data on the same type of connection travels at the same speed. Internet speed is more about the amount of data sent along the line in any given second. The higher the bit count per second, the faster you can get things done.

Look at it this way. Imagine your internet connection is a faucet, and your provider cranks down on the knob. The water (data) trickles in a thin stream (1Mbps) into your sink. When your sink finally fills, you swear an entire decade has passed. That’s your slow-as-snails internet connection.

Now your provider has turned up the knob, and your data flows like a waterfall (1,000Mbps). You’re using the same faucet, only the sink fills up faster with more water (data) going in, so you’ve only aged a few seconds versus ten long, agonizing years. That translates to a fast internet connection.

Your need for gigabit internet speeds squarely depends on what you do online and how many devices you have accessing the internet at one time.

For now, Gigabit internet is probably overkill for most homes because the chances of having five family members streaming Netflix in 4K to their devices simultaneously—which adds up to only a recommended speed of 125Mbps anyway—is rare at best. You definitely don’t need Gigabit internet if all you do is check email and browse the internet.

If anything, Gigabit internet is nice to have if you need to download large files fast, like full digital games and their chunky updates. The type of internet connection matters, too, as livestreamers get more upload bandwidth using fiber than they do with cable internet.

Here are some online activities where you won’t notice much of a difference with Gigabit internet and some where you will.

Streaming video

Streaming high-resolution video is one of the most bandwidth-intensive things you can do online. If you have people streaming on multiple devices in your home, the speed requirements can add up fast. Take a look:

To help, video services like Netflix and Hulu have a lot of tricks for keeping your viewing experience smooth, such as preloading (buffering) video in the background and lowering the video quality if your connection can’t handle the load. But even Netflix can’t help much if too many people try to stream at the same time.

Theoretically, Gigabit internet has enough bandwidth for 20 people to stream 4K content at the same time—and use only half of the available bandwidth. This is why Gigabit internet is overkill for most homes until 8K content streaming becomes the norm.

If you want to know the nitty-gritty details of speed requirements for video services, see how much speed you need to stream video.

Video chat

Video chat requires a decent amount of speed, just like streaming any video (though you can get by with less if you don’t mind lower quality). The big difference is that while Netflix needs a fast download speed, video chat needs both its upload and download speeds to be fast. This is where the type of connection becomes more important.

Gigabit cable internet has enough upload speed for a stable video call, but a Gigabit fiber connection runs at gigabit speeds both ways. This makes it ideal for video chat like Zoom and Skype, as well as livestreaming on sites like Twitch.

If you want to find out more, check out what makes a good download and upload speed.

Gaming online

Gaming online doesn’t require a lot of bandwidth. Speed is still important for having your game play smoothly, but it’s latency, rather than bandwidth, that really impacts your experiece. The higher your latency, the more lag you will experience when playing. Most gigabit connections (especially fiber) have really low latency—but you can often get the low-latency connection you need for online games without splurging on the fastest plan available.

Streaming games

Game streaming is different from online gaming. Services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Amazon Luna stream games to your devices from the cloud, similar to how movies and TV shows stream from Netflix and Hulu. However, because games are interactive, you need good download and upload speeds for smooth gameplay.

Xbox Cloud Gaming, for instance, requires a constant download speed of at least 10Mbps on smartphones and 20Mbps on tablets, consoles, and computers. That’s less than what you need to stream Netflix on 4K, but you’ll probably see issues on a 100Mbps connection if other household members are using the internet, too.

To find out more about Gigabit internet, check out the consumer’s guide to internet speed.

Which providers offer Gigabit internet and faster?

“Gigabit” internet plans are 940Mbps or 1,000Mbps, depending on the provider and the hardware they use. Nearly all cable and fiber internet providers offer gigabit speeds.

There’s no official name for speeds between 1,001–1,999Mbps (Intel calls it Gig+), although these speeds are generally associated with multi-gig internet. For now, the fastest cable internet plan you can get today is 1,500Mbps and upload speeds typically reach up to 50Mbps.

The fastest fiber internet plan you can get is 10,000Mbps, but some major internet providers like GFiber and Optimum only top out at 8,000Mbps for now—AT&T at 5,000Mbps. Fiber connections generally have identical download and upload speeds, although we’ve seen a few instances where providers are still working to match their upload speeds with their downloads.

Plans up to 1,000Mbps

Bits vs. Bytes: What’s the difference?

Although internet speed is generally measured in bits per second, you might also see terms like “megabytes” and “gigabytes.” Bits and bytes are both units of data, but they’re used in different circumstances.

• 1 bit = a single unit of data that is either a “1” or a “0”
• 1 byte = 8 bits

The term “bit” is typically associated with hardware and software. For instance, a 64-bit processor can handle a single data unit containing 64 bits. The term “byte” is typically associated with file size and storage because 100GB is easier to remember and shorter to write than 800,000Mb.

The bottom line is:

• Internet speed is measured in bits: megabits (Mb) and gigabits (Gb)
• Storage and file size are measured in bytes: megabytes (MB) and gigabytes (GB).

Note the use of the lower-case “b” for speed and the upper-case “B” for size.

If you want to know more, check out our article on the difference between bits and bytes.

How to convert between Mbps and Gbps

Because data rates are metric, converting between data rates is pretty easy. To move from one metric prefix to the next, you multiply or divide by 1,000. In other words, you just have to add or remove three zeros at the end of the number (or shift the decimal point by three places).

For example, to find how fast a 1,200Mbps internet connection is in kbps, you would multiply by 1,000:

1,200 × 1,000 = 1,200,000kbps

To convert this same speed to gigabits per second, you would divide by 1,000:

1,200 ÷ 1,000 = 1.2Gbps

You don’t normally have to convert between bits and bytes (unless you’re trying to manually estimate how long a download would take), but to do so, just multiply the number of bytes by eight or divide the number of bytes by eight.

150MB × 8 = 1,200Mb

1,200Mb ÷ 8 = 150MB

The verdict: Gigabit internet is overkill for most homes

You don’t need a gigabit connection if all you do is surf the internet, check your email, and stream low-quality music. Gigabit plans aren’t exactly cheap, so there’s no need for the added expense if you’ll never utilize the boost in speed.

Consider your online activities before taking the gigabit plunge. Livestreaming and lossless audio streaming require a wider data pipeline than watching cat videos on YouTube. Knowing the difference between megabits and gigabits is a great tool for gauging what you need against all the hype surrounding gigabit connectivity—now that you know, you can pay for gigabit internet only if you truly need it.

Related content

• Cable vs. Fiber: Which Internet Type Is Right for You?
• Ethernet vs. Wi-Fi: Is It Really Better to Go Wireless?
• Is My Wi-Fi Slow Because of My Router or My ISP?
• What Is a Good Download and Upload Speed?
• How to Choose an Internet Service Provider

FAQ about Gigabit internet

An internet speed of 100Mbps is the equivalent of four devices streaming 4K content simultaneously. It’s also the bare minimum download speed for broadband internet as defined by the Federal Communications Commission.

Whether or not 100Mbps is “fast” depends squarely on your internet needs. The more devices you tack onto your home network, whether they’re active or passive, the more bandwidth you need. Speed is now more about supporting all the devices that access a single internet connection, not the number of people using them.

See below for tips on how broadband internet speed works and what internet speed you need.

What is a good internet speed?

Speed requirements taken from HighSpeedInternet.com’s How Much Internet Speed Do I Need? guidelines.

A good internet speed is about 100–200Mbps. That’s enough bandwidth to let you stream videos, play games online, and participate in video chat meetings on a range of devices. And it will promise fast internet even when there are several people on your Wi-Fi.

Granted, you won’t always need internet that fast, especially if you mostly go online to check email, read headlines, and do a bit of streaming in HD. The Federal Communications Commission defines broadband internet as anything that can achieve a minimum of 100Mbps download speeds and 20Mbps upload speeds—which is more speed than most low-key internet surfers will use.

On the other hand, 100–200Mbps is hardly the max connection speed you can get from an internet package. These days the fastest internet plans frequently top out at 1,000Mbps. Xfinity even has a fiber plan that delivers 6,000Mbps download speeds, which is not necessary for most people (and is  ridiculously expensive).

Still, plans in the range of 500–1,000Mbps are useful if you live with a lot of people and everyone is on the internet at the same time. You’ll require a ton more bandwidth as you have more users doing speed-intensive stuff like streaming movies, playing online games, and/or making calls on video-chat apps.

Is 100Mbps fast enough for you?

*We calculated these download speeds using the download calculator from OmniCalculator.com.

A connection speed of 100Mbps will be fast enough for you to download small files quickly, stream movies in HD, play online games on a handful of devices, and operate a few smart-home devices.

But 100Mbps won’t be fast enough if you live in a large household and a lot of people are using your Wi-Fi to do high-bandwidth activities at the same time. Also, 100Mbps speeds will require longer wait times to download large files.

To make sure your internet speeds are fast enough, consider ordering an internet package that sets aside 25Mbps for each person living in your household. If you’re living alone, then 25Mbps may be enough. But if you’re living with three others, then 100Mbps will be right on the money. However, any more roommates than that and you may want to upgrade to 200Mbps, 500Mbps, or even 1,000Mbps speeds, depending on what you use your internet for.

What you can do with 100Mbps:

• Stream 4K video on four devices
• Play multiplayer games online with two or three devices
• Run three to five smart-home devices
• Participate in group Zoom meetings with HD video switched on

What you can do with speeds faster than 100Mbps:

• Stream 4K video on half a dozen devices or more
• Play multiplayer games online with four to ten devices
• Run five or more smart-home devices
• Participate in group Zoom meetings while three or four housemates also do any of these activities

What’s the best 100Mbps internet plan?

Plenty of internet service providers have 100Mbps plans, or plans that hit speeds in the ballpark of 100Mbps. We like T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet plan because it’s cheap and runs over a fast 5G connection, which means you’ll have solid speeds and performance. T-Mobile has top-tier price and customer service ratings and it folds the usual extra prices (for equipment and installation) into the overall bill, so you’re getting a straight deal.

What’s the best router for fast internet?

The best router for fast internet is the TP-Link Archer AX11000. It’s a supercharged, tri-band Wi-Fi 6 router packing eight Gigabit Ethernet ports, multigig internet support, 12 streams, and loads of extras like free security and parental controls. It offers great W-Fi speeds at a great price that just can’t be beat.

If you don’t have a multigig connection (1.1Gbps+), don’t fret—any router with a Gigabit Ethernet internet port will do. We suggest going with a Wi-Fi 6 router since it’s newer, supports more devices, faster speeds, and better data management. But there are still plenty of great Wi-Fi 5 routers you can get.

For more router recommendations, check out these lists:

• Best Gigabit Routers for Superfast Wi-Fi
• Best Long-Range Routers for Extended Wi-Fi
• Best Routers for Gaming
• Best Routers for Streaming

Amazon.com Price (as of 12/19/25 10:15 MST). See full disclaimer.

What are the fastest internet providers?

Based on results from millions of internet customers who’ve used our speed test, GFiber (formerly Google Fiber) has the fastest internet speeds in America. Although GFiber’s fastest-possible plans hit much higher speeds, the average customer gets upload and download speeds of around 167.1Mbps.

Verizon Fios, Xfinity, and Astound all come in close behind GFiber. Customers of these providers get average download speeds of well over 100Mbps—and they each sell internet packages with much faster, gigabit speeds. These speed test results suggest that 100Mbps (or slightly faster) is a solid speed for most internet users nationwide.

How does internet speed work?

Internet speed is commonly measured in terms of megabits per second, or Mbps.

A “bit” is the smallest unit of data in digital networking, equal to a single 1 or 0 in binary code. Websites, emails, videos, and other online things typically travel over an internet connection in large packets of bits—and a megabit equals one million individual bits.

Most internet connections typically fall in the range of 1–1,000Mbps, making Mbps the most common measurement you’ll see advertised by internet service providers (ISP). But there’s a pretty wide gulf between 1Mbps (really slow) and 1,000Mbps (way fast).

You may notice some other terms too:

• Kilobits per second, or kbps.

These are the slowest internet speeds possible, covering everything under 1Mbps. You’ll see kbps only in reference to the slowest DSL connections and older systems like dial-up.

• Gigabits per second, or Gbps.

These are extremely fast speeds, covering 1,000Mbps and up. The fastest internet plans, which run over cable and fiber networks, usually top out at 1Gbps. Internet experts often refer to 1,000Mbps–plus speeds as “gigabit internet.”

What’s the difference between upload and download speeds?

Upload and download speeds refer to different types of internet activities you do and how fast you can do them.

A download is data you receive from the internet, while an upload is data you send to the internet. Here’s a quick breakdown of examples:

Downloads

• Reading articles on news websites
• Downloading files from the cloud
• Streaming movies from Netflix

Uploads

• Posting on social media
• Uploading files to the cloud
• Sharing your screen over Zoom

In almost all cases, download speeds are a lot faster than upload speeds. Most of what we do online involves downloading data, so cable, DSL, and satellite internet providers have put a lot more effort into boosting download speeds while upload speeds have straggled far behind. Sometimes your upload speed could be as much as 10 times slower than your download speed.

The one exception is with fiber internet service providers like AT&T and GFiber , which deliver symmetrical speeds. That means your upload speed will be just as fast as your download speed, making it an ideal choice if you depend heavily on using things like Google Drive and Zoom, post a lot of stuff on TikTok and YouTube, or frequently host livestreams.

What is a good download speed?

Anything in the range of 100–200Mbps is a good download speed.

A slower download speed than 100Mbps can still be good. But a faster speed might be necessary if you live with a lot of people and everyone frequently uses the internet on multiple devices all at once—a common occurrence in this day and age.

What is a good upload speed?

A good upload speed is 5Mbps or faster.

Since most of what we do online involves downloading data, you don’t need to worry too much about whether you have adequate upload speeds. Many DSL internet plans give you a max of just 1.5Mbps for uploads, which is enough to support activities like Zoom group calls with your video switched on.

However, consider upgrading your upload speed if you struggle with long loading times or disconnections while you’re uploading files, attending a Zoom meeting, or hosting a livestream. You can also switch to a fiber package, if it’s available, which will give your uploads a Superman–style speed boost.

You can see what kinds of speeds internet providers offer in your area by searching with your zip code below.

Is 100Mbps good for gaming?

Yes, 100Mbps is a solid speed for gaming online. But you may need faster speeds depending on how often you play and what else you do online between runs on games like Fortnite and Overwatch.

A lot of games you can play online still work well even when you have relatively slow internet speeds. But having a plan that’s 100Mbps or faster leaves enough bandwidth for downloading big video game files, chatting on gamer-friendly apps like Discord, and doing other tasks while you’re playing games.

Gaming and latency

*Data from the Federal Communications Commission’s “Ninth Measuring Broadband America Fixed Broadband Report.”

While speed is important for online gamers, low latency is also central to having a good gaming experience.

Latency refers to the slight delay (measured in milliseconds) when a signal is sent back and forth between a device to the network’s servers. Higher rates of latency lead to lag, which will cause headaches in fast-paced games like Call of Duty or Halo, slowing your controller’s response time as you fire weapons and maneuver your player.

Having a faster internet speed also often correlates to lower latency, but the best way to really reduce your latency is to get a fiber internet plan. A fiber-optic connection reduces the amount of interference you can get over a connection, bringing down your latency significantly.

FAQ about 100Mbps speeds

Plans disclaimers

Any tech labeled as a “gaming” product is going to be fast, powerful, shiny, and comparatively expensive. But what about when it comes to internet? Video games might require a fast CPU, a fancy graphics card, and tons of RAM, but they don’t actually require a lot of download speed. You might be surprised to learn that all you really need is a 5Mbps connection or faster, even for the latest consoles.

This doesn’t mean that any old internet connection is good for online games. What you really need is a connection with low latency, as no amount of speed will eliminate laggy gameplay if your latency ranges into hundreds of milliseconds.

Latency doesn’t get nearly as much attention in internet ads as download speed, which can make finding a good plan for online gaming more difficult. We’ve boiled down the most important points so you know exactly what kind of connection you need to get the most out of your online gameplay.

Our recommended connections for gaming online

Although many providers will advertise certain plans as being better for playing online games, the biggest factor is usually the underlying technology connecting you to the game servers. Regardless of your provider, you’re going to want a stable, responsive connection. These are the connections we recommend, if you have access to them in your area:

Fiber internet from providers like AT&T , GFiber , and Verizon Home Internet is the best connection for playing games online. It has symmetrical speeds—great for livestreaming—and super-low latency.

Cable internet from Spectrum, Xfinity, and similar providers comes in at a close second. Go with cable before any other internet connection if fiber isn’t available to you.

DSL internet is your next best option if you can’t get fiber or cable. It uses telephone lines and generally introduces more latency, but is better for gaming than wireless connections.

Don’t have access to wired internet? 5G Home Internet is your next best option. It’s a new fixed wireless service boasting lower latency than any other wireless connection. The fastest plan you can get right now is 1,000Mbps, although the technology is capable of higher speeds.

Your carrier’s 5G mobile service would be your backup connection if 5G Home Internet isn’t available to you. The top speed is also 1,000Mbps, but your average real-world speed may be around 200Mbps if you’re lucky.

Finally, 4G and 4G LTE connections (mobile and fixed wireless) generally have much more lag than wired connections but are capable of reaching our recommended latency of below 100 ms.

So how much speed do you need for online gaming?

Games and game systems often don’t give specific recommendations since the actual speed requirements are so low. In fact, very little information passes between games like Halo Infinite and Fortnite and their remote servers.

How is it that today’s cutting-edge videogames can get by on such meager connections when other forms of media require ever increasing amounts of bandwidth to offer viewers the latest entertainment experience? It’s because most of the heavy lifting is done by your own computer or console. If you’re watching a Netflix movie in 4K resolution, Netflix has to send a constant stream of high-resolution images from its servers to your screen. If you’re playing Overwatch, you just have to pass a few numbers back and forth between your home and Blizzard’s servers and your console’s processor handles the job of handling input, calculating the game’s physics, and displaying everything correctly on screen.

Here’s what both sides exchange during the session:

• Keyboard input
• Mouse input
• Controller input
• Player location (you and everyone else)
• The current world state
• Player communication
• Server notifications (like in-game announcements)

Out of the items on the list, player location can introduce slowdowns, especially in massively multiplayer online (MMO) games. These games can have more real on-screen players than the typical online gaming scenario, causing frame rate drops and “teleporting” players.

As the list implies, communications between you and the remote server travel along a two-way street. Games are interactive, so you need some upload speed to keep you in the game. Even a poor connection can usually meet your gaming needs, which is why upload speed often takes a backseat to more important factors.

Here are the minimum speed requirements across most gaming platforms:

You can play games online as long as your internet connection meets these requirements. But if you want a consistent online experience, you need a slightly better connection.

Here’s what we recommend to play a single game online:

Now let’s look at why latency is also an important issue when playing games online.

What is Latency in Gaming

Latency can be downright evil. Latency can make the greatest gamer on the planet feel like a sloth at the controls. Chances are, you already know exactly what latency does to your elite skills. But if you’re new to the game, here’s why latency can be bad news.

So, what is latency exactly? Picture a racquetball bouncing off a wall—how long does that ball take to come back to you?

To answer this question, the ping utility throws a ball of data at a specific destination and records how long the data takes to bounce back. In other words, it pings the server. A low duration is good. A high duration causes delays in your gameplay. Not cool.

For example, you move a mouse and your game reports that movement to a remote server. The server acknowledges the movement and sends a response showing your movements along with all the other player movements. Your game renders the response, but because your latency is high, your movement appears delayed compared to the other players.

Latency is also referred to as ping rate. A low ping rate is good. A high ping rate is bad.

Factors that impact latency

Several factors impact latency. Here are a few:

Physical distance

Games with co-op and competitive multiplayer modes use regional servers because geolocation does matter, even if a server is just a few states away.

So, why does geolocation matter? Because your gaming data moves through multiple “hops” as it travels between you and the server. The more hops your data must traverse, the longer its journey takes—which translates to higher latency. Traffic congestion between you and the remote server can cause a slowdown, too, delaying your controller input.

Connection type

Some internet connections inherently have more latency than others.

For example, satellite internet has the highest latency because wireless transmissions travel up into space and back to reach a remote server. Insulated cable connections have lower latency than uninsulated phone lines, while fiber optic cables have lower latency than both.

Keep in mind that the speed at which your game and the remote server exchange data is different from your download speed. A movie downloads at a slower rate over a 5Mbps DSL connection than it does over a 50Mbps satellite connection.

But when you play games online, the DSL connection is much more responsive than satellite because the gaming data doesn’t launch into space and back. The high latency of the satellite connection causes so much lag that most fast-paced games aren’t even playable online.

How to reduce latency

If high latency causes lag when you play games online, you can take a few steps to help reduce latency and keep your online gameplay responsive and victorious.

Don’t use Wi-Fi if you can avoid it

Wi-Fi is convenient but finicky. It adds an extra translation step between your gaming devices and your internet connection, so there’s a bit more delay in your connection. Plus, you have all these other factors that can make Wi-Fi less than ideal for gameplay: radio noise, fluctuating speeds, local network congestion, your distance from the router—sometimes you’ll think the evil Wi-Fi wants you to lose.

To bypass all the wireless chaos, use an Ethernet cable to connect your gaming device to your router. You won’t see the latencies associated with Wi-Fi or the dramatic speed fluctuations, making your connection that much more responsive.

With the Nintendo Switch, we recommend you dock it and use a USB-based Ethernet adapter to connect it to your network. The Nintendo-approved Dual USB Playstand works with the Switch and Switch Lite.

You can use a similar adapter on a notebook or desktop that doesn’t have an Ethernet port.

If you absolutely positively must use Wi-Fi

Connect your wireless device to the 5 GHz band. In fact, use the higher, less used channels (149–161) if you can because everyone in your neighborhood is likely saturating the lower ones (36–48) right this moment. Also, use an 80 MHz channel width too, if possible—don’t bother with a 160 MHz wide channel unless you live far, far away from radar.

Use the 6 GHz band if it’s available to you and your gaming device supports it.

In both cases, be sure to stay close to your Wi-Fi router—within 30 feet or so, depending on the router. Also, keep a clear line of sight to the router with as few obstructions as possible for a better connection.

Power cycle network devices

You can power cycle your router and modem to improve their performance. Since very small differences in latency can make a big impact on your gameplay, it’s worth restarting your equipment.

To power cycle, press the Power button or unplug your modem or wireless gateway. After that, wait 30 seconds and then plug it back in. Do the same with a standalone router when your modem comes back online.

Update drivers and firmware

Hardware manufacturers release updates to improve device performance. Updates typically include security fixes, code optimizations, improved device compatibility, and increased stability. You should always keep your firmware and drivers current to prevent issues that can slam the brakes on your internet connection. Be sure to do the following:

• Update your computer’s drivers and operating system, especially the graphics drivers
• Update your console’s operating system
• Update the firmware for all controllers and peripherals
• Update your router’s firmware

Turn off unnecessary applications and devices

If your connection still struggles while you play games online, try to reduce the amount of traffic on your home network. Make sure someone isn’t streaming 4K video in another room when you’re about to start a new match.

You can also turn off smart devices and pause software and OS updates, so they don’t bog down your network while you play. Just remember to reactivate everything when you’re done.

Use the closest server

Distance is one of the biggest factors in latency. Even if every device on your connection runs at peak efficiency, it still takes time for a signal to travel to a remote location and back.

Games almost always connect you to the nearest server, but if you experience unexplained latency issues, double-check that you’re not connected to the European server if you play in North America. You may need to switch servers if the current one has issues causing lag.

Some gaming routers include tools that can filter out servers with a high ping. For example, NETGEAR’S Nighthawk XR1000 and Nighthawk XR500 routers have the Geo-Filter utility that filters out game servers based on location and ping.

Use port forwarding

Game networks like Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network encourage you to assign “static” IP addresses to your gaming devices and route incoming and outgoing traffic to those addresses. While routers typically assign dynamic addresses to your devices which change over time, a static address never changes.

When you assign a static IP address, you can tell the router to forward data to that address through specific ports. A port is merely a “dock” that handles a specific type of “ship” (data) arriving to and leaving from your router. Gaming networks typically send and receive internet data through specific ports.

To create a static IP address and open ports to that address, you must make the changes in your router or wireless gateway. Port forwarding works with any device—not just gaming consoles.

Use Quality of Service (QoS) controls if available

You may be able to adjust the QoS settings in your router or wireless gateway to allocate more bandwidth to your gaming devices. The router will consider this traffic as “critical” and will prioritize your gaming data over other applications, like Netflix and YouTube. Many routers include a gaming QoS mode you can assign to specific devices on your network.

On some routers, you can only establish one specific bandwidth amount and list the devices that can use that bandwidth. There are no means to prioritize specific traffic, like gaming or streaming.

Avoid peak hours

You may see a slowdown during peak hours when everyone in your home accesses the internet at the same time. Plus, a router is limited to how many wireless devices it can handle simultaneously before slowdowns occur. This heavy load is why we always suggest a router with four or more streams to better handle busy homes.

Peak hours are also associated with cable internet, but it’s no longer the case now that providers like Spectrum and Xfinity use fiber as their network backbone. Rural areas that are still 100% cable may continue to experience peak hour slowdowns, however.

We suggest that you play games later in the evening, or upgrade your router if it has less than four streams.

Check your connections

A slow or bad Ethernet cable can lead to gaming lag woes, whether it’s the cable connecting your router to your modem or fiber ONT, or the one tethering your wired gaming device to the network. Be sure that you have the right Ethernet cable for your plan—you don’t want a CAT 5 cable if your internet connection is faster than 100Mbps.

Also, check your modem’s internet connection, as a loose cable will cause lag-inducing instability.

Other factors to consider for gaming online

Online gameplay pushes the limits of your internet connection more than any other internet activity, but it’s not the only way games put a strain on your connection. We’ll go over more about other things you should consider, like downloads and livestreaming.

Downloads

Many modern games take up a lot of storage space on your computer or console. Game downloads from online distributors like Steam or the Microsoft Store can take a long time. They can also eat through monthly data caps in no time flat.

Game updates can be data hogs too. For example, Bethesda’s Atlantic City—Boardwalk Paradise update for Fallout 76 weighs a hefty 28.3GB when you download it on the Xbox consoles and 36.8GB when you get it through Steam. It’s a smaller update than The Pitt, but it’s still a sizable download.

Latency should still be your number one priority when you shop for internet, but a plan with unlimited data saves you a lot of headaches. Fast download speeds also help with those big new games. After all, extremely long download times on Day One aren’t much fun.

Livestreaming

Your internet needs become a bit more complicated if you stream games to Twitch or YouTube. Streaming has all the normal requirements for a low-latency connection for playing games online, plus the additional upload speed you need to keep a steady bitrate on your livestream.

For more information on what to look for in an internet connection for livestreaming, check out our guide to internet speed for live video game streaming. We also provide a guide on how to stream on Twitch that offers all the information you need.

Game streaming

From the cloud

Game streaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming have servers dedicated to creating and streaming virtual machines (VMs) to your devices. Games install and play on these VMs in the cloud, eliminating all the hardware bottlenecks that prevent games from running at their highest quality on the devices you own.

In other words, you don’t need a $4,000 desktop or the latest console to play high-end games you can stream from the cloud. Instead, all you need is a browser or an app, depending on the platform, and a good Wi-Fi connection.

But there’s a dark, evil downside. Remote servers render these games and then stream them in HD to 4K resolution across the internet. And because these experiences are interactive and not passive (like Netflix and Hulu), input latency can be problematic.

To play these services without any major issues, you need a good internet connection. Here are the internet speed requirements for the three major game streaming services:

From a local device

You can also stream games directly from a game console or gaming PC to a compatible app or web browser, whether you’re on the local network or not. The internet speed requirements are mostly the same, but we highly suggest you connect your console or gaming PC to your network using a wired connection to give you the best performance when playing them remotely.

Note that Microsoft suggests an upload speed of at least 4.5Mbps for Xbox Remote Play. An upload speed of 9Mbps or more is ideal.

What about Steam Remote Play Together?

Steam Remote Play Together allows one Steam gamer to run a purchased multiplayer game locally on a PC and then invite four or more Steam friends to play remotely from outside the local network. It’s optimized to stream games to four other players at 1080p and 60 frames per second, so Valve suggests a connection of 10–30Mbps at the least.

A note about online games vs. playing games online

We spend a lot of time discussing games you can play online, which are games that target the single-player experience first and include secondary multiplayer components. These games include Doom Eternal, Pokemon Sapphire and Violet, Far Cry 6, and Halo Infinite. They can experience latency when you play them in co-op and multiplayer modes, especially when more than a few players move across the screen.

Online games, however, can be highly susceptible to latency. These include The Elder Scrolls Online, World of Warcraft, Destiny 2, and similar MMOs. The player count is typically high, which means both the server and the client (your game) must keep track of every player. This can be a huge processing load even if you have the best connection available. Your frame rate may drop, and your input may feel slow.

The bottom line: keep your latency low

You don’t need a lot of speed to play games online. If anything, you need a decent upload speed to livestream your gameplay on Twitch or YouTube.

Your biggest concern is latency. You can have the fastest internet plan on the planet, but a high latency feels like you’re running through mud and makes the game unplayable online. No one wants to sit at the bottom of the scoreboard because mouse clicks and button presses become unresponsive.

We list the best internet providers for gaming based on latency to help you decide what’s best for your online gameplay needs. But you should also consider all your other non-gaming devices and online activities before you select a plan, like downloads, streaming services, at-home office work, schoolwork, and so on.

That said, we recommend one of the best gaming routers—paired with a great internet provider—to balance that load and keep your online gameplay lag-free.

Related content

• The Best Internet for Gaming
• Best Internet for VR Gaming and Streaming
• Gaming on Satellite Internet
• How To Make Your Internet Better for Gaming

The terms “speed” and “bandwidth” are often used interchangeably, but they’re technically different. “Bandwidth” is the set limit of data that flows across a wired or wireless medium, while “speed” is more about how fast you can download or upload a file from start to finish. But for simplicity’s sake, internet providers always use “speed” to describe a plan’s total bandwidth.

Keep reading for a clear breakdown of the differences between internet speed and internet bandwidth—and for recommendations on internet providers with the best bandwidth for your dollar.

There’s a quick and easy way to figure out your internet speed—run a speed test! This gives you a precise reading of your current download speed, upload speed, and latency.

Download our speed-test app below to run speed tests anywhere while on your mobile phone.

Explaining internet bandwidth vs. speed—the bucket analogy

The best way to explain the difference between speed and bandwidth is to use the bucket analogy.

First, picture bandwidth as a water pipe. We’ll use a wide one for fiber, a medium-sized one for cable, and a narrow one for DSL. Underneath each pipe is a huge bucket—this is your device, ready to download.

Now picture internet data as a flow of digital water, which travels at one specific speed down the pipe. An internet provider can reduce the amount of water you receive, resulting in a trickle of water no matter what pipe you use. At this rate, the bucket takes forever and a day to fill. This example represents a slow download speed, like 50 megabits per second (Mbps).

But if the internet provider increases the water to its maximum flow, the pipe determines how fast your bucket fills up with water. So, the widest pipe (fiber) fills your bucket faster than the narrowest one (DSL).

Of course, there are issues that can prevent you from filling that bucket at the rate you expect. A clogged line or a faulty pipe can reduce the flow—you name it. Similar problems apply to an internet connection, reducing your speed.

Bottom line—Bandwidth determines your speed

Internet providers advertise bandwidth as speed. A fiber connection with a 5,000Mbps bandwidth allows a single device to download a large file faster than a connection with a 140Mbps bandwidth. The more bandwidth you have, the more devices you can use simultaneously on a single internet connection.

Why are speed and bandwidth important?

Internet speed and bandwidth are important because they set the parameters for what you can do online.

Having faster speeds and higher bandwidth means you can do more online with ease, vastly reducing the chance of buffering, long load times, and other connection issues. This makes gaming, streaming, and other online activities a whole lot easier.

High bandwidth also facilitates multitasking on multiple Wi-Fi devices. It means you can efficiently support a lot of users and devices at the same time while maintaining consistent speeds and performance.

What you get with higher internet bandwidth/speeds

• Shorter load times and less buffering
• Consistent speeds across multiple internet-connected devices
• Smoother connection when streaming and playing online games

What you get with lower internet bandwidth/speeds

• Longer load times and more buffering
• Clunkier streaming, especially in HD or 4K video resolution
• Higher likelihood of speed slowdowns when multiple Wi-Fi devices are in use

How can you measure your internet speed and bandwidth?

When you sign up for an internet plan, your provider gives you a max speed that your plan can hit. That’s your bandwidth. It represents what you can accomplish when your Wi-Fi is firing on all cylinders.

Speed test results aren’t static the same way bandwidth is—the numbers tend to vary day to day based on a range of factors, including your internet connection type, your router, the number of people on your Wi-Fi, and even the location of your router in your home.

Which types of internet have the most bandwidth?

The type of internet you have plays a central role in determining the amount of bandwidth you can get from your internet plan. Different types of internet providers have certain technical limits on the amount of throughput they can deliver.

It’s likely you can get relatively fast download and upload speeds from your internet provider—our own speed-test data shows that internet speeds have been going up since the pandemic started in 2020. Still, some internet types remain relatively sluggish, especially in rural areas.

Take a look below to see how different internet types rate in terms of speed and bandwidth.

Comparing bandwidth for different internet types

Fiber-optic internet gives you the most bandwidth and the fastest internet speeds, with internet plans topping out at a ridiculous 10,000 Mbps. Nobody really needs internet that fast (not yet, at least), but fiber also speeds ahead of other internet types because it has symmetrical upload speeds.

Symmetrical uploads mean you can get up to gigabit-speed throughput on uploads as well as downloads, vastly boosting your ability to hold video calls, upload large files to the internet, and post to social media.

Cable internet is often just as fast as fiber internet, at least for download speeds. Cable internet has much slower upload speeds compared to fiber, and it also can’t deliver impressive (albeit unnecessary) multigigabit speeds. But for most people, it’s as good as it gets for bandwidth.

5G internet doesn’t have the same impressive bandwidth as fiber or cable, but it’s much faster than more antiquated internet types like DSL. A relatively new technology, 5G can be found mostly in urban areas through cellular providers Verizon and T-Mobile.

The internet connection draws entirely from 5G wireless networks, which makes it very fast but also slightly unstable—so your speeds can vary considerably throughout the day, and you may experience occasional disconnects.

DSL internet is a somewhat outdated internet service that seems slower and slower as cable and fiber providers increasingly raise their speeds. DSL maxes out at 140 Mbps, but many DSL users experience much slower speeds due to the technical limitations of a DSL connection.

DSL’s copper wire connections deteriorate in strength as the user gets farther away from a central server, which makes for particularly slow connections in rural areas, suburbs, and the outskirts of cities.

Satellite internet is the slowest type of internet you can get. A satellite connection draws from a signal literally beaming down from space, which makes for much higher latency and vastly limits the amount of bandwidth you can get.

However, Starlink’s emerging satellite service has much faster speeds than traditional satellite providers HughesNet and Viasat. That’s because Starlink relies on a larger number of satellites, which orbit at a lower altitude.

What internet activities use the most bandwidth?

Most online activities take up only a small amount of bandwidth. But you use a lot more bandwidth to make video calls, stream video, or host livestreams. And all of these demands on your internet speed really start to add up if you’re sharing an internet connection with other users.

To play it safe, we recommend setting aside at least 25 Mbps worth of bandwidth for every internet user in your household. So if you live with three other people, then an internet plan with max speeds of 100 Mbps should be fine.

However, definitely consider a faster plan—say, 50 Mbps per person—if you regularly do high-bandwidth activities like streaming movies in 4K or hosting livestreams on Twitch.

More on internet speed and bandwidth

• Is 100 Mbps Fast? 
• What Is a Good Download and Upload Speed?
• How Much Speed Do I Need for Online Gaming?
• How Much Speed Do I Need to Stream Video? 
• This Is the Internet Speed You Need for Zoom

Sources

1. OpenVault, “Broadband Insights Report—Q4 2021,” March 2022. Accessed March 2, 2022.

Disclaimers

HighSpeedInternet.com’s internet speed test data for last year shows the national average internet speed in 2025 was 172Mbps. That’s about a 20% decrease compared to the previous year’s 214Mbps.

Internet performance didn’t improve year-over-year as it typically has, and our Fastest Internet Providers Report shows the pace of improvement has been slowing down over the last two years. As noted in our report, a decrease doesn’t directly indicate internet providers are getting worse, but rather could be an indication of household internet needs changing and customers opting for cheaper and slower plans.

We’ll go over the fastest and slowest internet speeds across the U.S. and what the national average speed decrease could indicate.

Internet speeds across America

The average download speed in the U.S. fell to 172Mbps, demonstrating a 20% decrease year-over-year compared to 2024’s 214Mbps.

Although the national average download speed decreased, the fastest speeds are still found in densely populated states, and the slowest speeds are still in more rural states.

The fastest internet speeds are found in West Virginia (216.96Mbps), Florida (216.14Mbps), and Maryland (213.63Mbps), keeping the fastest speeds concentrated on the East Coast of the U.S.

The slowest speeds are found in Hawaii (90.9Mbps), Alaska (102.09Mbps), and Montana (122.62Mbps), where there are more limitations to high-speed options.

States with the fastest and slowest internet speeds

Every year, we rank states by speed to get a clear picture of national internet access. In 2025, 25 states fall below the national average, and 25 states (plus the District of Columbia) have download speeds above the national average.

There are fewer states that fall below the national average in 2025 compared to 2024’s 36 states. In 2024, there were 15 states above the national average, while in 2025, we see that number jump up to 25 states (plus the District of Columbia) with download speeds higher than the national average.

Top 10 states with the fastest internet speeds

The states with the fastest internet speeds are found mainly in the Northeast and Southeast of the U.S. Higher population density typically results in better infrastructure and more high-speed plan and provider options.

West Virginia sits at the top spot with average download speeds of 216.96Mbps, but the top ten states all boast download speeds of 198Mbps or faster.

Top 10 states with the slowest internet speeds

There’s a larger variance in speeds with the slowest states compared to the fastest states. There’s only about an 18Mbps difference in speeds with the fastest states, but a 64Mbps gap between the ten slowest states. The slowest state, Hawaii, averages download speeds of 90.9Mbps—almost half the national average.

Region, demographics, and internet speed variance

In general, more densely populated cities have more options for fast internet plans and providers. With higher demand, typically comes more infrastructure investments from providers, leading to better average speeds.

In the last few years, there has been a bigger focus on rural areas from satellite internet providers like Starlink. But in comparison to metro areas, rural regions don’t see anywhere near as much expansion from national internet providers.

Speed averages shift with customer needs and demands, not just provider offerings. If most households are opting for the cheapest and slowest plans, this will decrease the overall average speeds.

Every household’s internet needs will vary depending on the online activities and how many devices will be connected. See our full guide to internet speeds for more information on what your household needs.

Investments could lead to faster internet speeds

Federal initiatives like the BEAD program aim to improve and build infrastructure to support high-speed internet for every American. Many national cable internet providers have rolled out DOCSIS 4.0 to bring multi-gigabit speeds to customers, while fiber providers continue to expand networks.

On the satellite internet side, providers like Starlink are continually growing satellite constellations to improve speeds and expand connectivity, especially in more rural regions. Next-gen technologies will continue to raise overall speeds and broaden accessibility to high-speed internet. Internet performance across the U.S. can continue to become more reliable and connect more Americans, even when average speeds decrease year-over-year.

Top 10 states with the fastest internet speeds

Consult our methodology for more information about the data we used for this article.

You don’t need fast speeds for social media—but it certainly helps.

Text- and image-based apps like Facebook work great even when you have a connection as slow as 5Mbps. However, you need much faster speeds (anywhere from 10Mbps to 100Mbps) to accommodate video-centered apps like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram. You also need to make sure you have enough bandwidth to support other users on your Wi-Fi, who may be scrolling as well.

Curious to know how much internet speed you need to maintain your social media accounts? Take a look at our guide below for the deets.

Pro tip: Test your internet speeds

Not sure what speeds you’re getting on your current connection? Run our speed test to find out.

Slow speeds are fine for text and pics, but not for video

You can scroll and post on social media with internet speeds as slow as 5Mbps. Most social media applications don’t take up a whole lot of bandwidth, especially if you’re just posting text and pictures.

But video has become an increasingly central part of the social-media experience, thanks primarily to TikTok as well as offshoots like Instagram Reels and Facebook Reels. And you need relatively fast speeds (upwards of 10Mbps and ideally much faster) if you want to scroll rapid-fire without dealing with long load times or a frozen feed.

Social-media speed requirements

Fiber and cable internet work best

Fiber internet is the way to go for posting online, especially if you’re a power user or influencer. A fiber connection gets you the fastest speeds possible. More importantly, it’s the only internet connection that comes with symmetrical upload and download speeds.

As we discuss below, upload speeds are central to social media posting because you upload data any time you fire off a tweet, send a DM, or post online. Symmetrical speeds mean you get uploads that are just as fast as downloads—letting you post to your heart’s content with much less concern about slow upload times.

Fiber internet isn’t available everywhere—and for most people, a cable internet plan is just as solid a pick. Cable internet can get you download speeds up to 1,000Mbps and uploads usually anywhere from 10Mbps to 50Mbps. That’s plenty for everyday social posting.

Best internet plans for social media

Reliable upload speeds are important for posting online

Most of what you do on social media revolves around downloading content—for example, by scrolling TikTok or clicking through your friends’ Instagram Stories. But if you’re a regular poster, you also need to think about upload speeds.

Whether you’re sending a video to a friend on Snapchat or firing off a tweet on Twitter—er, sorry, X—you’re uploading data to the internet. You don’t necessarily need fast upload speeds, but you do want a reliable upstream connection to make sure you can post regularly without long load times or failed uploads.

Get 5G for posting on the phone

We recommend getting a 5G phone if you do most of your social media posts while on the phone.

Of course, it’s common to be on your phone when you’re posting TikTok, Instagram, and other apps. A 4G phone can certainly get the job done, but a 5G phone ensures you get the fastest speeds possible. 5G networks operate over higher radio frequencies than 4G networks, giving them a much higher capacity to carry data.

4G vs. 5G speeds

Faster data speeds make for much easier and smoother social media posting. You don’t have to worry as much about slow uploads or posts that fail to send. Having access to 5G is also very useful when you’re in a crowded place—such as a music festival or a sports event—where a congested network can make it difficult to even send DMs.

More reading

• How Much Internet Speed Do You Need to Work From Home?
• Is Your Internet Good Enough for Working From Home?
• 13 Working from Home Stats You Should Know
• How to Set Up a Home Wi-Fi Network

Find out your internet speed, find fast internet providers, and more

What does internet speed mean?

Internet speed is the measure of how much time it takes a certain amount of data to transfer from a server to your device and vice versa.

Whether you’re streaming videos on Netflix, posting on Twitter, or attending a Zoom meeting, you’re using your device to download and upload packets of data. The rate at which you can transfer all of this data depends on your internet connection’s bandwidth, measured in Mbps.

On a home Wi-Fi network, your internet provider determines your Wi-Fi speed. What you can get depends on the provider’s technical capabilities and how much you’re willing to pay for higher speeds. Naturally, faster connections come with a higher monthly bill in most cases.

What is a good internet speed?

According to the latest proposals from the Federal Communications Commission, a good internet speed is a connection that gives you downloads of at least 100Mbps and uploads of at least 20Mbps. That’s the new benchmark that FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel plans to set for broadband internet providers, customers, and policymakers.

An internet speed of 100 Mbps is enough to let four or five Wi-Fi users play online games, stream video in HD, and attend Zoom meetings with minimal slowdowns or buffering. It’s great for most people, although some users may prefer a slower plan with a cheaper price, while others need faster speeds to handle heavier internet usage.

Of course, different households can have drastically different internet needs. Someone who lives alone and uses the internet for only small things like social media and web browsing doesn’t need as much internet speed as a family of five streaming Netflix in every room. But a faster connection is often better, especially if you spend a lot of time on the internet or share Wi-Fi with multiple users (or both).

Speed requirements taken from HighSpeedInternet.com’s How Much Internet Speed Do I Need? guidelines.

What is the best internet speed for you?

Use our “How Much Internet Speed Do I Need?” tool to figure out the best internet speed for you, based on what you do online and how many people you share Wi-Fi with.

How fast does your internet need to be?

Your internet speed needs to be at least 25Mbps to work smoothly. That is the FCC’s current standard for minimum download speeds, although the commission is currently working to upgrade this minimum standard to 100Mbps.

Generally, you need internet that’s fast enough to support all of the activities that you tackle during your daily Wi-Fi usage. You also need internet with enough bandwidth to support other users on your Wi-Fi network. That ideal speed varies depending on the size of your household and what you do online, but if we’re talking in terms of speed needs, anywhere from 25Mbps to 100Mbps should be considered a baseline for you to use the internet smoothly.

What types of internet are there—and how fast are they?

There are several types of internet connections, and the type of connection you have plays a huge part in the speeds you can get.

Fiber and cable are the fastest and most popular types of internet connections, but many customers have also embraced 5G home internet in recent years thanks to its low prices.

In rural areas, satellite and fixed wireless internet are common picks. They’re slower and more expensive, but get you Wi-Fi in areas where networking infrastructure is limited.

Data as of 7/28/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

*Percentages are based on internet availability data from the Federal Communications Commission.

Fiber internet provides the fastest plans you can get, ranging from 100Mbps to a whopping 50,000Mbps (50Gbps). It’s the most reliable connection, too, by using a passive technology that has less downtime than cable and DSL. Plus, your speeds are typically symmetrical, meaning your upload speed is just as fast as your download.

Cable internet uses the same coaxial copper cables that transmit cable TV services. Currently, it can reach download speeds up to 2,000Mbps and is more widely available than fiber, making it an excellent option for most customers looking to have high-speed internet in their homes. Cable internet plans often include bundle deals that let you pair Wi-Fi with a TV package.

DSL, short for digital subscriber line, uses the same wiring as landline telephone networks. It’s relatively slow (maxing out at 140Mbps) and is becoming somewhat obsolete, since most DSL providers also offer fiber and have focused more on expanding their fiber services in recent years.

5G home internet is a relatively new internet type that provides internet over a fixed wireless connection. This type’s speeds range from 30–1,000Mbps. 5G networks are still in the process of coming together, so 5G home internet isn’t widely available yet. The technology works best in densely populated areas, so 5G is mostly available in towns and cities—for now at least.

4G LTE home internet uses similar technology as 5G internet, but over 4G networks. It delivers slower speeds, usually dependent on what kind of cell service is available in the area. But it’s a great option for rural users whose other options might be limited to satellite internet.

Fixed wireless is a wireless, cellular–based type of internet connection. Most fixed wireless plans give you max speeds of 25–50Mbps, making it a solid fallback option if you can’t find something faster or cheaper.

Satellite internet is available almost anywhere in the United States, but it’s the slowest kind of internet you can get. Most satellite customers live in rural areas where you can’t get any other type of internet connection.

How can you improve your internet speed?

You can improve your internet speed by upgrading to a faster plan, updating your equipment, or taking simpler measures like closing out apps and browser windows.

Internet can be slow for all sorts of reasons—and not just because you have a slow plan. So read on for common solutions and home remedies to put some pep in your Wi-Fi’s step. You can find more detailed explanations in our 10-step guide to improving internet speeds.

Update your modem and router. Outdated equipment can impede your Wi-Fi speeds, keeping you from hitting the speeds you’re paying for. To stay up to date, get a modem and router that meet wireless standards for Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) or Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). And if you have a cable gigabit plan, make sure you have a DOCSIS 3.1 gigabit modem.

Move your router to a better location. Your router dispatches a Wi-Fi signal to all the connected devices in your home, so make sure it’s in a centralized location (like your living room) and away from any obvious obstructions. Bulky furniture or electronic appliances like microwaves can block its signal.

Plug your computer directly into your router. Use an Ethernet cable to give your computer a more direct line to your home network. Wired connections improve your speeds and reduce the chance of signal interference.

Regulate other users’ online activity. If you have an important Zoom meeting, ask your kids to switch off the Xbox to free up more bandwidth. Some routers have Quality of Service (QoS) settings that let you put limits on certain users and online activities.

Close out unnecessary tabs and apps. Got two dozen tabs open on your browser? Clear the air by closing the ones you’re not using.

Upgrade your internet. If all else fails, you can always look into upgrading your internet speed. You may even consider switching providers if the service you have now just doesn’t cut it.

Download speed vs. upload speed—what’s the difference?

There are two types of internet speeds you should know: downloads and uploads.

Download speed is the speed at which information travels from various servers on the internet to your own, internet-connected device. Upload speed is the rate at which information travels from your internet-connected device to the internet.

Most internet connections have faster download speeds than upload speeds. But fiber internet gives you “symmetrical” internet speeds, meaning your uploads are just as fast as your downloads.

Activities that require download bandwidth:

• Streaming videos or music
• Reading an article or blog post
• Scrolling through your social media feed
• Downloading files

Activities that require upload bandwidth:

• Participating in a Zoom call
• Writing an article or blog post on Google Docs
• Posting to social media
• Hosting a livestream

Most internet users download much more information than they upload, so internet providers have traditionally allocated less bandwidth to uploads.

But upload speeds are still important, especially as more people depend on Zoom, Google Docs, and other interactive applications to work from home. Video conferencing, online gaming, social media, and sharing large files all require upload bandwidth—and fast upload speeds reduce the chance of choppy video calls and long load times. To get fast upload speeds, look for a fiber internet provider.

What is latency?

*Data from the Federal Communications Commission’s “Measuring Fixed Broadband—Eleventh Report.”

Latency (or ping rate) is the time required for a signal to travel from your computer to a remote server and back.

It’s a different measure of internet speed, and it’s just as important for the performance of your home network. High latency can lead to choppy video over Zoom, audio/video delays in livestreams, and laggy gameplay. Having low latency is particularly crucial in fast-paced online gaming because it enables quick response times and instantaneous action.

Get fiber internet for low latency—and faster online gaming

Out of all internet connection types, fiber internet has the lowest latency. Fiber-optic light signals work more efficiently than the electrical signals more commonly used with cable and DSL internet, which both have higher ping rates.

Cable has higher latency rates than fiber, while DSL’s latency is higher than cable. But the highest by far is satellite internet—which makes sense, considering its signal must travel all the way to a satellite orbiting dozens of miles above Earth and back.

Why is internet speed important?

Internet speed matters because it sets the parameters for what you can do online. Internet service providers sell plans that range anywhere from less than 1 Mbps (incredibly slow) to 5,000 Mbps (insanely fast), but most netizens would be happy with 100 Mbps download speeds.

Having a sufficiently fast internet or Wi-Fi speed makes it easier to do high-bandwidth activities (like streaming in 4K or downloading a large video game file) without worrying about long load times, buffering, or a dropped connection.

Fast internet also ensures you can multitask over Wi-Fi on the same device or use multiple Wi-Fi devices at the same time. In that way, a faster internet connection isn’t just about speed—it’s also about capacity. More bandwidth can efficiently support a variety of users and tasks at the same time.

Benefits of high-speed internet:

• Quick downloads
• Fast load times
• Lower chance of buffering or dropped connections
• Smoother connection on Zoom calls and livestreams
• Better support for multiple users on the same Wi-Fi network

Think of having fast Wi-Fi as using a pickup truck or SUV instead of a two-door sedan when you’re moving to a new apartment. With a larger vehicle, you can move more stuff to your place in fewer trips, saving you time and energy.

How is internet speed measured?

Internet speeds are measured in bits per second. A bit (short for binary digit) is the most basic unit of digital data. Internet service providers (ISPs) usually advertise their services using three metric bit measurements: Kbps, Mbps, or Gbps.

• Kbps means kilobits per second (1,000 bits per second)
• Mbps means megabits per second (1,000,000 bits per second)
• Gbps means gigabits per second (1,000,000,000 bits per second)

Mbps is the most common term you’ll see—most internet plans range in speed from 1–1,000 Mbps. A Wi-Fi speed represented in Kbps is usually super slow because it means it’s less than 1 Mbps.

Internet that reaches Gbps is often referred to as gigabit internet. While it’s not crucial for everybody to have gigabit internet speeds, it might benefit you if you live with a lot of people or regularly do high-bandwidth activities like streaming movies in 4K.

Is Wi-Fi speed the same as internet speed?

We’re splitting hairs a little bit here, but Wi-Fi speed is a slightly different thing than internet speed.

Wi-Fi as a term is often used interchangeably with internet (in fact, we do so on this very page). Technically, though, Wi-Fi refers specifically to a wireless internet connection carried over a router or mobile hotspot. Wi-Fi speeds can be slightly slower than a wired internet speed directly from your modem because a Wi-Fi signal can face interference over the airwaves, even in a contained area such as your home.

FAQ about internet speed

Sources

1. Molly Wood, Marketplace, “There’s a New Boss at the FCC. Let’s Talk About the Internet, Shall We?” May 5, 2021. Accessed February 8, 2022.
2. Federal Communications Commission, “Fixed Broadband Deployment: Area Summary,” June 2020. Accessed February 9, 2022.
3. David Pogue, Scientific American, “What WI-FI Stands For—and Other Wireless Questions Answered,” May 1, 2012. Accessed February 15, 2022.

Read disclaimers.

Symmetrical internet is the great equalizer. On a symmetrical internet plan, your upload speeds are just as fast as your download speeds.

Most internet connections have much faster download speeds than upload speeds. Let’s say your cable internet plan gives you 100Mbps download speeds. In that case, your upload speeds would be just 10Mbps—or even less.

A symmetrical plan gives you a big upload boost. So if your download speeds are 100Mbps, your upload speeds are also 100Mbps.

Wait, what are upload and download speeds again?

Download speeds measure how long it takes to pull stuff from the internet. Whether you’re opening an email, streaming a movie on Netflix, or updating your favorite video game, you’re downloading content—it’s what we spend most of our time doing online.

Upload speeds measure how long it takes to send stuff to the internet. It means sending an email, posting to social media, or making a video call with a coworker. Uploading also includes bigger undertakings like livestreaming and playing around in the metaverse, which require a lot more bandwidth.

Symmetrical internet sounds awesome. So how can I get it?

You can get symmetrical speeds with fiber internet, which is mostly available in urban areas but also some rural communities.

Fiber’s fast speeds and symmetrical uploads make it the most efficient and reliable internet type, giving you a crucial leg up for remote work and online entertainment.

Want to know more? Here’s a quick breakdown of what symmetrical internet is, why it’s good, and how to get it.

Best symmetrical internet plans

The best symmetrical internet plans come from fiber internet providers—which makes sense, considering that fiber is the only way you can get symmetrical internet.

These plans give you incredibly fast upload speeds, ensuring that you have all the bandwidth you could ever want to attend Zoom meetings, post content online, and host livestreams. The plans will also make it possible for you to share your Wi-Fi with a large number of other users without worries over a slow connection or long buffering times.

Why is symmetrical internet important?

Symmetrical internet is important because it gives you the fastest speeds possible to do upload-heavy tasks.

It’s also important because it gives you a huge amount of upload bandwidth to support a large number of users who are all sharing the same Wi-Fi connection. If you live with a lot of roommates or family members, a symmetrical connection ensures fast speeds and top performance even when a bunch of people are streaming, gaming, and Zooming on multiple devices at the same time.

Activities that benefit from symmetrical internet:

• Livestreaming
• Posting frequently to TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube
• Frequently attending Zoom or other video conference meetings
• VR and AR gaming and activities

Why does fiber internet have symmetrical speeds?

Fiber has symmetrical speeds because it has a much larger capacity to deliver data compared to other internet types.

Fiber provides a connection using bundled strands of fiber-optic cable. Photon signals bounce through the cables at the speed of light (or at least something close), carrying vast amounts of data. Fiber-optic cable is often newer than the copper wiring of cable and DSL internet, and it isn’t susceptible to electromagnetic interference, adding to its capabilities.

Fiber is the only type of internet that gives you symmetrical speeds right now. Cable internet may catch up in a few years as tech standards evolve, but right now, fiber is really the way to go.

Do you need symmetrical internet speeds?

Most people don’t need symmetrical internet speeds. But they’re nice to have, and those speeds will especially make your life a lot easier if you have any job or passion that requires extensive time on the internet.

Jobs that benefit from symmetrical internet:

• Social media influencer
• Content creator
• Professional gamer
• Filmmaker who frequently posts content online

Of course, the majority of people in the United States don’t have symmetrical internet speeds and many are doing just fine.¹ Most of what we do online involves downloading data rather than uploading it, so internet providers haven’t felt a great demand to up their uploads—but times may be changing.

There’s a rising demand for fast uploads, thanks to the drastic rise of remote working, increasingly ubiquitous internet connectivity, and a greater push for video content on social media (shoutouts to Instagram Reels and TikTok). And while you don’t need speedy uploads, you greatly benefit from having them.

Not sure if you have fast uploads?

Take our speed test to see what kind of internet firepower you get at your house.

Long story short—Get fiber internet for symmetrical speeds (and for lots of other great reasons too)

Fiber internet is the only internet that gets you symmetrical speeds. So if you want symmetrical internet, then get a fiber plan if it’s available in your area.

But also, it just so happens that fiber is the best type of internet you can get, and not just because of the upload speeds. Compared to cable or DSL internet, fiber gives you an incredibly fast and reliable connection, packs in more Mbps for your dollar, and often comes with extra perks like free equipment and unlimited data.

If you can get fiber internet, we say go for it.

FAQ about symmetrical internet

Additional resources

• What Is a Good Download and Upload Speed? 
• Improve Your Wi-Fi Speed in 10 Simple Steps
• How Much Speed Do I Need for Online Gaming? 
• Will Paying for Faster Internet Improve My Wi-Fi Speed?

Disclaimers

Netflix is pretty amazing, but there’s a big catch. You need internet speeds of at least 25Mbps to watch in high definition.

Our expert advice is a little different from the Netflix recommendation of 3Mbps for a single show, but let us explain. In the real world, most people watch Netflix while doing 10 other internet things simultaneously on their computers, phones, or tablets. And don’t forget all those smart devices and your kids or roommates watching in the next room!

To avoid the buffer gremlins for a single Netflix stream, get internet of 25Mbps or more. You’re even better off with 100Mbps if you want to watch on multiple screens at the same time. To enjoy video streaming in 4K resolution, consider upgrading to a plan with  speeds of at least 200Mbps.

Does your Wi-Fi have what it takes?

Take our speed test to see if your internet is fast enough to support your Netflix habit.

Netflix speed basics

Before we jump into the nitty-gritty, here’s a quick breakdown of three things you need to know about Netflix and internet speeds.

Three golden rules for Netflix internet:

• The more users and devices logged in at once, the more internet speed you need.
• For 4K streaming, fiber or cable internet plans are best.
• For slow connections and hotspots, choose a Netflix Basic plan.

Here are your minimum speed needs for Netflix

Netflix claims on its website that you can stream with speeds as low as 3Mbps. But that’s only if Netflix is the only app you’re using while you’re online—not an accurate reflection of how most folks spend their time on the web these days.

The experts at HighSpeedInternet.com put together some realistic Netflix speed recommendations. You can easily get these speeds on pretty much any fiber, cable, 5G plan —or even some DSL and satellite internet plans.

What do you need to stream Ultra HD 4K movies on Netflix?

Many households need speeds of 200Mbps or faster to facilitate watching movies in Ultra HD 4K resolution on Netflix.

4K resolution gives you images in awe-inspiring detail, enhancing your experience for the sweeping cinematic grit of All Quiet on the Western Front or the lush splendor of a nature docuseries like Our Great National Parks. Nothing beats it, especially when you have a big screen.

The problem? 4K uses up a lot of broadband speed. Like, A LOT. Streaming in 4K also puts a massive dent in your monthly data allotment.

Here’s a breakdown of the scary stats:

• 4K requires speeds of at least 15Mbps minimum speeds for a single user to stream Netflix smoothly—3X faster than what you need to stream video in Full HD 1080p resolution.
• Watching a two-hour film in 4K consumes a whopping 16GB per hour—4X the data you would use streaming the same film HD.

Get fiber internet or a gigabit cable plan for the best 4K performance

You basically need supercharged internet to keep a 4K stream flowing without it getting bogged down by the spinning wheel of death. But you can bulk up your broadband speed with a fiber internet plan. Fiber gives you the fastest and most reliable type of internet connection, and even baseline plans get you super-smooth speeds.

If fiber internet hasn’t yet come to town, there’s a good chance you can get fast speeds from a cable internet provider. If you’re an ultra-high-def enthusiast, look for plans of about 1,000Mbps (1Gbps).

Best internet plans for 4K video streaming

What if you have slow internet? Never fear—you can still watch Netflix

You can pay a pretty penny for Netflix Premium and ultra-fast internet to go with it. Butdoes that mean the party is over for Netflix when you’re on a budget? Of course not.

If you’re on a budget, start by finding a budget internet plan (you’ll find some of our faves below). Then, pick a Netflix plan that doesn’t bust your wallet in half—we recommend Netflix Basic for its manageable 720p resolution.

If you want, you can lower your resolution even more. That’s something you may need to do if you’re streaming video over a hotspot. As convenient as mobile hotspots are, they come with strict internet data limits that can put a serious damper on your Netflix usage if you’re not careful. Watch a few too many movies in HD or 4K and you can use up $90 worth of data in a day.

Best internet plans for budget Netflix users

Can you stream Netflix with satellite internet?

Yes, you can definitely stream Netflix with satellite internet. But satellite has very slow speeds and (often) extremely limited data caps, so you’ll want to reduce your video resolution to the lowest-possible setting to get the most out of your Netflix experience. The image quality isn’t as nice, but low resolution keeps you from burning through a month’s worth of data in a matter of hours.

Here’s how to adjust the video resolution on your Netflix app

Netflix automatically chooses a video resolution based on your Netflix plan and connection speed. But you can change it manually ff your Netflix streaming falls prey to buffering and slow load times a bit too often. Lowering your video resolution will also help you reduce data usage, which is crucial if you’re worried about your data cap.

To reduce data usage and buffering, set the resolution to Medium or Low. Here’s how to do it:

On desktop:

Step 1: Sign in from your browser.

Step 2: Click your profile on the Who’s Watching? screen.

Step 3: Click Account in the drop-down menu that appears when you move your cursor over the Profile section in the top right-hand part of the screen.

Step 4: Select the profile you want to edit in Profile & Parental Controls.

Step 5: Go to Playback settings and click Change.

Step 6: Choose between Auto, Low, Medium, or High in the section titled Data usage per screen.

On mobile:

Step 1: Sign in from your browser app.

Step 2: Tap Menu on the upper left.

Step 3: Tap Account.

Step 4: Tap the profile you want to edit in Profile & Parental Controls.

Step 5: Tap Change in Playback settings.

Step 6: Choose between Auto, Low, Medium, or High in the section titled Data usage per screen, then tap Save.

Choose the best Netflix plan in an age of post-password sharing

As Netflix cracks down on password sharing—forcing customers to pay an extra $7.99 a month for any users outside a subscriber’s household—it’s important to decide which plan is best for you.

The Standard and Premium plans are best for most people because they offer higher resolution and give you more flexibility in the number of shows you can stream simultaneously.

If you have slow internet—through a DSL or satellite connection, for example—you should consider going a cheaper route with the Standard or Standard with Ads plans.

Netflix plan options

FAQ

Disclaimers

Yes, if the plan you signed up for doesn’t offer as much download speed as you want. But there are a lot of other possible causes, as well. If your Wi-Fi is slow, there are two likely bottlenecks: your internet service provider (ISP) or your router. Let’s take a look at how to deal with each type of problem.

How fast is my Wi-Fi?

The first step is figuring out how fast your Wi-Fi is compared to the advertised speed of your internet plan. To do this, download our free, easy-to-use speed test app for quick and reliable results, and see how fast your internet is on your phone.

If your test result is slower than the speeds promised by your internet plan, try plugging a computer directly into the router using an Ethernet cable. If this fixes your problem, the issue is probably with your router. Fortunately, there are several ways to increase the speed of your router.

If you’re still getting low speeds, or if the speed you’re paying for just isn’t enough, it might be time to upgrade to a faster plan or switch to a more reliable provider.

The first step is figuring out how fast your Wi-Fi is compared to the advertised speed of your internet plan. To do this, set up your computer where you normally work and take an internet speed test.

If your test result is slower than the speeds promised by your internet plan, try plugging your device directly into the router using an Ethernet cable. If this fixes your problem, the issue is probably with your router. Fortunately, there are several ways to increase the speed of your router.

If you’re still getting low speeds, or if the speed you’re paying for just isn’t enough, it might be time to upgrade to a faster plan or switch to a more reliable provider.

How to speed up your Wi-Fi router

If you’ve determined that the problem is most likely your router, the first thing to do is simply turn it off and on again, also known as power cycling, which will often fix your Wi-Fi problems.

The next easiest thing to do is to try moving your router or your other Wi-Fi devices. Wi-Fi signals can be blocked by thick walls or floors, so moving devices around so that they have the most direct line of sight to the router can improve signal quality. If line of sight and dead zones are a constant problem, you can also set up a mesh router system to ensure strong Wi-Fi throughout your home.

You can also adjust your router’s settings to improve its performance. Many routers have apps that will allow you to monitor and control the devices on your wireless network. For more information, check out our article on how to improve your Wi-Fi speed.

It’s also worth noting that even if your router is working perfectly but its top speed is slower than the internet you’re paying for, you’re not going to be able to take advantage of that speed over Wi-Fi. If this is the case, check out our list of the fastest routers for gigabit internet to make sure you’re able to use the speeds you’re paying for.

Troubleshooting a slow connection

If your router isn’t the problem but you’re still getting lower speeds than you expect, there might be a problem with your internet connection. Before you start looking for a new ISP, it’s worth checking to see if this problem has an easy fix like one of these:

• Replacing a damaged cable
• Updating your devices
• Avoiding peak hours

There are also more involved fixes that can improve your speed. Different types of connections can slow down for different reasons. Follow our troubleshooting guide to see if it’s an issue that you can fix yourself.

How to upgrade your internet connection

If your internet connection suffers from problems you can’t fix yourself or it’s working correctly but you still need more speed, it’s probably time to upgrade.

Before you crack open your piggy bank, know that faster internet doesn’t always mean paying more. Often simply switching from a slower type of connection to a faster one (like switching from satellite to DSL or from cable to fiber) will give you faster speeds and more stable connections for the same price you were paying before (or sometimes less).

Before you make a decision, be sure to check out all the ISPs in your area with our zip tool above and see which ones offer the speeds you want for the best value.

Popular internet providers with fast speeds

Make sure your router can keep up with your new connection

If you do upgrade your internet plan, make sure your Wi-Fi router is at least as fast as your new download speed. If you got your router from your ISP, this shouldn’t be a problem. But if you bought your own, make sure that it can keep up with the new connection speed or you’ll be back at square one. For example, if you have a gigabit internet connection, you need a gigabit router to take advantage of that speed.

FAQ about Wi-Fi speed

Disclaimers

Do you have the speed you need to work from home?

Find out how much speed you’re getting on your current internet connection so you can decide whether it’s time to upgrade.

How much internet speed you need for Zoom and other video conferencing applications

Video calls require you to send and receive real-time video simultaneously, so there are a few internet speed factors you should keep in mind to get the most out of your remote meetings: download speed, upload speed, and latency.

Here’s more on each:

• Download speed affects how well your connection receives video from other people on the call.
• Upload speed affects how well your connection can send your video stream to others.
• Latency affects how well your connections synchronize with each other, and high latency can distort calls and cause lag.

Most video conferencing applications work best with less than 150 ms of latency. You can’t control your connection’s latency as directly as you can improve your speed by upgrading, but lower latency is better. Moreover, certain types of internet connections (like fiber) tend to have lower latency than others (like satellite internet).

Video calling apps don’t require very much speed. Most households with an internet connection can manage at least the minimum requirements. That’s great because it means we can all stay connected.

If you run into issues, your upload speed is the most likely culprit. Cable and DSL internet providers give customers much less upload speed than download. So even if your download speed is safely in the clear for video calls, your upload speed might not be up to par for big group calls. Turn off your video or switch to a wired connection for better results.

How much internet speed you need for email and chat applications

You need only about 1Mbps of download speed per instance for chat and email. 

However, you may need more bandwidth when you share photos or videos in conversations and when you download larger assets (like images and attachments) from emails.

Thankfully, you can carry on with your chat and email conversations while you work on other projects without worrying about internet interruptions. That’s because the chat functions of Microsoft Teams, Facebook Messenger, Slack, and similar applications usually don’t use a lot of bandwidth.

How much internet speed you need for web browsing

We recommend about 5Mbps of download speed for heavy web browsing and jumping between sites.

Browsing the internet doesn’t take too much data unless you visit pages with a lot of uncompressed images or video content. If you’re scrolling through social media, we suggest slightly higher speeds than our general recommendation, especially if you have video autoplay enabled. 

The average web page uses about 3MB (megabytes) of data. That translates to 24Mb (megabits) because there are eight bits in one byte. So if you want a whole web page to load within a second, 24Mbps of download speed would be great. 

You don’t always need to load all assets on a web page to start getting to the content you want, and loading a web page doesn’t take a continuous stream of data—you just download the content once, and that’s all you need as long as you keep that web page in your browser’s cache.

How much internet speed you need for streaming

We recommend 5Mbps of download speed at a minimum per person for streaming media.

If you stream music or have a show streaming in the background while you work (or someone else in your house is binge-watching all of The Boys on Prime Video), make sure to factor that into how much bandwidth you need to work from home effectively. This is especially important for video services like YouTube or Netflix because video can be a bit of a bandwidth hog.

If you want to use YouTube or a streaming service like Netflix while working from home but run into bandwidth issues like buffering, check your video quality settings. YouTube videos can run on as little as 0.7Mbps at 360p, but they can use up to 20Mbps if you’re watching in 4K.

Similarly, standard-definition Netflix can work with as little as 0.5Mbps, but Netflix in 4K uses up to 25Mbps. And if you’re using it only as background noise, you don’t need 4K.

Fortunately, most video apps can automatically detect your bandwidth availability and adjust resolution on the fly.

How much internet speed you need for sharing large files

We recommend at least 10Mbps of download and upload speeds for sharing large files.

For jobs that necessitate a large amount of file sharing, the faster your internet is, the better. That’s not to say you absolutely need fast internet speeds to download and upload large files, but it makes things go much faster and more smoothly.

Here are a few examples of how long it would take to transfer various sizes of files using common internet speeds.