While a slow internet connection can make your day unproductive and stressful, an unnecessarily fast connection can weigh heavy on your pockets. This explains why domestic internet users and business owners often wonder what the ideal internet speed should be. Well, this depends on several factors, including the internet using habits and the overall goal of the connection. In this article, you will get to know the ideal data plan you should have in place.
Established internet service providers such as Rango have come up with customized packages. These data plans can easily fit into every customer profile. Therefore, based on your specific requirement and usage habits, it would be wise to choose the right package. Check out all the internet plans here at https://www.rango.net/internet-plans.
Table of Contents
Understanding bandwidth and internet use
Bandwidth refers to the maximum rate at which an internet user can upload files or download data from the internet to computers or mobile devices. Therefore, it is analogous to the thickness of a channel through which something can pass. In this case, it is data. You need to measure bandwidth in terms of bits per second.
Now, the bandwidth you subscribe for gets shared among all the connected devices at your home or office. The more devices you have, or the heavier downloads you do, the greater bandwidth you would need. Therefore, if you are simply browsing the internet or scrolling through your Facebook news feed, a low bandwidth would serve the purpose. However, if you are downloading a movie and someone else in the adjacent room is playing a multi-player game, you would need more bandwidth.
While calculating this bandwidth, you need to consider the maximum volume of information you might need at any given time. This should encompass all the devices or users and the respective works they carry out on the internet. Otherwise, you might experience buffering, or the internet speed on each device might slow down. If this happens in a commercial environment, it would lead to a loss of productivity.
What is the ideal bandwidth for different online activities?
- In case you are streaming standard definition video, a bandwidth of 3 to 4 Mbps would work. This bandwidth should be 5 to 8 Mbps for HD video and around 25 Mbps for ultra-HD visuals.
- If you are playing online games, a bandwidth of 4 to 8 Mbps would be sufficient. In the case of multiplayer games, the necessary bandwidth would be 10 to 25 Mbps.
- When video conferencing, each user would need around 4 Mbps of bandwidth. So, if you are running a business organization, you need to consider the total number of employees using the feature simultaneously.
- People working from home generally need a low bandwidth. For simply checking mails, a 1 Mbps bandwidth would be sufficient. However, if you are video conferencing or going for HD teleconferencing, you might need bandwidth up to 6 Mbps.
- In case you have multiple gamers or movie buffs at home or have home security devices connected to your system, you would need a bandwidth of 100 Mbps to 500 Mbps.
- Offices and spaces with commercial settings have several people using the Wi-Fi simultaneously. Besides, you might have smart devices connected to the system for security. In these cases, a bandwidth of 500 Mbps to 1000 Mbps would be ideal for your infrastructure.
Calculating the right bandwidth for your home or office
Now that you have a general idea of the bandwidth necessary for different online activities, you can calculate the necessary connection strength. Carry out the following activities before you reach out to your ISP and scan through their packages.
1. Check the number of internet users
If you use your internet for domestic purposes and have only a few users at home, a small package would serve your purpose. In general, 100 Mbps should be adequate for a home with two to three internet users.
However, if you have many internet users and frequent visitors who use your Wi-Fi, getting a higher bandwidth would be an intelligible decision. This would prevent latency and downtime when you simultaneously stream HD movies and play multiplayer games. If you have teenagers at home, you should go for a bigger package.
2. Check out the connected devices
Connected devices encompass gadgets more than PCs, laptops, and smartphones. Even if you have two or three internet users at home, they might be using multiple devices.
Again, you need to consider connected devices like gaming consoles and security systems. Consider smart home devices like Amazon Echo, along with DVRs. Even apps and smart TVs can consume significant amounts of data.
3. Consider your online activities
What are the everyday activities you carry out at your home? In case you simply browse the internet, use social media, or send emails, you are not a heavy internet user. However, if you stream live sports events, watch movies, or engage in multiplayer games, you should go for a larger bandwidth. Once you have a consultation with a reputed ISP, the professionals will guide you on the correct bandwidth to go for. Also, you can upgrade your plan to benefit from a heavier data package if you need it.
Endnote
It’s time to add up the bandwidth you need at your home or commercial space. You already have an idea of how much bandwidth each device would consume at a given time. Now consider the number of internet users who would be simultaneously using the connection. This will help you gain a comprehensive idea of the necessary bandwidth.
Accordingly, you can browse the subscription plans of a reputed ISP like Rango. So, you won’t be wasting your data packages with unnecessarily high bandwidth. Neither would you be experiencing latency while using the internet. A calculated approach can help you find an affordable package with one of the established internet service providers. You can talk to the experts if you are unsure about the package that would suit your requirements.
