Internet Speed & Devices Explained

February 24, 2022 | Internet

How fast is your Internet download speed?

50Mbps? 300Mbps? or maybe the top of the line 1Gbps! Everyone likes to talk about and compare download speeds but speed is only a part of the equation for getting the best online experience.

First, download speed is affected by many factors. Whenever you send a keystroke to any website, the return path for the data might confound you. It’s not a direct route. It can travel through dozens of servers along the way to get from point A to point B. Any one of those servers could cause a delay... and that appears as a slow download speed to you. These slowdowns are something that your ISP has nothing to do with, yet they take the blame.

Also, the website where you are trying to download information may only be capable of sending out a stream at a substantially lower speed than you can receive. While you might have a 1GB connection, if they can only send it at 200MB, it will appear slow. You can’t get it any faster than they can send it.

The second part of the equation is the number of devices you have connected to the internet at your home. Each device takes up part of your bandwidth. Just take a moment and count all the devices you have at home... Smartphones, computers, tablets, smart TVs, appliances, gaming systems, lights, thermostats, garage doors, doorbells, and more. Every one of these devices is bleeding off speed from your bandwidth. It’s much like water coming into your home. It comes in on one pipe and then is split to bathrooms, kitchen, showers, toilets, etc.

The more things you have using water at the same time, the less the water pressure will be.

The bottom line is: The more devices you have in your home, the more speed (bandwidth) you’ll need!

Long Lines understands the way people use their internet and has developed a variety of speeds and plans to fit every household from the very small to large growing families. As your full-service broadband provider, we are dedicated to ensuring our customers have a wonderful internet experience!