Do you know how fast your internet is? Do you get all the MB you're paying for? There is a good chance that this is not happening, despite some operators delivering stable and quality connections. However, it is always good to check. There are several methods for you to analyze your internet speed, by Centurylink internet, or others provider and check if the data is being delivered correctly. You cannot simply rely on connection speed when performing regular downloads, as many variables influence this analysis.

For example, some servers only offer specific speeds, and even if the type of connection you use is higher, downloads will not be faster – they depend on bandwidth. Therefore, it is important to use an independent tool to analyze the efficiency of the connection. Today, we are going to talk specifically about the Speedtest website, which provides this service. But first, let's find out what Speed and Upload Speed is downloaded. Follow!

What is download speed

We can define download speed as the speed with which you can pull the data from the server. Most connections are designed to download much faster than upload. This is because most online activities, such as loading a video page or streaming, consist of downloads. The download speed is measured in bits per second, and the operator's name with multiple "mega". Therefore, we read megabits per second (or Mbps).

What is upload speed

Upload speed is the speed with which you send data from your computer to other people or servers. Upload is critical to sending large files by email, for example, or using a video-chat conversation function with someone. Why is the download speed different from the contracted speed? Some people wonder why when downloading a file the download rate accuses a speed lower than the contractor. Here we will use the example of a 10 Megas internet that downloads files to 1MB.

This confusion happens thanks to the prefix “mega” that operators use to name the services they offer. This prefix leads a lot of people to believe they are hiring a service with speed in Megabytes when, in fact, it is in Megabits.

Megabytes and megabits

The term megabyte is usually much better known than the term megabit. In addition, the announcement of speed as "mega" certainly generates some confusion for those who are laid on the subject, but both measures are very different. To understand this difference easier, just consider the most basic measurements and make a simple account. Each byte consists of 8 bits. A kilobyte consists of 1024 bytes and, consequently, a megabyte consists of 1024 kilobytes.

Byte and bit also gave rise to two units of grandeur: B/s (byte per second) and BPS (bit per second). Both belong to the “transfer rate.” Category. They are also responsible for most complaints received in service centers from internet service operators. The download rate is usually expressed in KB/s (kilobytes per second), ie if a byte corresponds to eight bits, consequently the download rate will have a value eight times lower, right?

From this assumption, if you want to know what your real download rate will be, just make a calculation dividing by eight. For example, a 10 “Megas” internet can download a maximum of 1.25MB/s

Speed Test and find out your download rate

First of all, to get the most accurate result, you need to follow some tips. First, make sure no one at home is using the internet. Close all applications like Netflix and torrents to ensure that nothing influences the result. Make sure that Speedtest (or another service to test the connection) is the only application that has access to the internet (disconnect even mobile devices).

In this way, the connection will not be saturated and the data will be more correct. The second step is to take the measurement several times, preferably at different times of the day. For example, speeds can vary considerably when everyone is sleeping and when many people are connected at the same time (which includes close neighbors).

The speed measurement

Measuring your internet connection speed is quite simple. When accessing Speedtest or another similar site, you must click on the central button to start the automatic test. Speedtest also has an application for smartphones and tablets on Android and iOS, in case you want to do the procedure on mobile devices.

The software checks the connection ping identifies the provider and then performs download and upload tests to check the internet speed. The entire procedure is very simple and fast, great for those who want to get straight to the point and don't want to know more in-depth data. Remember that if you test on your smartphone, the analysis will be performed based on the WiFi connection. To measure the operator connection you need to disable WiFi.

Another point that should be noted in the case of smartphones is the fact that Speedtest downloads and uploads data to check the speed. So, if you have a limited data plan on mobile devices, you need to take this into account before starting the process.

How to increase download speed

If you have already chosen your Internet Plan and need to give that augmented to the download speed, be aware that there are many factors to make your download speed slower than you expect, for example, browsers or even the distance from your home about the internet distributor:

Download the DAP (Download Accelerator Plus) Program from the manufacturer's website,
Install the program normally by choosing the language you want. When finishing, choose the Free Version option
In your browser toolbar, you will see a new extension. Activate her as shown in the image.
Visit the extension and click the more (green) button so that the program recognizes the links in the transfer area. Check out the download and click OK
Then click on advanced

Just don't forget to get out of the length after you finish the download, as the program can run on your PC without being necessary.

Don't be fooled, check the download speed

You must be aware of the hired services so as not to be deceived. Use Speed Test software and periodically check your computer download speed. Thus, you can charge whether frontier internet plans is being effective or not, for example. Also, you can follow the tips on improving computer speed by lowering DAP if the problem is not your internet.