What Is a Good Internet Speed for Streaming, Gaming & Video Conferences?

What is a good internet speed? Having a good/ fast internet speed is a desire of every internet user. But first, you need a fast internet speed test to answer the question “How fast is my internet right now? How fast is Comcast high-speed internet? How fast is DSL internet speed? how fast is Verizon high-speed internet enhanced? ”

Fast internet speed

Understanding “what is fast internet speed?” is important that can help you know how much Mbps you need. Even you are also able to guess what causes fast internet but slow download speed, the speed test is fast but internet is slow. 

Now, let’s see if your internet speed is good enough for your online activities or not. 

What is my internet speed? 

In each internet speed test, you will  see 3 main metrics: download speed, upload speed and ping. What are they?

• Internet download speed refers to how much data is pulled from the Internet to your devices ( PC, tablet, or smartphone). It is measured in megabits per second (Mbps).

• Upload speed on internet refers to how much data your network connection allows to deliver from your devices to others via the Internet. (Mbps)

• Ping in internet speed test refers to how fast it takes for digital data to be transferred from your device to an Internet server and back to your device. (ms)

 

What is internet speed? 

What is a good internet speed?

What is a fast internet speed?

Running an Internet speed test free, but do you know How fast should my internet speed be? 

That said, for basic online activities such as browsing the web, and sending emails, your internet speed should be at least 25 Mbps.

In detail, according to the FCC policy launched in 2015, the minimum standard for broadband is 25 Mbps of download speed and 3 Mbps of upload speed. It is supposed that these speeds are sufficient to do online. 

FCC defines good broadband 

However, after the Covid-19 pandemic happens, billions of worldwide people work and attend school remotely. It suggests a new benchmark of 100 Mbps for both download and upload speeds, with this definition being applied consistently across the federal government.

To avoid situations like internet speed is fast but pages load slow, internet speed is fast but browsing is slow” in the standard 3-4 people household, the typical home network needs about 100 Mbps.

On the high end, the home network can approach 1 Gbps (1000 Mbps). In some locations, several internet providers even provide 2 Gbps. Gigabit speed—anything beyond 1,000 Mbps is referred to as gigabit speed—is ideal for big families, multifamily houses, and enterprises. However, the increased speed (and expense) may be costly for most individuals. But you can't dispute how fast it is.

Below is a handy table to suggest how fast internet speed you need. Maybe you don’t need 100 Mbps. 

Internet speed	Speed summary	The number of users
25 Mbps	Basic	1-2 users
100 Mbps	Average	3-4 users
200 Mbps	Fast	4-5 users
500 Mbps	Very fast	5 + users
1000 Mbps	Gigabit	5 + users

Data from minim.com

That’s the suggestion of what speed you actually need. If you are a gamer or streamer, these speeds are not enough. 

For example, when you broadcast a stream on Twitch, others in your house can have internet speed fast but pages load slow or fast internet speed but slow browsing. 

How fast is NASA’s internet speed? That’s 91 Gbps. How fast is 1Gb internet speed? It is equal to 1000 Mbps. That means over 13,000 times quicker than the typical residential internet connection of 20-25 Mbps. 

How fast is Nasa’s internet speed? 

The main reason NASA requires a powerful internet network is to fulfill all critical activities effectively. Obviously, they cannot rely on a slow and unsecured network to transfer sensitive data that must be delivered in the blink of an eye.

There are some best ISPs for general purposes of using the Internet, take a look at this table below:

COMPANY	DOWNLOAD SPEED (MBPS)	UPLOAD SPEED (MBPS)	DATA CAP
Xfinity Internet	50 Mbps - 2,000 Mbps	5 Mbps - 2,000 Mbps	Starting at 1.2 TB
Verizon Internet	200 Mbps - 940 Mbps	200 Mbps - 880 Mbps	No Cap
AT&T Internet	0.8 Mbps - 940 Mbps	0.4 Mbps - 940 Mbps	No Cap
Spectrum Internet	100 Mbps - 1,000 Mbps	10 Mbps - 35 Mbps	No Cap
RCN Internet	50 Mbps - 940 Mbps	N/A	N/A
Cox Internet	25 Mbps - 940 Mbps	3 Mbps - 35 Mbps	Starting at 1 TB
Mediacom Internet	60 Mbps - 1000 Mbps	5 Mbps - 50 Mbps	Starting at 200GB
HughesNet Internet	25 Mbps	3 Mbps	No Cap
Frontier Internet	Up to 940 Mbps	Up to 880 Mbps	No Cap
CenturyLink Internet	10 Mbps - 940 Mbps	10 Mbps - 940 Mbps	Starting at 1 TB
Viasat Internet	12 Mbps - 100 Mbps	Up to 3 Mbps	No Cap
Suddenlink Internet	20 Mbps - 940 Mbps	2Mbps - 50 Mbps	Varies

What's considered a fast internet speed for streaming?

Even if you register the highest internet plan with the fastest speeds, your internet speeds still fluctuate. There are too many reasons for internet speed is fast but youtube is slow, fast internet speed but slow download. The speed can drop at peak viewing times such as watching after work or in the evening.

That time, services/ platforms such as Netflix, Youtube can improve your connection performance by reducing the video quality you watch. How much Mbps you need depends on what kind of video stream as well as which platform you get.

Streaming platforms

How fast is 4Mbps internet speed? How fast is 6 Mbps internet speed? How fast is 18 Mbps internet speed? Are these speeds good enough to watch streaming? 

It recommends that to stream most SD video, your internet speed should be at least 3 Mbps. For a 4K streaming video, at least 25 Mbps download speed is sufficient. Besides, streaming music requires less speed than streaming movies, videos, or TV shows. If you listen to music on Spotify online, under 3 Mbps internet speed still brings in a good listening experience to you.

In terms of streaming movies, services require faster speeds. 6 Mbps internet speed fast enough for Netflix at HD resolution. But with this speed, you can get choppy and stuttering video when streaming at HDR or 4K. In detail, take a look at recommended speeds for Netflix:

• SD videos: at least 3 Mbps

• HD videos: at least 5 Mbps

• HDR or 4K videos:  at least 25 Mbps 

On the Youtube platform, it requires lower speeds a little bit at least 3 Mbps. The speed you need may vary by the video quality.

• SD video: at least 3 Mbps

•  HD video: at least 7 Mbps

Watch a stream on Youtube

Here is some recommended speed on other platforms:

Platform	Internet speed
Hulu	3-15 Mbps
Disney +	5-25 Mbps
Youtube TV	3- 13+ Mbps
Twitch	4 Mbps
Music	2-10 Mbps

Internet speed for several streaming platforms

These are just estimated numbers for one device. In fact, while you’re streaming, others in your house can play online games or browse the Internet. Thus, it’s better to register an upper internet plan for provision. 

Why is my internet speed not as fast as advertised? Why is my internet speed not as fast as it should be? The advertised speeds are “up to” speeds as well as evaluated in ideal conditions. In fact, internet speeds are influenced by some factors such as the number of connected devices, wifi interference. 

Reasons for internet speed is fast but downloads are slow, my internet speed is fast but downloads are slow, why is my download speed so slow when I have fast internet can be similar.

What is a fast internet speed for gaming?

Knowing how to check the speed of my computer, have you ever wondered things like how fast is 20mbps internet speed? How fast is 300 Mbps internet speed? How fast is 600 Mbps internet speed? For online gaming, fast internet speed is good but you may not need the speed of 300, 600 Mbps.

You need a minimum internet speed of 4 to 8 Mbps for online games, but fast internet speed for gaming at a consistent and stable experience tends to be 10 to 25 Mbps. 

Internet speed just refers to how fast your device sends a request from the gaming server. Keep in mind that ping or latency matters when it comes to playing online gaming.

Ping is an essential factor in online games

Ping in games describes the time lag between a player's input and the server's response. Lag spike is an increase in the amount of time it takes for an action from your game to reach the game server and be registered, or for a message from the game server to reach your device. 

High ping also can be a culprit of Xbox download speed slow but internet fast. As a result, lower and lower ping is a thing all gamers want to get.

Ping response times
	excellent,ideal for online gaming
30 - 50 ms	average, acceptible for online gaming
50 - 100 ms	somewhat slow, acceptible for web browsing
100 - 500 ms	slow, noticeable lag in online gaming and browsing
>500 ms	extremely slow, noticeable delay

What is a good ping ms? 

A ping greater than 100 to 250ms can be barely workable in video online games, and anything greater than 250ms frequently causes lag, even disconnection. So that, if your network has that ping, let’s make internet speed fast. 

Of course, playability at these pings is determined by both your skill level and the sort of game you're playing. Some genres, such as FPS games, are particularly sensitive to ping, with most players noting the issue between 50 and 90 ms. 

MMOs and RTS games are less vulnerable to larger pings, whereas turn-based games are scarcely affected by high ping.

In the case of slow internet speed on one computer and fast on the other, computer download speed slow but internet fast, your computer can be the culprit. Check it out and improve internet performance. 

Here is the list of the best Internet Service Providers for Gaming, you can consider choosing:

COMPANY	MONTHLY COST	CONNECTION TYPE	DOWNLOAD SPEED (MBPS)	LATENCY
Frontier Internet	$34.99 and Up	Fiber, DSL	Up to 940 Mbps	9
Verizon Internet	$39.99 and Up	Fiber	200 Mbps - 940 Mbps	12
Xfinity Internet	$45 and Up	Fiber, Cable	50 Mbps - 2,000 Mbps	18
Cox Internet	$44.99 and Up	Fiber, Cable	25 Mbps - 940 Mbps	22
Spectrum Internet	$49.99 and Up	Hybrid-Fiber Coax	100 Mbps - 1,000 Mbps	24
Mediacom Internet	$29.99 and Up	Cable	60 Mbps - 1000 Mbps	27
AT&T Internet	$35 and Up	Fiber	0.8 Mbps - 940 Mbps	33
CenturyLink Internet	$49 and Up	Fiber, DSL	10 Mbps - 940 Mbps	36

What is fast Mbps internet speed for video conferences?

What is a fast internet upload speed for video calls, and video conferences? Because the upload matters, you need a faster speed than normal. 

When you conduct a video call, that means you broadcast a stream and share it with others in the call ( sending data via the Internet). 

Video conferences

Fast internet speed app for Android, IOS, or Windows is not enough, you need to consider some factors:

• What kind of camera is in your device?

• How many devices connecting to the same home network are shared during the video conference?

• What resolution, frame per second do you set your camera?

• How many features are participants using?

How fast is 200 Mbps internet speed? How fast is 15mbps internet speed? Can we need speeds as fast as those?

For participants in a one-to-one session involving two parties, video conferencing generally requires 1.5 to 2 Mbps download speed and 2 Mbps upload speed. 

In general, the greater the Mbps, the better the experience, hence some providers recommend a 3 Mbps connection to maximize the experience.

Video calls on Skype

Otherwise, according to highspeedinternet, recommended speeds are different. How fast is 600 kbps internet speed?  That’s suitable for 1-1 video calls. 6 mbps internet speed fast enough for Skype. Let’s take some references from the table below.

Video chat application	Min. upload speed	Min. download speed	Rec. upload speed	Rec. download speed
Zoom (one-on-one calling)	600 Kbps	600 Kbps	1.8 Mbps	1.8 Mbps
Zoom (group calling)	800 Kbps	1 Mbps	3 Mbps	2.5 Mbps
Google Hangouts and Google Meet	3.2 Mbps	1.8 Mbps	3.2 Mbps	3.2 Mbps
Slack	600 Kbps	600 Kbps	600 Kbps	2 Mbps
Skype	128 Kbps	128 Kbps	512 Kbps	8 Mbps

Internet speed for several video conference applications