What is a slow download speed? 3 easy tips to improve speed

Have you ever faced a frustrating situation when you want to download a favorite game from the Internet, but the download speed is so slow? 

So, the question is: What is a slow download speed? How to improve download speed? 

All is disclosed clearly in this article. Let's dive into it.

What is a slow download speed?

How to check download speed?

To answer the question “Is your internet connection fast or slow?”, you need to know “What is your current download speed?” first.

There are many ways to measure your connection.

Luckily, they are often simple and quick. Everyone can do it even a person who doesn’t use the internet too much.

Check download speed on Windows 10

Step 1: Go to the Settings or Control Panel and select "Network and Internet."

Step 2: Navigate to the "Network and Sharing Center." In the left pane, select Change adapter settings.

Step 3: Select the network adapter and double-click it (Ethernet or Wifi connection). Take a look at the "Speed" line.

Online download speed test (MySpeed)

To identify how your devices’ download speed is either fast or slow, you also can use a download speed test. 

This feature will help you find out how much data are transferred from a server on the internet to your devices per second (both uploading and downloading).

• Step 1: Go to gospeedcheck.com's main page. 

The MySpeed website is mobile and desktop friendly. You may access MySpeed by going to google.com on a PC or using a browser like Google Chrome for Android or Safari for iOS. 

• Step 2: To run the test, click "Go." 

• Step 3: After a few seconds, the screen will display the results of three different parameters: ping, download speed, and upload speed.

How to perform MySpeed?

The higher the download speed, the faster your devices can receive data from the internet. 

Compared to the app’s capacity, you can easily find the approximate time it will take to finish downloading. 

Moreover, through the testing results, you can know whether your ISP provides internet speed as fast as it promised or not.

What is the difference between download and upload speed?

While measuring the connection or during using the Internet, many people can be confused about 2 metrics: download and upload speed.

Basically, upload and download are two different flows of data between the Internet and your devices. 

So, what is the difference between upload and download speed?

Definition

Download speed is the speed at which data is delivered from a server on the internet to your devices. 

Download speed is measured in Mbps - Megabits per second, so the higher Mbps download value, the better.

Uploading versus Downloading

The upload speed of your devices impacts how quickly they can deliver data to the internet.

It refers to the speed at which digital data travels from your computer or other devices to the internet. 

Upload speed is measured in Mbps, just as download speed. 

Download and Upload work inversely but both have the same characteristic: the faster the upload speed, the faster the data can be sent.

What is more important upload or download speed?

For the ordinary internet user, download speeds are far more significant than upload speeds because most of what you do online is dependent on them. 

Download speeds are used for streaming videos, listening to Spotify, online shopping, watching Netflix, and loading a webpage,... 

But upload speeds are used when a user uploads a photo to social media, uploads files to iCloud, or sends an email. 

Thus, Download speeds are more likely to be used than upload speeds.

However, if you’re a streamer or often have video calls, the upload speed will play an important role and you need to take concern. 

Therefore, depending on your type of online activity, the demand for downloading and uploading data is different. 

Which is more important: upload vs download?

What is a slow download speed?

As mentioned above, downloading data is consumed in most online activities.

Consequently, you need a fast download speed.  

According to the FCC, Download speeds of less than 25 Mbps are insufficient to qualify as broadband or adequate residential Wi-Fi. 

Users may suffer buffering when streaming video, trouble connecting numerous devices, and other internet connectivity issues with these speeds. 

Even, in some cases, you are able to experience disconnection.

Keep in mind that the larger the number of Mbps (megabits per second) you have, the smoother you can access the Internet. 

Take a look at the table below to have a general of how much Mbps you need for household use. 

Activity	Minimum Download Speed (Mbps)
General Usage
General Browsing and Email	1
Streaming Online Radio	Less than 0.5
VoIP Calls	Less than 0.5
Student	5 - 25
Telecommuting	5 - 25
File Downloading	10
Social Media	1
Watching Video
Streaming Standard Definition Video	3 - 4
Streaming High Definition (HD) Video	5 - 8
Streaming Ultra HD 4K Video	25
Video Conferencing
Standard Personal Video Call (e.g., Skype)	1
HD Personal Video Call (e.g., Skype)	1.5
HD Video Teleconferencing	6
Gaming
Game Console Connecting to the Internet	3
Online Multiplayer	4

A high number should indicate that downloads are completed faster, pages load faster, music or video streaming begins faster, and any video calls or online games are displayed smoothly.

Thus, you’d better speed up your connection if you get a testing result of 25 Mbps.

So, how to improve your download speed?

That’s so sad when getting a slow download speed.

But don’t worry.

There are many effective and free tips to improve your internet performance. 

They’re collected below, let’s see:

•  Restart your computer

Try a fresh start before moving on to additional options.

You may have applications running on your computer that you are unaware of, or you may have too many browsers open at the same time. 

Those are able to slow downs your internet performance. 

Thus, simply reboot your computer and start the download with only one browser window open.

Restart your computer

• Restart your router

If you feel your network isn't working properly, restart your router and modem. 

The router will cool down and flush out its memory after being restarted. 

This is one of the simplest troubleshooting steps you can take to fix what isn't working properly

Restart your router to speed up downloads

• Upgrade your internet speed plan

Your internet connection may not be capable of handling huge downloads, depending on your service provider. 

A slow download speed can be aggravating, so upgrading to a faster plan may be worthwhile, especially if your family has numerous people and gadgets.

Consider upgrading your Internet package