Today a fast internet connection is highly important! Whether you are working remotely to streaming movies, having a reliable and speedy internet connection is essential. Because it can be annoying for the web pages to load, and your work can be greatly affected because of a slow speed internet connection.
In addition, finding the right internet service provider can be a challenge because not every ISP delivers the promised speeds. Therefore, if you are tired of dealing with a slow internet connection, we recommend measuring your internet speeds to confirm whether your ISP is fulfilling the promise. Even if you are a customer of Windstream Internet, we still recommend you test your internet speeds.
Key Takeaways
In this blog, you will learn about the following things.
- About Windstream
- Conducting a speed test
- What does a speed test tell you?
- What speed do you need?
- How do I know if I am getting accurate data?
Windstream Internet: A Brief Overview
Windstream Holdings is one of the leading internet providers in the United States that offers great fiber-DSL connection, which is incredibly fast and reliable. It takes pride in offering exceptional internet connection and services.
Windstream’s services far exceed the demands of internet users as it offers several different incredible packages. You can visit its website and choose the speed tier that suits your budget and internet needs. Unfortunately, despite choosing the right package users are still likely to face internet issues because of several factors. So, if you want assurance regarding its services’ reliability, we recommend conducting a speed test. In case, you are confused about your internet speed or facing any technical problems, you can contact Windstream customer service.
Conducting a Speed Test
If your internet connection is sluggish, then we advise you to conduct a speed test before you jump to conclusions. It is a test to measure your internet connection speed in real-time. Conducting a speed test helps to identify the potential issues that might be affecting your internet connection. It usually takes one minute to complete but provides complete stat about your internet connection. So, you should conduct multiple tests to get a better idea about your internet speed.
In addition, knowing your current internet speed can help you upgrade to the right speed. For example, depending on your connection type, a good speed test result is if the speeds are around 50 to 200 Mbps within the range of advertised speeds. However, keep in mind that the test results might vary depending on your internet connection type, ISP, and time of the day. We suggest you use Ookla, it is famous for its accuracy and consistency. And if you feel suspicious about your internet speed, you can reach out to your internet service provider and discuss the issue.
What Does a Speed Test Tell You?
A speed test tells you the following things.
Upload Speed
Activities like posting photos on Instagram or uploading files require upload speeds. With upload speeds, you can determine how fast you can send your data from your device to the internet.
Download Speed
It is a measurement of how fast you receive data from the internet. Online activities such as streaming videos or scrolling your social media depend on your download speeds.
Ping
The ping rate is measured in milliseconds. It measures how fast your data packet travels from a device on one network.
What Speed Do You Need?
The internet speed you need depends on what you want to do online and how many people are using your internet connection. If you cannot determine what speed you need, then you should determine your internet usage and activities. For example, if you have a family of 2-4 and internet for streaming and gaming, then you should choose a 100 Mbps plan. However, if you have a small household, and you barely use the internet for streaming and need it for browsing or emailing, then you should choose a 25 Mbps plan. To give you an overview, we have listed some of the general activities and their speed requirements below.
- Sending emails: 1 Mbps
- Streaming: 3 to 40 Mbps
- Online learning: 25 Mbps
How Do I Know If I Am Getting Accurate Data?
Keep in mind that the speed test results will vary because of several factors. To get a full picture of your internet speed, follow the steps below.
Restart Your Router
Restarting the router helps clear the glitches and issues before you conduct a speed test. Once you have restarted your router, you should turn on airplane mode because many applications use the internet and consume your bandwidth, affecting your test results.
Run Multiple Tests Over Several Connections
Wi-Fi network is typically weaker as it is transmitted through the air. Once you have conducted the speed test over it, you should consider running a test over an Ethernet cord as well, so you can compare both results.
Clear Your Browser’s Cache
We browse the internet for so many activities, so websites tend to store many caches, which can affect your speed test results. Many people forget this step and get inaccurate results. So, always clear the cache before you conduct the test and repeat the step whenever you plan to test your internet speed.
Use a Single Device
The number of devices connected to your network will affect your speed test results. While conducting a speed test, we recommend disconnecting all the other devices. Also, ensure when you are conducting the test do not use the internet for anything else.
Final Thoughts
We hope you know everything about internet speed and how you can ensure you are getting accurate speeds. Because a sluggish internet connection cannot only frustrate you but also affect your productivity levels as well. So, you need to choose a reliable internet service provider such as Windstream that delivers the promised speeds. All you have to do is choose a package sufficient for your internet needs. You can even discuss your internet usage with the customer service team so the support team can help you choose the right package.
