What's the difference between Minimum, Recommended, and Comfortable speeds?
Minimum is the bare requirement for your activities at any given moment. Recommended adds headroom for multiple devices and typical network overhead. Comfortable ensures smooth performance even during peak usage with room to spare.
Why do I need more speed than just adding up my activities?
Real-world networks have overhead from protocols, interference, and multiple devices competing for bandwidth. We factor in a 25-50% buffer above your calculated needs to ensure consistent performance.
Does the number of devices matter if they're not all in use?
Yes. Even idle devices perform background updates, sync data, and maintain connections. Smart home devices constantly communicate with servers. More devices mean more baseline network activity.
Should I care about upload speed?
Absolutely, especially for video calls, streaming to Twitch/YouTube, uploading files to cloud storage, or working from home. Many ISPs advertise download speeds prominently but offer much slower uploads. Check both numbers.
Is fiber better than cable for the same speed?
Generally yes. Fiber offers symmetrical upload/download speeds, lower latency, and more consistent performance. Cable speeds can degrade during peak neighborhood usage times.