Consider the width of your knuckles before buying
The tool seems to be of fine quality for the price point. Most speed handles in this dollar tier don't have features like a floating knurled drive handle, so that's definitely a bonus with this tool.
The downside is the crank width.
My knuckles span 4-1/2", and the crank handle area is about 3-1/2", leaving me unable to get a full grip on the crank without modifying the tool. Still, price is decent enough to justify keeping it. I'll prob cut it and weld a length of tube stock in to increase the width of the crank handle. If that's too much fussing around for ya, and you're hands aren't narrow, I'd suggest getting a different tool than this one.
Your internet speed is based on how long your internet connection can download and upload data (bits). This speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps) and gigabits per second (Gbps) — one Mbps is 1,000,000 bits being transferred per second, and one Gbps is 1,000,000,000 bits being transferred per second. The higher the Mbps or Gbps you see, the faster the internet speed. Just remember that your chosen speed will depend on your specific internet needs.
It is more common to see internet speeds measured in Mbps because many do not require the extreme speeds of Gigabit internet, but this is a good choice for busy, smart households with gamers and work-from-home residents.
To figure out how fast your internet and Wi-Fi connections are, use Allconnect® to take an online speed test with a computer that’s connected to your home Wi-Fi network. We’ll also tell you your ping time and upload vs. download speeds.
Pro Tip: For best results, use an Ethernet cord to connect your router or modem directly to your device before you run the test.
Internet speed is one of the biggest considerations when choosing an internet service provider. It determines how quickly you can perform tasks online and how many tasks your network can handle at a single time. Unless you live solo and only browse Facebook, you might need more than the minimum speed.
Below, we’ll go over why internet speed matters, how to check your speed, and what to do if it’s not fast enough to handle your household connection needs.
Internet speed refers to how much data and information can be transferred over the web on a single connection at any given time.
This is important for consumers to understand internet speed because it determines what types of activities you can do on the internet and how many devices you can connect to at once. Understanding how you and your family use the internet at home will help you determine which internet speeds you need to get from your provider.
If your internet speed is too slow, you might run into trouble performing tasks on the web like streaming video, playing video games or uploading files. If it’s too fast, you could be overpaying for internet services.
Many internet service providers advertise their upload and download speeds. However, these numbers aren’t always accurate. It’s always a good idea to do your research and find out their real internet speeds.
Many elements can affect what speed you get. Here are a few things to consider:
Currently, the FCC defines high-speed internet as 25 Mbps, but they are lobbying to increase that to 100 Mbps. For now, 25 Mbps is a fairly outdated definition, especially when you apply this definition to households containing more than one person (which is most households). Therefore, instead of following the FCC’s definition of high-speed internet, it is more useful to follow this rule of thumb for determining your internet speed needs:
Divide the number of devices in your household by the speed plan you are considering. You will want the result of that equation to be between 25 and 40 Mbps. For instance, if you have a household of four people who only use one device at a time, a plan of around 100 Mbps will be best (100/4 = 25).
However, if everyone in your household uses multiple devices simultaneously, you will want to consider a slightly faster plan. If each person in your household of four uses two devices at a time (a smartphone and a laptop, for example), consider a plan between 200 and 300 Mbps (300/8 = 37.5).
Read more about internet terms defined
Your internet speed needs really depend on your usage. Keep in mind that these are the speeds required for each device in your home. If you have multiple devices online at a time, you will need a faster plan.
For gamers, at a minimum, you need 4–8 Mbps for online gaming. For consistently efficient gaming, 10–25 Mbps tend to be best. Working from home, you will want a plan of at least 100 Mbps. If you frequently download and upload large files, you’ll want internet speeds of at least 50 Mbps. For simpler computer programs (word processing, for example), you can get by with just 3–4 Mbps.
For lots of video conferencing, you’ll want to sit somewhere in the middle with at least 10 Mbps. To stream videos, you’ll need at least 3 Mbps. It takes at least 25 Mbps for 4K streaming on your computer or Ultra HD-enabled devices.
To make your internet faster at home, boost your Wi-Fi signal. Resetting or moving your router can boost and stabilize your signal. You could also add a Wi-Fi repeater or extender to improve internet signals for gaming devices further away from your router.
General use activitiesMinimum download speed (Mbps) General browsing and email1 Streaming videos3 – 40 Online learningAt least 25 Working from homeAt least 25 File downloading10 Gaming4 – 8You might have noticed that sometimes your internet is faster or slower than usual. This is normal and could be due to a number of reasons.
In addition to choosing an internet plan, you also must consider your internet connection type. The most common options include fiber optic, cable, DSL, 5G, fixed wireless and satellite. However, these options are not all made equally. The fastest and most reliable connection type is fiber optic, but if fiber is not available in your area, then go with cable. You’re more likely to receive DSL, fixed wireless or satellite service if you live in a more rural area, as fiber optic providers tend to only focus on deploying their services to higher-density areas.
Where you put your router can weaken the signal. Avoid putting it in places near potential signal-blockers like radios, microwaves or thick/dense walls. You also want to get it off the floor, as other signals might travel along the floor and interfere with your internet.
The best place to put your router is the middle of your home in an elevated, clear spot.
This is a bit more technical, but there are potential issues you can troubleshoot to see if you can make your internet faster:
Malware can infect your computer’s hardware, software or applications. One type is internet malware that infects computer applications such as web browsers. This kind of malware can open multiple browsers in the background, which can slow internet speeds.
Luckily, we’ve put together a few ways to prevent malware from infecting your devices.
It’s not uncommon for internet service providers to throttle internet speeds when you exceed your plan’s data limit, and some have even been accused of throttling internet speeds for certain websites or activities.
If it’s the latter, it could be time to change your plan and increase your speeds. For the former, run a speed test outside of the 7–11 p.m. busy period, then install a VPN and run the same test. If the speeds are similar, throttling likely isn’t the culprit. If they’re different, this could be a sign of throttling.
Most people use their home internet in the evening, particularly during “rush hour” from 7–11 p.m. This can slow internet speeds, especially for cable internet users. There really isn’t much of a solution to this issue, other than reducing the number of devices using the internet at this time or increasing the speed on your plan.
Much like your neighbors can affect internet speeds, so can you. If you’re connecting many devices at once or doing high-bandwidth activities like uploading 4K video to YouTube or a 500 GB PDF to a server, this can impact other devices on your network and the speed with which you’re able to connect.
You could try to connect via hardwire (such as an Ethernet cord) to help with these issues, as well as limit the number of devices connected while you’re doing these high-bandwidth activities.
If none of the solutions above address your internet speed issues, you can take a few additional steps to boost your connection:
There can be a long list of reasons your Wi-Fi is slow or your internet connection is unreliable that have nothing to do with your internet speed plan. A common mistake households make is to upgrade their speed plan when they are unsatisfied with their service before determining if a faster speed plan would solve the root of the problem. You will want to try the suggestions listed above, therefore, before considering an upgrade.
So, when should you upgrade your internet speeds? Here’s a list of signs your speed plan is the problem:
The main consideration for determining whether you need a faster speed plan has to do with consistency. If speeds are consistently slow regardless of which room in the house you are in or consistently when there are multiple devices connected to the Wi-Fi or when someone in your household is attempting a high-bandwidth internet activity, then that’s a sign your speed plan is the problem. However, if your Wi-Fi connection is unpredictable or location-specific, your issues likely lie more with your internet provider or your equipment.
When understanding internet speeds and how they work, it’s helpful to arm yourself with some handy definitions:
Written by:
Robin LaytonEditor, Broadband Content
Robin Layton is an editor for the broadband marketplace Allconnect. She built her internet industry expertise writing and editing for four years on the site, as well as on Allconnect’s sister site MYMOVE.com. … Read more
Edited by:
Camryn SmithRead bio