When shopping for a home internet connection, there are many things that you need to consider; price, bandwidth, data cap, uptime, downtime and, of course, speed.

In fact, speed is arguably the most important consideration for most homeowners when choosing an internet service provider (ISP).

No one likes a slow internet connection; a buffering stream or a lagging online gaming session.

So, what minimum speed should you be aiming for when shopping for a home internet connection?

How Internet Speed is Measured

Okay, let’s first understand how internet speed is measured.

Internet speed is measured in two different metrics:

·         Upload speed

·         Download speed

Upload speed refers to how quickly an internet connection can send data from your devices to the internet. While download speed refers to how fast an internet connection can retrieve data from the internet and distribute it to your devices.

In an average home setting, the download speed of an internet connection is of much more importance than its upload speed.

Why?

Because most home internet users very rarely have large files to share on the internet. So, even if the connection’s upload speed is slow, it doesn’t much matter to them. What they really need is a connection that can provide them fast download speed so that they can enjoy seamless browsing, streaming and online gaming experience.

Therefore, from here on in, we’ll also be focusing only on download speed for the rest of this article.

Speedometer: Where Do Your Internet Speed Needs Rank?

How much internet speed you need for your home internet connection will depend on three factors:

1)      Your everyday online activities

2)      The number of people in your home who would use the internet

3)      The maximum number of devices that would be connected to the internet at the same time

Factors “2” and “3” are somewhat inter-related. The more people you have at your home using the internet, the more devices will be connected to it.

Specifying minimum internet speed requirements for different everyday online activities:

·         1-5 Mbps for checking email and browsing the web

·         15-25 Mbps for streaming HD content

·         40-100 Mbps for streaming 4K content and playing online games

·         200 Mbps for streaming 4K content, playing online games and downloading large files

The above-listed speed specifications are decent benchmarks for average families of three persons. Increasing the number of internet users (and internet devices) should add to the speed needs.

A Good Rule to Follow

When it comes to deciding the minimum speed for your home internet connection, a good rule to follow is to start with at least 25 Mbps. You can then upscale from there, depending on the number of users and type of use i.e. if you play games online.

Shopping for a Home Internet Connection?

KonectEaze has a complete list of the best ISPs (AT&T, HughesNet, Viasat and numerous others) and home internet package plans sorted by zip code. If you need, our team can also guide you in choosing the right speed package for your home internet needs.

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If you’re one of the gazillion Game of Thrones fans, it’s highly likely that you’re interested in an HBO subscription. In the past, you only had access to premium channels such as HBO if you had a satellite TV or cable subscription. However, these days, this service is a lot more than just flicking to the right channel.

As streaming services have become massively popular, HBO has upped its game as well. Now, it provides not just one, but two options when it comes to streaming: HBO NOW and HBO GO. Although both subscriptions provide the same content which is loved by millions, each has different features and a different price. So which one should you opt for?

So, What Sets the Two Apart?

The major disparity between these two services is how you get them. While HBO NOW is an à la carte service, HBO GO is suitable for those who want on-the-go streaming. Moreover, you can only get HBO GO with Amazon Prime or a cable subscription. There are some differences in prices as well, but you get the same great content from both. Here are the similarities and differences between the two services.

The Similarities

·         Content: Both services offer the same high-quality content which you love and crave, such as Silicon Valley and Game of Thrones. Actually, there isn’t a single disparity between the two as far as content is concerned.

·         Resume from Where You Left Off: Both of HBO’s streaming services allow you to resume watching your favorite shows where you left off. For instance, if you stopped watching The Sopranos on your TV because you had to go to the airport to catch a flight, you can resume watching from where you left off on your iPad once you’re in the plane.

The Differences

·         Availability: To get HBO GO, you’re required to have a current HBO subscription either through Amazon Prime or your cable or satellite TV provider. On the other hand, you can purchase HBO NOW on its own as it’s an à la carte streaming service.

·         Prices: HBO NOW will currently cost you $14.99 per month regardless of whether you buy it as an add-on from Hulu or you purchase it through an app. While HBO GO itself is absolutely free, you can only use it if you have an existing cable subscription.

While both streaming services are great, you need to have a fast and reliable broadband service to get the best out of them. KonectEaze is a one-stop-shop for browsing and purchasing home or office internet services. We provide lists of ISPs that offer services in your area along with impartial information on these vendors and the plans they offer. Visit our website to find the best internet deals in your neighborhood.

When it comes to means of travelling, the internet really isn’t very picky. It can travel through phone lines, cable networks, radio waves and even through the electrical wires of your home. But mostly, data uses physical wires to travel between devices.

As wires are efficient and easily available, internet connectivity is mostly delivered through some sort of cables. The most widely-used options are:

·         Telephone lines (DSL)

·         Cable TV lines (Cable)

·         Fiber Optics (Fiber)

Over the course of this blog, we’ll compare these three options in detail to help you figure out which one best suits your needs.

DSL

When it comes to download speeds, DSL connections typically offer somewhere in the range of 5 to 35 Mbps, while upload speeds generally range from 1 to 10 Mbps. DSL plans provided by major vendors such as CenturyLink and AT&T are often packaged together with a home phone or TV service. Although DSL doesn’t offer the speed of fiber or cable, it’s generally more affordable than both. Furthermore, DSL provides coverage to approximately 90% of the American population and in rural areas; it’s often the only available option. Here are some pros and cons of DSL:

Pros:

·         Dedicated Connection

·         Widely Available

·         Affordable

Cons:

·         Relatively slower speeds

·         Long contracts

·         Vulnerable to storm damage

Cable Internet

Cable internet usually provides download speeds in the range of 10 to 500 Mbps, while upload speeds are generally between 5 and 50 Mbps. Although most vendors offer more speed in specific areas, this is the range of speed you can expect from your home Wi-Fi.

In terms of raw speed, fiber internet has the upper hand over cable. Cable internet is also prone to losing speed during “peak times”. This means that you can expect your internet to slow down when your neighbors are at home at the weekend watching Netflix. Here are some pros and cons of cable internet:

Pros:

·         High Speeds

·         Widely Available

·         Attractive TV bundle offers

Cons:

·         Limited availability in rural areas

·         Slows down during peak hours

Fiber Internet

Fiber internet is usually blazing fast typically offering download speeds in the range of 250 to 1,000 Mbps. Furthermore, fiber internet usually provides symmetrical service, which means that data travels both ways at the same speed. Due to a high-cost infrastructure, fiber internet subscription prices are generally on the higher end of the scale. Following are the pros and cons of fiber internet:

Pros:

·         Lightning Fast Speeds

·         Fast upload rates

·         Highly reliable connection

Cons:

·         Not widely available

·         Quite expensive

 KonectEaze is one of the best online resources for finding the best internet deals. They provide lists of ISPs that offer services in your area along with impartial information on these vendors and the plans they offer.

Shopping for an internet connection for your online gaming needs but don’t know what exactly to look for?

We welcome you to the ultimate internet service shopping guide for online gamers!

This guide will help you choose the best internet service for your gaming needs. It’s easy to follow, to the point, and it has been written “exclusively” for online gamers like you.

So without any further ado, let’s get rolling…

The Best Internet Connection Type for Online Gaming

First off:

Which type of internet connection is best for online gaming?

Fiber internet. Period.

If fiber internet isn’t available in your area, then go for cable internet. If cable internet isn’t available either, then go for DSL.

And yes, avoid subscribing to a bundle plan since it can affect your online gaming experience.

The Most Important Connection Feature for Online Gaming

When it comes to online gaming, ping is the king connection feature.

What is ping?

Ping is the total time it takes for a data packet to travel from your device to the server and back to your device again.

The ping of your internet connection shouldn’t be more than 75–100ms. The less it is, the better.

What influences ping?

Ping in mainly influenced by two factors:

·         Upload speed of your internet connection

·         Number of hops and routes used by your ISP to deliver the internet to your home

It’s crucial to choose an internet connection with a “minimum” upload speed of 2 Mbps. Also, if possible, invest in a connection with a dedicated line to minimize hops and routes issues.

Other (less) important features to consider for your online gaming internet connection:

·         Download speed

·         Download data limit

Both the above listed features impact your streaming and game downloading experience, whereas upload speed and ping impact your game play experience.

Never Lose Sight of Reliability When Choosing an Internet Service Provider

Internet service providers make big promises. However, only a few deliver on their promises.

No matter what an internet service provider claims in their sales pitch, always double-check on their reliability.

Ask people in your online gaming community for service recommendations. If you don’t know anyone, you can contact us for help; our internet experts will be happy to give you their unbiased review on which service provider in your area is reliable and which one isn’t.

And well, that’s all there’s to it! You can now go out there and start shopping for an internet service provider confidently.

Looking for a convenient shopping platform?

Check out our comprehensive database of internet service providers. It offers complete details of ISPs operating in your area and lists down the best internet deals for your online gaming needs.

Finding the best internet service for your gaming needs was never this convenient before!

When you call a cable internet provider to order a home internet service, you can pretty much be guaranteed to hear an impressive sales pitch about why you should go for a bundle instead of an internet-only service plan. And while the pitch may sound convincing, is opting for the bundle “actually” any good for you?

It depends…

Honestly, there isn’t any one answer to the question.

There’s no doubting the fact that a bundle can cost you significantly less than an internet-only plan, especially if you (and your family) like watching TV regularly.

Add other perks that can be added to a bundle, along with the TV package, such as home security, home automation and Smart TV, and you’re looking at big savings in comparison to if you go for each of these services separately.

Furthermore, with a service bundle, you’re also less likely to exceed your internet data cap—a common problem with internet-only plans when used for streaming HD content.

With all that said, a bundle can “also” be an expensive option for you if you don’t really need those additional services with the internet. 

A simple, plain internet is often good enough for customers who don’t have a large family, and who don’t want much TV.

But their occasional binge-watching marathons?!

Well, they’re easily satisfied through subscriptions such as Sling.

Only when the number of streams increase, and the kids go hell-bent on grabbing the fun for themselves, that’s when you can find entertainment too expensive on the internet.

The right option for you

The advantages and disadvantages of both bundle and internet-only service plans are clear from the above discussion.

However, if you’re still confused as to which option would work best for you, we’d suggest that you start with an internet-only plan and see how you feel about it.

If after a few months, you’re satisfied with the service of your internet provider, and feel the need to push for other services, you can then sign up for a bundle.

Remember: It’s always cheaper to add services to a bundle than buying a bundle with lots of services and later cancelling them.

We wish you good luck with your home cable internet service shopping!

KonectEaze is an online marketplace for home and office internet service shopping needs. The website lists all the ISPs operating in different parts of the U.S and sorts them through zip code to help consumers find the best internet service provider in their area. Start your cable internet service shopping today with KonectEaze.