Bandwidth explained: what it is & how to know what you need
What is bandwidth?
Broadband plays a big part in everyday life. From powering work meetings to streaming our favourite shows. We often take it for granted, but before choosing a broadband plan it helps to understand a few basics. One of the most common questions is, what is bandwidth? And how much internet speed do you actually need?
Choosing the right broadband plan helps make sure everyone at home gets the most from your connection.
Bandwidth is the capacity of your internet connection. It’s the amount of data that can travel across your network at any one time. Every online activity, from checking emails to watching a Sky series, uses some of that bandwidth.
A simple way to think about bandwidth is like the width of a water pipe. The wider the pipe, the more water can flow through it at once. Bandwidth is measured in megabits per second, or Mbps. The higher the number, the more data your connection can handle.
With more bandwidth, downloads finish quicker and streaming feels smooth. With limited bandwidth, you’re more likely to see slower downloads, buffering, and delays.
Choosing the right broadband plan helps make sure everyone at home gets the most from your connection.
Bandwidth is the capacity of your internet connection. It’s the amount of data that can travel across your network at any one time. Every online activity, from checking emails to watching a Sky series, uses some of that bandwidth.
A simple way to think about bandwidth is like the width of a water pipe. The wider the pipe, the more water can flow through it at once. Bandwidth is measured in megabits per second, or Mbps. The higher the number, the more data your connection can handle.
With more bandwidth, downloads finish quicker and streaming feels smooth. With limited bandwidth, you’re more likely to see slower downloads, buffering, and delays.
How is bandwidth different to internet speed?
Internet bandwidth and internet speed are related but not the same. Internet speed is how fast data moves, whilst bandwidth is how much data your connection can handle at once. Both are measured in Mbps, or Gbps on faster plans.
Using a waterpipe as an example, if bandwidth is the size of a water pipe and speed is how fast the water flows through it. If several taps are running at the same time, like video calls, streaming, and downloads, the flow can slow down if the pipe isn’t wide enough.
Using a waterpipe as an example, if bandwidth is the size of a water pipe and speed is how fast the water flows through it. If several taps are running at the same time, like video calls, streaming, and downloads, the flow can slow down if the pipe isn’t wide enough.
How much bandwidth do I need?
The amount of bandwidth your home needs depends on how many people are online and what they’re doing. And don’t forget, it’s not just people, smart devices, like speakers and video doorbells, use bandwidth too.
For everyday tasks like browsing or social media, you don’t need much bandwidth. Streaming HD video or gaming uses more. Sky recommends a minimum of 25 Mbps for streaming 4K video, such as the latest films on Sky Cinema.
In busier households, where people are streaming, gaming, and working from home at the same time, it’s a good idea to aim for at least 50 Mbps. If you regularly upload large files, you may need more, sometimes up to 200 Mbps.
For everyday tasks like browsing or social media, you don’t need much bandwidth. Streaming HD video or gaming uses more. Sky recommends a minimum of 25 Mbps for streaming 4K video, such as the latest films on Sky Cinema.
In busier households, where people are streaming, gaming, and working from home at the same time, it’s a good idea to aim for at least 50 Mbps. If you regularly upload large files, you may need more, sometimes up to 200 Mbps.
Gaming and bandwidth
Online gaming doesn’t always need as much bandwidth as people expect. Many games work well on relatively low speeds. Popular titles like Fortnite, Call of Duty, or Minecraft usually need between 5 and 25 Mbps for downloads and around 5 Mbps for uploads.
However, playing online with others can increase demand and lead to congestion if lots of devices are connected at once.
For gaming, latency or ping often matters more than bandwidth. This is the time it takes for data to travel from your device to the game server and back again. Lower ping means quicker responses and smoother gameplay.
However, playing online with others can increase demand and lead to congestion if lots of devices are connected at once.
For gaming, latency or ping often matters more than bandwidth. This is the time it takes for data to travel from your device to the game server and back again. Lower ping means quicker responses and smoother gameplay.
How to accurately test your bandwidth
You can test your bandwidth using various online tools. Just pick an online testing tool and run diagnostics – you’ll quickly have both upload and download speeds.
Follow these tips to help get a more accurate measure of your bandwidth.
Follow these tips to help get a more accurate measure of your bandwidth.
Step 1
Find a reliable online tool that’s been reviewed by independent users.
Step 2
Test during different times of day so you know what kind of strain peak and off-peak times might place on your network
Step 3
Minimise the amount of additional activity while you carry out a test, so pause downloads and close any applications that might be running in the background.
Step 4
Check both upload and download speeds as it’s important to remember that just because your download speed is strong, it doesn’t always mean the same is true for your upload speed.
How to make the most of the bandwidth you have
Refresh your internet connection by turning your router off for 20-30 seconds to refresh and help boost bandwidth.
Move your router away from walls and from interference from any devices such as microwaves and cordless phones to improve your internet speed.
Use an Ethernet connection to connect your device directly to the router for a faster and more stable internet connection.
Reduce the number of devices connected to the WiFi that use bandwidth capacity to free up space
Reduce background usage by stopping downloads, streaming, or updates running in the background on other devices.
Watch videos at a lower quality as a temporary fix, as this uses lower bandwidth download rates
If your internet speed continues to be consistently slow, you should consider upgrading your broadband package.Explore Sky Broadband's packages .
with speeds and prices to suit all needs and budgets.
Move your router away from walls and from interference from any devices such as microwaves and cordless phones to improve your internet speed.
Use an Ethernet connection to connect your device directly to the router for a faster and more stable internet connection.
Reduce the number of devices connected to the WiFi that use bandwidth capacity to free up space
Reduce background usage by stopping downloads, streaming, or updates running in the background on other devices.
Watch videos at a lower quality as a temporary fix, as this uses lower bandwidth download rates
If your internet speed continues to be consistently slow, you should consider upgrading your broadband package.Explore Sky Broadband's packages .
with speeds and prices to suit all needs and budgets.