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What internet speed do you need?

Whether you work from home, love to binge on Netflix or are an avid gamer, there’s a lot of demand on the internet to carry out your daily digital activities and hobbies. That’s why having a fast and reliable connection is so important. Knowing how much speed your household needs will depend on many factors. Learn how much internet speed is needed to support some of the most popular online activities.

What is a good internet speed?

Number of devices

Online activities

Minimum speed needed

1-2

 

Online chats, web surfing, email and some video streaming

25 Mbps

 

3-5

HD streaming, virtual learning, social networking and operating smart home devices

50-150 Mbps

 

6-7

 

HD streaming, gaming, videoconferencing, virtual learning and working from home

150 to 300 Mbps

 

8-9

Ideal for moderate 4K streaming, heavy gaming, videoconferencing, and learning/working from home

300-500 Mbps

 

Virtually unlimited devices

 

Seamless 4K streaming on multiple devices, heavy gaming, multiple people learning/working from home and ultra-connected homes

1 Gbps

 

Unlimited connected devices

Multiple video conferences, multi-player gaming, multiple 4K/8K streams, virtual reality and more

2 Gbps

 

What internet speed do I need for streaming music?

If you’re only listening to music on Pandora, Spotify or Amazon, speeds between 1-10 megabits per second (Mbps) should be plenty. However, if you’re listening to music while someone else is watching TV and all your smart devices are plugged in, you’re going to need more download speed. For households with multiple devices and people, speeds of at least 25 Mbps is recommended for the best streaming experience. 

What internet speed do I need for Netflix?

The amount of speed needed to watch Netflix will depend on how many devices are streaming at the same time in your household. If you want to watch TV in the living room while someone else watches a movie in their bedroom, the bandwidth needs will be higher than when just one device is in use. In general, Netflix states that 5 Mbps is needed to stream HD content and 25 Mbps for Ultra HD. You should consider faster download speeds around 200 Mbps for 4K content and at least 10 Mbps for lower resolution content if you have multiple devices connected to your network. The same is true for other streaming services, such as Hulu, HBO Max and Cox Contour.

What internet speed do I need for Zoom?

If you check the Zoom website, it will say only 1.5 Mbps is required for a video conference, however this won’t give you the best quality experience. For a better video chat session, your download speeds should be between 10-25 Mbps. You’ll also want to consider your upload speeds if you plan to share any large files during your Zoom calls. These should be at least 3 Mbps for the top performance. If you’re experiencing a slow internet connection, try switching to audio only. It requires much less bandwidth and can help get you through your meeting when your internet is slow.

What internet speed is good for gaming?

Your download speed plays an important role in your online gaming experience. Most video games demand download speeds of at least 3 Mbps. However, the number of devices you have connected to your network will impact your bandwidth and performance. Moreover, latency, or what gamers refer to as ping, can impact your gaming experience more than your speed. Latency refers to the delay between the action in the game and the amount of time it takes for the internet to respond. For that reason, choosing a higher internet speed of at least 300 Mbps can help improve your gaming performance. Subscribers can also benefit from services such as Elite Gamer that use intelligent routing to bypass internet traffic, optimizing your gaming connection.

How to check internet speed

You can check how fast your internet is with a speed test, which allows you to check the speed of your device’s connection to the internet. Moreover, you can learn what steps you can take to improve performance. However, it’s important to note that your results may vary based on several factors, such as the browser you’re using, internet traffic and router placement. To perform a speed test, visit your service provider’s website or download a speed test app. Cox customers can find a speed test directly on the webpage.

How to increase internet speed

A number of factors can impact your internet speed. If you’re connection is slow, try doing the following for a faster connection:

  • Use an ethernet cable: Connecting your device directly to the internet can help pick up the speeds as a wired connection is typically faster than a wireless one.   Cox customers can also upgrade to Panoramic wifi for consistent connection throughout the house without having to wirelessly connect.

  • Reset your equipment: Power off your router, modem and any devices in use and reboot.

  • Close programs: Running programs and apps while doing other online tasks can slow down your internet. Close any you aren’t using to see if it helps improve performance.

  • Check device and equipment limits: Older routers and devices may not be equipped to support higher speeds. Check the limits on your devices to see if you need to upgrade.

  • Adjust router placement: The further your router is away from your devices, the slower your connection will be. Place your router in an open and central location, away from walls, large furniture and metal (such as appliances)

Learn how Cox can enhance your connected experience

Panoramic Wifi

Super fast wifi with wall-to-wall coverage for your entire home.

Improving your wifi

Solve the most common wifi connection problems.

Gigabit Internet

Our internet service with speeds up to 1000 Mbps (1 Gig). View gigabit internet.