

To find out how many megabytes that is you just divide by 8 which equals 2.165 MBps. So, if you refer to my speed test above you will see that I am getting 17.32 Mbps per second. People often say megabytes when they mean megaBITS.

Okay, so, some boring but important stuff here. What Do MBps and Mbps Mean and Why Does it Matter? On the other hand, if you’re gaming or using streaming services, you’ll want to increase your download speed for a seamless experience. If you’re just surfing the web and checking your email, 10 Mbps is enough. But, that depends on what you’re using the internet for. You can do this by going to and running a test.Ī good download speed is typically 10 Mbps per person. This will let you know whether or not you are getting a lower rate than you should be. The first thing you will need to do is test your current internet speed. Users at these speeds can "blitz the network," Patterson said. Generally quick enough to stream a 1080p (high-def) video.ġ0-20 mbps: More appropriate for a "super user" who wants a reliable experience to stream content and/or make fast downloads.Ģ0+ mbps: Appropriate for what Patterson calls the "pro-sumer," people who want to run a lot of applications at once, usually for business reasons. But 4 mbps can still be sluggish.Ħ-10 mbps: Usually an excellent Web surfing experience. Often fast enough to stream a 720p high-definition video, and it's possible to download some videos within about 20 minutes at this speed. Can be enough to stream a standard-definition video, but airports with speeds this slow usually don't recommend passengers stream video or download content.Ĥ-6 mbps: Will provide a good Web surfing experience. The following stats, provided by Marc Patterson of Boingo, the provider of the LAX Internet system, reflect download speeds and explain what it is required for various tasks.Ģ-4 mbps: Enough for casual Web surfing, including checking email. How does LAX's new free Wi-Fi stack up against other airports? The airport is cutting a corner, though not a big one. Essentially this allows Atlanta to do more with less bandwidth. LAX, by the way, is not among them.Ītlanta, for example, has minimum download speeds of 5 mbps and upload speeds of 1 mbps.

To conserve bandwidth, many airports build what are called "asymmetrical" networks.

Occasionally, we want fast upload speeds too. For travelers on the run, that's especially important. That's how we stream content and download movies. When we talk about Internet speed, we're generally talking about download speeds most people want and expect fast downloads.
