Famous heroes always come in pairs. Whether it's Flip and Flap in slapstick comedies, or Kajko and Kokosz in comics. Download and upload can't live without each other either. They play key roles on the internet and have a crucial impact on your data package. So, perhaps it's time to get to know them better, or even make friends with them? That shouldn't be a problem.
Download – what does it mean, upload – what does it mean?
Let's start with a quick explanation. Download is defined as the speed of downloading data from the network. This includes downloading from websites, FTP, and email. Data is either downloaded from a server or transferred between two devices. The faster the download process, the shorter the transfer time. Its opposite is upload, which is the transmission of data using the network from a computer to the storage of another device, such as a server or the cloud. Both parameters are measured and given in the same unit, which is megabits per second.
If you watch movies on streaming services, use social media, email, and browse websites, a download speed of 300 Mb/s and an upload speed of 20 Mb/s will be perfectly sufficient. With this, you can freely and comfortably enjoy the benefits of the network. You'll get identical parameters at Mobile Vikings. Because we, the Vikings, use Play's network transmitters, and – in short – the internet runs beautifully here1. The maximum data transfer speed in Play is: download – 300 Mb/s, and upload – 20 Mb/s (data download speed is prioritized). So, you can confidently take as much mobile internet from us as you can. The rest is our job.
How to increase download speed and other useful tips
We've covered the basics. It's time for some more information. If the waiting time for music playback on various services starts to increase, you can safely blame the data download speed (download). Similarly, if video buffering is not smooth, and loading websites and multimedia takes ages, consider increasing your download speed. This will definitely be useful if you want to watch movies or series in high quality, such as 4K, on VOD services or download large files, such as movies or programs. In such cases, the optimal download speed is 600 Mb/s, and the upload speed is around 200 Mb/s.
If, on the other hand, you plan an online gaming career (or at least enjoy relaxing that way), your chances of success will increase with the highest possible data transfer speeds (also work on a low PING value then, but we wrote about that in another article). Download should then be around 1 Gb/s, and upload 300 Mb/s.
To increase download speed, you can work on certain parameters yourself. In the case of wireless internet, Wi-Fi router configuration can be crucial. You can access its administration panel from your web browser. Then, you need to choose a suitable, less loaded channel, which will affect the improvement of data transfer speed.
If your router is placed on a cluttered shelf (e.g., surrounded by books, in a desk, or a drawer), this can also reduce speed. To avoid such surprises and have consistent router coverage throughout your apartment, place it in the central part of the room, at a height of 1.5 meters. You can also equip the router with antennas to amplify coverage and improve signal strength.
Download and upload – what else is worth knowing
Every internet user knows which of the two parameters is more important. Often, data download speed is prioritized because more files are downloaded from the network than uploaded.
What if you observe the opposite situation and your upload is higher than your download? We know that only calmness can save you. But wait… the cause might be high, temporary network load. At the same time, many users are downloading data from the internet, causing a traffic jam. The base station gets overloaded, and the download speed drops significantly. It's easy to diagnose this problem by checking the connection quality at different times of the day.
Another cause might be the incorrect location of the router, as we wrote about above, or interference from other electronic devices operating on the same channel. A quick way to solve the problem is to restart the router and turn it back on after a few minutes. If this doesn't work, you'll need to configure the equipment and change the channel to another one. It's also worth scanning your equipment with antivirus software, because various types of worms can also affect lower download speeds.
Download wouldn't exist without upload, just like the Upside Down wouldn't exist without the normal world in the series "Stranger Things" (and vice versa). While downloading data doesn't guarantee as many amazing events, there will certainly be no shortage of emotions. Especially when the speed is far from ideal. But now you know what to do then…
1 https://www.speedtest.pl/ranking/internet-mobilny#maj-2022
