When you check your your internet speed what does it mean by download and upload speeds please explain in detail?

Answer 1

Download speed is the speed that information gets to your computer from the internet. Upload speed is the speed that information gets from your computer to the internet server. Regardless of the internet speed you have, your connection will always be limited by the slowest portion of the path from your computer to the computer you are accessing. If you have a 10Mb connection and the other computer has a 14.4K modem, you can never get more than 14.4K.

For Dummies: Image you are in your home at your computer.

When any of you are thinking about this; keep in mind that you (the internet user) are on a hill and everyone else is at the bottom of the hill..

(aka: on the internet - doing whatever it is that floats your boat.) Now when you receive information it has to come up the hill to your computer.

Now when you send information it is going down the hill from your computer. You will see the terms from the various providers in their ads: 15/2 10/1..etc

15/2: is 15 megs download to the internet and 2 megs upload from the internet. (anytime you see 719k speeds; this is not even 1 meg of speed; slow by todays standards)