File uploaders has become one of the most essential things in our day-to-day work. We all upload files for different purposes. Whether you upload documents for work, share videos and photos with a friend, or store large files in the cloud, you use file uploading. However, one of the most frustrating things for a user is the slowness of uploading files. 

We’ve all wondered if our internet is fast enough or if something else is slowing things down. Your internet speed plays a crucial role in how efficiently you get your files uploaded. Whether you are at home or in the office, understanding the relationship between the file uploading performance and the internet speed is important to boost your productivity.

In this article, we will explore factors that affect file upload speed, the impact of internet speed, and how to improve your file upload speed.

The basics of file uploading and internet speed

Let’s start with the basics before exploring the ways to improve your upload speed. 

File upload is transferring files from your device to the internet. In other words, you send data from your computer or mobile device to a remote server or other online destination. This can be sending emails, uploading files to cloud storage, or streaming live content. But, how quickly you can send your files to an online destination or to the internet mainly depends on your internet speed, particularly your upload speed.

On the other hand, file download is receiving or retrieving data from the internet to your computer. This is the opposite process of file uploading. You need file download when you visit websites, stream videos, download files, or play online games. As I mentioned before, both file uploading and downloading efficiency mainly depend on your internet speed. However, the upload speed and the download speed are not always the same. In most cases, the download speed is faster than the upload speed. This is due to the different bandwidths allocated by Internet service providers (ISPs) to receive data.

We measure both upload and download speed in megabits per second (Mbps) or gigabits per second (Gbps). Each Mbps represents the capacity to transfer one million bits per second. Roughly, we can say one small image. One Gbps represents the capacity to transfer one billion bits per second. Bit or binary digit is the smallest unit of binary data that can be processed, stored, or transferred. A bit can be a 0 or 1. 

Which factors affect your file upload speed

Your file upload speed is affected by several factors. It’s vital to be aware of these factors when optimizing your file uploading.

Internet connection type

The internet connection type has a significant impact on file upload speed. Here are a few internet connection types.

1. Fiber-optic: Data is transmitted using light through thin strands of glass or plastic. They provide incredibly fast upload and download speeds.
2. Cable: Coaxial cables are used to deliver internet services. Provide a fast internet speed. But their speed is slower than fiber-optic.
3. DSL: Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL) use traditional telephone lines to transfer data. DSL speed may vary depending on the distance from the provider's central office.
4. Satellite: This internet connection uses satellites in space to transfer data. Comparatively, it has higher latency and slower internet speed.
5. Wireless: Some examples of wireless connection are Wi-Fi and cellular data. Wireless connections also provide a convenient data transfer. However, their speed may vary based on the distance from the cellular tower or the router, signal strength, and interference from other devices.

Internet Service Provider (ISP) Plan

The ISP plan directly affects your upload speed. Different plans offer different upload speed limits and download speed parameters. For example, plans with fiber-optic connection types are faster than DSL plans.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is the maximum data transfer rate of an internet connection. The higher bandwidth means that more data can be transmitted in a given time. Lower or limited bandwidth causes slower file uploading and downloading. Also, it causes poor file upload performance.

Hardware limitation

It’s important to ensure that your hardware devices are performing well. It directly impacts the upload and download speeds. Here are some vital hardware components:

• Modem
• Router
• Network Interface Card (NIC)

Malfunctioning or outdated components are not capable of improving the internet speed. They make a bottleneck and limit the data transfer rate between devices and the internet.

In addition to these main factors, there are many other factors that affect your file upload speed, such as network traffic, network congestion, software interference, wireless interference, network latency, weather conditions, network configuration, etc.

How to measure your internet speed for uploading files?

Tools and websites available for measuring internet performance

There are many tools available to test your internet speed. Here are a few popular tools to test your internet speed (upload and download speeds):

• Fast.com (https://fast.com/) 
• Speedtest (https://www.speedtest.net/)
• HighSpeedInternet.com (https://www.highspeedinternet.com/tools/speed-test)
• testmy.net (https://testmy.net/) 

How to test your internet speed

If your internet connection lags when uploading a large file to your cloud storage or watching your favorite movie, it’s a good time to test your internet speed and troubleshoot it.

Let’s learn how to test your internet upload speed using Fast.com as an example.

It’s very straightforward.

Step 1: Open fast.com in your browser. It will quickly start checking your internet speed and display the internet speed as shown below.

Step 2: Click ‘Show more info’ to see more details like the upload speed, latency, etc.

We can interpret these results as below:

Download speed: 71 Mbps

Latency (Ping): 

Unloaded Latency: 53 ms (Time taken for data to travel from your device to a server and back when the network is not under load. A lower number here indicates a more responsive internet connection.)

Loaded Latency: 91ms (This measures the latency when the network is under load (i.e., while you're using the internet heavily). Higher latency under load may cause delays in real-time applications like gaming or video calls.)

Upload Speed: 41 Mbps 

Optimizing your setup for faster file uploads

If you are experiencing a slow file upload speed, you can optimize your setup to improve the speed. Let’s explore how to optimize.

1. Get a faster internet connection: You may check different plans with your ISP or different ISPs with faster upload and download speeds. If available, consider upgrading to a fiber-optic internet connection.
2. Restart or reset your router:  Restarting or resetting your router will clear unnecessary data and configurations that slow down your internet connection. Unplug your router from the power adapter, keep it for about 30 seconds, and power it up.
3. Update your router’s firmware: The Firmware of a device is the software that directly interacts with the device’s hardware. Although it’s updated automatically in most routers, in some cases, you have to update manually to help your router work efficiently.
4. Use VPN (Virtual Private Network): Your ISP may throttle your connection to control the network traffic. VPN can hide your online presence from ISP and prevent the slowing down of your file upload due to ISP throttling bandwidth.
5. Limit apps and devices running simultaneously: Some apps that need more bandwidth can drain your internet connection and slow down the upload speed. Also, when multiple devices are connected through one router, they will slow down the speed. It’s a best practice to close apps after you complete their tasks and disconnect unwanted devices from the router.
6. Use a CDN: A CDN (Content Delivery Network) is a distributed server system that delivers web content and data to users based on their geographical location. It reduces latency and speeds up the data transfer. A CDN can speed up your file upload by directing your data to the nearest server in their global network and reducing the distance the data travels. CDNs also handle large traffic loads effectively by distributing data across multiple servers. It ensures a faster and more stable data upload during peak times.

Conclusion

While file upload is one of the most essential things today, the slow uploading of files has become the most frustrating thing for users. This blog discusses the basics of file uploading and internet speed, key factors that mostly affect file uploading speed, the methods to measure file uploading speed, and how to speed up your file uploading.

FAQs

How does internet speed affect file upload?

Internet speed consists of two components: upload speed and download speed. Download speed is usually faster than upload speed. Upload speed refers to the rate at which data is sent from your device to the internet. A faster internet or upload speed reduces the time required to upload large files.

What is a good upload speed for my internet?

Upload speeds of 10 to 20 Mbps are sufficient for most domestic users. However, fiber internet providers offer lightning-fast internet speeds up to 8000 Mbps. Even a 100 Mbps upload speed can be considered fast compared to the typical upload speeds.

How do I increase the upload speed on my internet?

There are many ways to increase the upload speed, such as:

• Get a faster internet connection
• Restart or reset your router
• Update your router’s firmware
• Use a CDN
• Use VPN (Virtual Private Network)
• Limit apps and devices running simultaneously