Learn Internet Speed on a Kindle Fire: Why It Matters

Internet Speed on a Kindle Fire: Why It Matters

Last Updated: January 9, 2014

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The Kindle Fire is one of the most popular tablets on the market because it is an affordable device well suited for many tasks. Of course, most activities require a decent Internet connection, which is why being able to measure the Internet speed on a Kindle Fire is crucial to pinpoint trouble with downloads, video streaming, and other bandwidth-intensive activities. Despite the rising popularity of high-speed Internet connections in the US, when compared to other developed nations, the US is lagging in Internet performance.

Why Does Internet Speed Matter?

Although it sounds like a technical topic, Internet speed is a fairly simple concept to understand. Internet-intensive activities such as streaming video and downloading apps require high Internet speeds to ensure that the files are able to complete successfully. On the other hand, when you have slow Internet, downloads often need to be repeated, which, aside from taking up time, can also lead to extra data charges if you are using a cellular data plan on your Kindle.

Common causes of slow Internet speed include too many customers being on a given provider’s network or degradation in the infrastructure that provides the Internet service.

How to Measure Internet Speed

Although Internet speed varies greatly from location to location, you can easily measure your Internet speed with a simple speed test. For maximum accuracy, you will want to use a responsive speed-testing tool because that allows you to test your Internet speed simply by loading your webpage in a browser. This ensures that if you test your speed on other devices, you are getting the same measurements. Even if you are just focusing on the Internet speed on a Kindle Fire, being able to run a speed test on multiple devices is crucial to making sure your Internet provider is truly providing you with the services that you pay for.

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Learn Internet Speed on a Kindle Fire: Why It Matters

How to Perform a Xbox One Internet Speed Test

Last Updated: January 8, 2014

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The Xbox One has already sold millions of units globally. One of its features is the ability to connect to Xbox Live, which gives users the ability to connect to Skype, watch TV shows and movies, play games, and much more. Minimum bandwidth speeds are required to properly use some these actions, as well as play some games. Players need to perform an Xbox One Internet speed test to make sure their bandwidth meets the Xbox One’s requirements in order to fully enjoy this gaming system.

Run the Speed Test

You can verify your bandwidth connection before you connect your Xbox One to your network. The Xbox One does not have an option to verify the connection through its system; instead, it relies on your overall network speed. For optimal performance, perform the speed test on your computer, and have it hooked up the same way you will have your Xbox set up; i.e., wireless or wired. Our speed test at BandwidthPlace.com is a Microsoft-suggested site, and can quickly determing your internet speed. Write down the download speed, upload speed, and ping. These numbers can be important later if you have issues and need to get a hold of Xbox support.

Recommended Minimum Requirements

Microsoft recommends a minimum download speed of 3 megabits per second for online gaming, 1 megabit per second for SD video streaming, and 3.5 megabits per second for HD video streaming. Minimum upload speed for online gaming should be faster than 0.5 megabits per second. Streaming does not utilize upload speeds. The ping should be less than 150 milliseconds for anything done on the Internet. The lower the ping number, the more effective the connection is.

Connect to the Internet

Just plug the LAN cable into the back of the console box to connect to the network in a wired configuration. To connect wirelessly, you will need to go into the Network Settings screen. Select the “Set up wireless network” option from the screen. A new screen will open that shows a list of available networks. Select your router, enter the required password, and you are connected to the network. The Xbox One will only support one network configuration at a time. If you go to a friend’s house and connect to their network, then when you return home you will have to create a new connection when you get home.

An Xbox One Internet speed test should be performed periodically to verify there has been no loss in bandwidth. If lag develops over time, the first thing to do is perform a speed test. If any issues arise, support is always going to ask you your bandwidth speeds. If the speeds are not meeting the minimum requirements, it is an issue with your ISP and you should contact them for further support.

Photo credit: Flickr/Seyi Ogunyemi

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Learn Internet Speed on a Kindle Fire: Why It Matters

Measure Your Tethered Internet Speed With This Simple Guide

Last Updated: January 7, 2014

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Even in an era of smartphones and mobile devices, occasionally you’ll need to find a way to get internet on your laptop and other non-cellular devices sans WiFi. In these situations, it is vital to measure your tethered internet speed to ensure that you have enough bandwidth to browse on multiple devices and that you will not hit your data plan caps.

What Is Tethering?

Whether it’s because you don’t want to add more devices to your cellular plan due to cost, or if you are at a slow WiFi hotspot, tethering is a great way to share your smartphone’s data plan with other devices. For those unfamiliar with the term, tethering simply means turning your smartphone into a hotspot in order to share your data plan with other devices. As discussed in articles by Lifehacker, tethering on your iPhone and Android can be done simply by downloading an app to enable the capability.

The Impact of Tethering on Your Cellular Plan

Overall, one of the biggest caveats to tethering is that you will be using significantly more data than if you were using your phone alone. If done excessively, you can find yourself way above your data plan limits and paying significant sums of money in overage fees. This is because mobile websites and apps are optimized for smaller devices and are designed to use less data. On the other hand, if you are browsing on a laptop, you can easy go through half a gigabyte of data or more just with routine browsing.

How to Measure Your Tethered Internet Speed

When you’re on the go it is vital to measure your internet speed because tethering often is bandwidth intensive. By using a responsive internet test tool, you can measure your internet speed on any smartphone, tablet, and laptop without worrying about compatibility issues. Although apps are available for this purpose, using a responsive tool is vital because it allows you to use the same tool on all devices, therefore ensuring uniformity across tests. By measuring your internet speed, you can better determine whether you should use cellular data or WiFi, plus you can also ensure that your cellular carrier is not throttling your data.

Photo credit: Flickr/Yutaka Tsutano

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Learn Internet Speed on a Kindle Fire: Why It Matters

How to Test Internet Latency on Your Computer

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Whether you’re playing online games, streaming online video, or engaging in other bandwidth-intensive activities, ensuring that you can test internet latency is vital for the smooth operation of your computer. Latency is a delay in the processing of network data. In the industry, high latency means that a connection experiences significant delays, while low latency means that the connection is performing fairly well. It is important to note that while the bandwidth going into your home is technically fixed, the actual internet speeds you experience will vary based on the level of latency on your connection.

Common Causes of Latency

The most common causes of internet latency include excessive internet usage during peak times, slow servers on the end of the website operator, and weather and other natural interference that can trigger performance issues on the network. The reason your internet might be slower during peak hours is that you’re sharing a massive bandwidth pipe with all the customers in a region. In fact, the reason many rural areas still rely on dial-up connections is that the regions don’t have enough subscribers to justify the investment.

As internet speeds have improved, many internet providers have been scrambling to upgrade their infrastructure to support the demands of the consumer. Unfortunately, between deteriorating copper/fiber and exponentially increasing usage, internet latency is a significant issue in today’s society.

How to Test Your Internet Speed

If you feel that you are experiencing significant latency on your network connections, your best course of action is to use an internet speed test tool to measure your network speed. In particular, you will want to use a responsive tool because that means you will be able to run the exact same tool on smartphones, tablets, and traditional computers without needing to worry about compatibility. If your internet speeds turn out to be lower than what your service provider advertises, you will need to contact your provider and have them test internet latency from their end.

Once the test is complete, the provider will then make the needed adjustments to ensure that your portion of the network is able to reach the advertised speeds.

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Learn Internet Speed on a Kindle Fire: Why It Matters

WiFi Booster: How to Use a Internet Signal Booster

Last Updated: January 6, 2014

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Despite advances in modern society, one of the biggest issues people face when using the Internet today is dealing with slow Internet speed. Although in many cases slow speed can be attributed to infrastructure issues and excessive load on the network, sometimes the culprit of slow speeds lies on your devices. As wiseGEEK discusses, an Internet booster can be used on most computers to boost speeds. By definition, an Internet booster is a program designed to optimize your computer so it performs more efficiently.

How Internet Booster Tools Help You

One of the biggest ways Internet boosters help to fight slow Internet speeds is through running tests on your hard drive and then correcting any errors it encounters. In theory, these tweaks help the hard drive to operate faster and also make sense of an Internet connection much sooner. Aside from Internet browsing, Internet boosters also can help improve email speeds — especially helpful for people who often deal with large attachments — while also helping to reduce broken connection issues.

Speed boosters can be used on both traditional and mobile devices to improve your speed. In particular, on mobile devices an Internet booster can be a great tool to help cope with bad Internet connections caused by low reception.

How to Test Internet Booster Effectiveness

The best way to determine if your Internet booster is working to fight slow Internet speed is to use an Internet speed test to measure performance. By using a responsive tool, you can use the same test on all your Internet connected devices without having to worry about compatibility issues. With only a couple of clicks, you can get a precise reading of your speeds and know for sure if your Internet booster is working.

In some cases, you may have to contact your Internet service provider to have them fix your connection. Common reasons for this include excessive load on the network due to too many subscribers, or even worn-out infrastructure. Fortunately, many Internet service providers are attentive to these issues and will work with you to resolve them in a timely fashion.

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Learn Internet Speed on a Kindle Fire: Why It Matters

How to Use a 4G Speed Test to Check Cellular Performance

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As consumers continue to rely heavily on their mobile devices for accessing Internet on the go, many cellular companies have been struggling to keep up with demand. Mobile internet usage in 2013 doubled due primarily to faster cellular networks and larger smartphone screens. This shift has caused a significant demand for 4G speed test tools to ensure that networks are operating efficiently. Unfortunately, this increased usage has also caused many cellular carriers to charge a premium for data plans to help improve cell network infrastructure.

Choosing Between 4G or WiFi

When you’re on the go, chances are you often have the option of choosing between WiFi hotspots or 4G cellular networks. Since many carriers often throttle your Internet after a certain level of usage, running a 4G speed test can be useful to evaluate if it’s worth using WiFi or if you are better off using a cellular network. By using a simple testing tool, you can save yourself from lag and other side effects associated with a poor Internet connection. Additionally, you can minimize reliance on expensive cellular data, therefore helping to keep your phone bill in check.

The Importance of Responsive Speed Tests

When you need to use 4G data, you need to be sure that your cellular carrier is providing you with the service that you are paying for. Internet speed varies greatly on most mobile networks. By using a responsive 4G speed test, you can ensure that your cellular carrier is providing you with the performance you’re paying for. “Responsive” is a common industry buzzword which refers to a website that works the same on traditional and mobile devices. This is vital when testing your Internet speed, because a responsive tool ensures that you’re getting the same metrics whether you are on your smartphone, tablet, or traditional device.

Photo credit: Flickr/Yutaka Tsutano

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Learn Internet Speed on a Kindle Fire: Why It Matters

Top 5 Risks of Employee Internet Usage

Last Updated: January 3, 2014

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It would be quite the challenge to run a successful business without allowing your employers access to the Internet. But there is no denying that preventing Internet abuse by employees can be just as challenging.

Let’s take a look at the top five risks of employee Internet usage and ways to fight against them to succeed in your business.

Inappropriate Surfing
Visiting websites that are potentially offensive or not appropriate for the workplace could be cause for a hostile workplace and could also bring legal action against the company.
Spyware
Another danger of visiting websites is the possibility of picking up some nasty spyware or malware. Some spyware is a pain to remove from the computer, meaning a loss of productivity and downtime while the IT department has to clean up the PC.
Instant Messaging
Various organizations use in-house instant messaging software in an effort to make it easier to communicate across departments. However, using instant messaging as a way to keep up with friends and family outside of work can lead to distractions from work and loss of productivity.
Phishing
Certain sites try to obtain your personal or financial information in an effort to steal your personal data and gain access to your identity. Other sites could also try to get as much information out of you as possible in order to try to access your email and remote-access systems, which could put the company’s security at risk.
Streaming Video, Music Sites
Notice a hit to your bandwidth at work? If you are noticing that your Internet speeds are not what they used to be, the culprit could be employees constantly listening to streaming music or watching online movies. Not only does having an entire office streaming media have an effect on your bandwidth, employees watching movies or TV can really kill productivity.

The Internet is a great tool to have at work, but like anything, it can be abused. Employers would be wise to have an employee Internet usage policy in place at work, which would help protect the company’s resources and keep work productivity in order.

Photo credit: Flickr/Victor1558

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Learn Internet Speed on a Kindle Fire: Why It Matters

Dealing With Home Internet Lag Issues

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Despite Internet connections being faster than ever, chances are if you live in a typical house, you have experienced home Internet lag issues at least once in your lifetime. The reason behind lag isn’t that Internet speeds are going down, but rather that more devices are using increasingly large amounts of bandwidth. In most homes, there typically is a single bandwidth pipe which is then connected to a router and split among all the devices in the house. Streaming videos, playing online video games, having multiple mobile devices running continuously, and more all are common activities which can easily use up all the bandwidth in a home, leading to significant lag.

There are many causes of lag on computer networks, such as Internet traffic load, online application load, weather, and interference from other systems. These factors make it somewhat complex to resolve Internet lag in one shot.

The Importance of a Bandwidth Test

If you feel that you are having home Internet lag issues, your first course of action should be to use an Internet speed test to measure the speed going to your computer and mobile devices. If the speed seems to be reasonable, it might be possible that the lag on your computer is due to malware or other infections on your system. On the other hand, if the speeds seem to be low for your Internet plan, you will want to contact your Internet service provider and request that they send an engineer to test your connection.

As mentioned earlier, most homes rely on a single bandwidth pipe to provide Internet to every device in the house. In most cases, however, you’ll also be sharing bandwidth with the other Internet subscribers in your area. Over time, the infrastructure can deteriorate, requiring the Internet provider to make adjustments to restore your Internet speed. Additionally, as more subscribers are added to the network, the service provider needs to determine where to allocate resources. This is why lag typically occurs only during peak hours when resource usage is at its height. Regularly running a speed test can help you detect any patterns in your Internet lag and help you determine when you should contact your Internet service provider.

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Learn Internet Speed on a Kindle Fire: Why It Matters

Travel WiFi Keeps You Connected on the Go

Last Updated: January 2, 2014

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Many travel services, such as airlines, cruise ships, and trains, are now providing travel WiFi connectivity to keep their customers engaged while in transit. This relatively recent trend follows the Internet access offered by hotels, motels, and resorts for the past few years. While some services provide Internet access at no cost, others charge a nominal rate, so pay close attention to any potential fees when you are traveling.

In a Hotel? Consider Using Your Own Mobile Bandwidth

While some hotels and motels do offer free Internet access, others only provide service for a daily charge of around 10 dollars. If you have extra bandwidth on your mobile account, you may want to consider using your own 3G or 4G service, if it is available at your location. Additionally, some hotels have been known to block websites such as Netflix to force you into paying for a pay-per-view movie from their in-house service.

Traveling the USA While Connected to the Internet on Amtrak

There is nothing like rail travel. It offers the opportunity to see parts of the USA not typically visible on an Interstate or from an airplane at 30,000 feet. Amtrak offers WiFi Internet connectivity free of charge on some of their train routes and in some stations. It is a cellular-based service, so bandwidth can be limited at times, but it’s a good way to stay connected to email when on the rails.

WiFi Internet Access in the Skies

Air travelers also can enjoy Internet access from most major air carriers. The recent decision from the FAA to allow the in-flight use of electronic devices makes it possible to access the Internet using a tablet computer or laptop. Expect to pay nominal fee for in-flight Internet access — usually anywhere from $8-10 per flight. Some carriers also offer certain TV channels and pay-per-view movies as well.

With more travel WiFi options — some even free of charge — it is becoming increasingly possible to stay connected while on the go without depending on a mobile Internet provider. Just make sure to pay close attention to any fees and/or charges for extra bandwidth.

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Learn Internet Speed on a Kindle Fire: Why It Matters

Setting a Parental Lock on Android Depends on the Version

Last Updated: December 17, 2013

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You just discovered a few hundred dollars worth of in-app purchases from a popular Android mobile video game. The likely culprit — other than the game developer — is your eight-year-old kid. How do you set a parental lock on Android? The ultimate answer depends on the version of Android on your smartphone or tablet.

Android Jelly Bean (4.3) Provides the Best Locking Features

Android 4.3 — code named Jelly Bean — enhanced the profiles feature introduced in the 4.2 version of the mobile OS. With these new restricted profiles, it is possible to set up a separate password-protected user account for everyone in your family. For each account, there are settings allowing you disable in-app purchases and filter apps based on their content maturity level.

It is also possible to restrict access to all the apps on the device for each separate user account. So if you download Bard’s Tale after setting up user accounts, a simple toggle switch makes the app invisible to your child. This user account functionality is available under the Android’s “Settings” section.

Older Versions Require More Work for Parental Lock on Android

Older versions of Android don’t have the same restricted profile functionality as Android Jelly Bean, so implementing parental control requires a bit more effort. The first thing you should do is go into the settings for the Google Play store and make sure your password is required for any app downloads and in-app purchases. You can also set up content filtering, but this affects the whole device. Additionally, you’ll need to disable the option that allows the installation of apps from unknown sources in the Android settings.

Other apps, such as Kid’s Place or AppLock, are useful for providing a parental lock on Android. Kid’s Place also adds a timer control, so you can limit the amount of game time your child gets on your tablet or smartphone. While Android Jelly Bean provides the best locking support, making sure your app downloads and in-app purchases are password protected — no matter which Android version you have — prevents surprises when you get your next bill!

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