Latest news with #bandwidth
CNET
5 days ago
- CNET
What Happens When You Max Out Your Internet? I Tested Mine to Find Out
Even if you're paying for the fastest speeds possible, you may still find yourself struggling with slow internet from time to time. At least I did. I have a fiber-to-the-home internet service with speeds up to 1Gbps. That's pretty fast -- and should be plenty of speed to go around for a family with typical internet usage like mine. For all the speeds I'm paying for, my internet connection lags or slows far too often. The reason for the discrepancy between "advertised" speeds (that 1Gbps, for example) and "actual" speeds is because of the way Wi-Fi works. The speeds your internet service provider sends to your home are rarely what you actually experience inside the house. Using Wi-Fi, you wirelessly connect numerous devices to your network -- all performing bandwidth-heavy tasks, such as streaming and online gaming -- which will slow your speeds. An Ethernet connection can drastically improve speeds to a specific device, since a direct connection is always much faster than a wireless one, but it's impractical to use an Ethernet connection for all of your most-used devices. If you notice that your internet connection is strained or lagging, there may not be enough bandwidth to go around for all of your devices. Maybe you've noticed intermittent drops in video quality on your TV while browsing TikTok videos on your phone. Or your online game lags when someone in the other room jumps on a video call. After experiencing the same issue, I decided to run a few informal tests to see how my home internet would hold up to everyday activities. Streaming slowed my network as expected, but downloading a large file took a significant bite out of my connection, more than I thought it would. Here's what I found out. As I suspected, streaming brought my speeds down, but downloading a video game cut into my connection the most. Screenshot by David Anders/CNET I put my internet connection to the test When I disconnected all devices (around 30) from my network (except the one I used to run a speed test), Wi-Fi download speeds averaged around 590Mbps over three consecutive tests. Not a great start. Once I reconnected everything, average speeds dipped by around 8% to 545Mbps. Nothing was actively streaming, but a few Wi-Fi cameras, a smart doorbell and a smart speaker or two were standing by for action. Locating local internet providers Next, I kept all devices online while Netflix ran on one TV and YouTube on another, each at 4K resolution. My speeds averaged 509Mbps, roughly a 15% drop. Unimpressed, I set up various kinds of streaming (4K videos, music on a computer and smart speaker, live camera feed on a tablet) on 10 devices at once. The drop was more extreme this time, down to 468Mbps, cutting my Wi-Fi speed by nearly a quarter. I then stopped the streams and tested speeds while gaming online and downloading a video game. The gameplay itself had little effect on my speeds, but downloading a game approximately 18.5GB in size battered my connection, dropping my Wi-Fi speed by roughly 42% to 339Mbps -- the most of any activity I tested. My home experiment wasn't in a controlled environment, and a number of factors could have affected the results. Still, my Wi-Fi speeds took a hit with each increase in device activity. What's hogging my bandwidth? Idle activity, even across 30 devices, had little impact on my Wi-Fi speeds, less than a 10% dropoff. On the other hand, streaming -- which is a form of downloading, even though you aren't saving a file -- begged for a bit more bandwidth. The higher the resolution, the more the stream will tax your internet connection. Streaming applies to more than what you're watching on TV, too. Swiping from video to video on social media is also demanding of your network, especially considering that many content creators are using 1440p resolution. In my home, an Instagram and Snapchat-frequenting iPhone is the second most data-consuming device. Straight downloading, particularly if it's a large file like a movie or video game, can also knock your network down a notch until the download is complete. It certainly did mine. How can you improve your connections? Bandwidth hogs will likely slow your Wi-Fi speeds, similar to how they slowed mine. There are a few ways you can prevent your devices from sucking so much speed out of your connection. Most of them involve your router and its settings. Let's revisit the initial speed of my internet (590Mbps), before any strenuous activities. Your router is the Wi-Fi headquarters While 590Mbps isn't slow by any means, it's almost half the speeds that I'm actually paying for. There could be a few reasons for that, namely the location of my router, how upgraded my router is, or other network congestion factors. When bracing your internet connection for bandwidth-hogging activities like streaming and downloading, start with the source of your Wi-Fi, the router. Depending on the type of router you have, there may be ways to improve connectivity to individual devices and your overall Wi-Fi performance. Some of these include: Activating QoS settings Changing the band and channel Keeping your network secure Upgrading your equipment Newer routers may offer a QoS, or quality of service, setting that prioritizes bandwidth to certain devices when needed. Some, like the routers designed for gaming, allow you to select the individual devices, such as a computer or console, to receive bandwidth priority. Additionally, most routers are dual-band, meaning they have separate frequencies used for Wi-Fi, 2.4GHz and 5 GHz, which will help reduce signal interference. You'll get a bit more range from 2.4GHz, but more speed from 5GHz. Make sure your low-demand devices, such as Wi-Fi cameras, video doorbells, smart light bulbs, etc. are riding on that 2.4GHz band, preferably on channels 1, 6 or 11. Save the 5GHz for more demanding devices and activities. If you have a Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 router and compatible devices, you can take advantage of the ultra-wide 6GHz band for more throughput, lower latency and a more reliable connection overall. Asus/CNET The best routers will perform QoS and band designation automatically, but you may need to coordinate the Wi-Fi traffic manually. Most will allow you to adjust the settings via an app, but you can also access your router's settings by entering the router's IP address in your web browser. While you're in your router's settings, take some time to ensure your network is secure. It's possible that someone else's devices are leeching off your network and slowing your speeds. If you still aren't getting the speeds you need or expect, it may be time to upgrade your router. For those renting equipment from their provider, a quick call to customer service may be all it takes to get a newer, more capable router. Otherwise, consider purchasing a new router or adding Wi-Fi extenders to your network to improve whole-home coverage. Other ways to improve your Wi-Fi speeds If your router is optimized for peak performance but your speeds still fall short of your devices' demand, you may be able to boost your Wi-Fi speeds by: Using an Ethernet connection Moving closer to your router Limiting connected devices Upgrading your internet service We've seen firsthand the impact that using Ethernet versus Wi-Fi can have on speeds and connection quality. Using a wired Ethernet connection will improve performance on the plugged-in device and free up some space on your Wi-Fi network, allowing for more bandwidth to other devices. If you can't plug in, try moving closer to the router, if possible. Routers have a limited range, so you'll want to place it strategically and stay well within the range for the best results. Wi-Fi extenders or a mesh Wi-Fi system can boost your router's range. Every connected device in your router's range will tug at the Wi-Fi, so you may also want to consider limiting the number of connected devices. I'm not suggesting that you disconnect your tablet for the sake of your streaming stick, but your robot vacuum and smart pet camera probably don't need to stay online 24/7. Pausing the Wi-Fi connection on individual devices or scheduling time offline can help free up bandwidth for other devices. David Anders You should be able to toggle devices on and off your Wi-Fi network from your router's app. Most will also allow you to create a schedule for individual devices. You could schedule your pet cam to stay connected while you're away and automatically turn off when you're set to return, for example. On a similar note, many devices perform automatic updates, which could randomly strain your network. Turning off automatic updates will help prevent this issue, but if you do this, consistently check for updates and perform them manually; they often contain necessary security patches. Finally, switching your internet plan or provider will help ensure there's enough speed for all your devices. If available, consider upgrading not only to a faster plan but also to a more capable connection type. Cable is often faster than fixed wireless, and fiber is typically faster and more reliable than cable. My final thoughts Given the many ways you can improve your Wi-Fi connection, there's no need to settle for poor performance that can't keep up with all your devices. If one attempt doesn't solve the issue, try another until you're satisfied with the connection quality, capability and range. For more tips on how to improve your home internet connection, be sure to check out the CNET Home Internet page.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Government blocked streaming sites for public servants as a 'people management issue,' documents show
Although streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video weren't straining the government's network, federal officials decided to block them because they were perceived to be a "people management" issue, according to internal documents obtained by CBC News. Last December, the agency responsible for IT services, Shared Services Canada (SSC), blocked access to paid subscription streaming sites, including Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Disney+ and Crave for 45 government departments and agencies. At the time, a spokesperson for SSC said "streaming services are not considered work tools and offer no business value for the Government of Canada." Documents released as part of an access to information request provide more insight on how the decision was made. In an October 2024 email, SSC president Scott Jones wrote to officials at the Treasury Board, saying he wanted to "raise a couple of issues," including the use of personal phones and streaming services among bureaucrats. He wrote about a recent meeting of deputy ministers, where they discussed the use of streaming services in federal buildings — and voiced his support to block them. "While streaming may ultimately impact the bandwidth available to the [Government of Canada], it is also more importantly a people management issue," he wrote. "In the current context and with public perception of the public service as it is … there is value in engaging [deputy ministers] on these issues and in committing SSC to take some action." Soon after, SSC moved to block the streaming services. This email and others were obtained via an access to information request made by Matt Malone, an assistant professor at the University of Ottawa, and shared with CBC News. Thousands of hours of streaming The request, which sought documents detailing the rationale behind the decision to ban streaming services on government networks, includes a report on traffic to the streaming sites in September 2024, broken down by department. The report shed a more fulsome light into how much streaming was being done on government networks, compared to the agency's official statement when the sites were banned. In a November 2024 statement, Shared Services Canada said that "network traffic monitoring shows limited traffic to these sites from government systems." The report on streaming is presented as a bar chart, showing total volume of streaming per terabyte (TB). The amount of data used depends on the quality of video streamed. As an example, Netflix offers four data usage settings — ranging from low quality to ultra-high definition. If users were streaming on standard definition, one terabyte would equal at least 1,000 hours. If they were streaming on high definition, then one terabyte equals at least 340 hours of video. The departments with the highest streaming included the Department of National Defence at over three terabytes, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) with almost three terabytes and the Privy Council Office with about 1.5 terabytes of volume per month. The report includes the "top 10" departments with highest traffic to streaming websites in September 2024, including Global Affairs Canada, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (East), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat, Canada Revenue Agency and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. All of those departments reported about 0.75 TB of streaming volume in one month. Given the number of civil servants employed by the government, this volume is fairly minimal. For instance, PSPC alone has about 19,000 employees. Cybersecurity expert Eric Parent says the numbers presented just by volume of data don't paint a full picture. "The metric we're missing is how many users, how many users are actively on [streaming] and for how long," he said. The report also shows almost 10 TB of streaming done on the federal government's guest Wi-Fi. In a letter to colleagues, a director with SSC said the streaming numbers across the government could have been relatively low in part because they used a program that throttles the speed of streaming to prioritize different internet traffic on government networks.
CBC
21-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Government blocked streaming sites for public servants as a 'people management issue,' documents show
Social Sharing Although streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video weren't straining the government's network, federal officials decided to block them because they were perceived to be a "people management" issue, according to internal documents obtained by CBC News. Last December, the agency responsible for IT services, Shared Services Canada (SSC), blocked access to paid subscription streaming sites, including Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Disney+ and Crave for 45 government departments and agencies. At the time, a spokesperson for SSC said "streaming services are not considered work tools and offer no business value for the Government of Canada." Documents released as part of an access to information request provide more insight on how the decision was made. In an October 2024 email, SSC president Scott Jones wrote to officials at the Treasury Board, saying he wanted to "raise a couple of issues," including the use of personal phones and streaming services among bureaucrats. He wrote about a recent meeting of deputy ministers, where they discussed the use of streaming services in federal buildings — and voiced his support to block them. "While streaming may ultimately impact the bandwidth available to the [Government of Canada], it is also more importantly a people management issue," he wrote. "In the current context and with public perception of the public service as it is … there is value in engaging [deputy ministers] on these issues and in committing SSC to take some action." Soon after, SSC moved to block the streaming services. This email and others were obtained via an access to information request made by Matt Malone, an assistant professor at the University of Ottawa, and shared with CBC News. Thousands of hours of streaming The request, which sought documents detailing the rationale behind the decision to ban streaming services on government networks, includes a report on traffic to the streaming sites in September 2024, broken down by department. The report shed a more fulsome light into how much streaming was being done on government networks, compared to the agency's official statement when the sites were banned. In a November 2024 statement, Shared Services Canada said that "network traffic monitoring shows limited traffic to these sites from government systems." The report on streaming is presented as a bar chart, showing total volume of streaming per terabyte (TB). The amount of data used depends on the quality of video streamed. As an example, Netflix offers four data usage settings — ranging from low quality to ultra-high definition. If users were streaming on standard definition, one terabyte would equal at least 1,000 hours. If they were streaming on high definition, then one terabyte equals at least 340 hours of video. The departments with the highest streaming included the Department of National Defence at over three terabytes, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) with almost three terabytes and the Privy Council Office with about 1.5 terabytes of volume per month. The report includes the "top 10" departments with highest traffic to streaming websites in September 2024, including Global Affairs Canada, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (East), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat, Canada Revenue Agency and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. All of those departments reported about 0.75 TB of streaming volume in one month. Given the number of civil servants employed by the government, this volume is fairly minimal. For instance, PSPC alone has about 19,000 employees. Cybersecurity expert Eric Parent says the numbers presented just by volume of data don't paint a full picture. "The metric we're missing is how many users, how many users are actively on [streaming] and for how long," he said. The report also shows almost 10 TB of streaming done on the federal government's guest Wi-Fi. In a letter to colleagues, a director with SSC said the streaming numbers across the government could have been relatively low in part because they used a program that throttles the speed of streaming to prioritize different internet traffic on government networks.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Singtel-led consortium and NEC to build new subsea cable connecting key Asian markets
Set to be completed by late 2029, the 8,900-km Asia United Gateway East system aims to boost bandwidth, network resilience and digital connectivity across the region. Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel) and a group of leading telco and tech firms have signed a contract with NEC Corporation to build a new 8,900 km submarine cable system. Called the Asia United Gateway East (AUG East), the subsea cable will connect Singapore and Japan, with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan. It is scheduled for completion by the third quarter of 2029. To be built using the latest fibre optic technology, AUG East will feature a high-count fibre pair system designed to deliver significant bandwidth capacity. By providing additional bandwidth to complement existing submarine cable systems, it will address the region's artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure needs. Tech research firm Omdia forecasts that global network traffic from AI applications will surpass that of conventional applications by 2031. AUG East will also enhance network diversity and cable resilience, helping to maintain connectivity during natural disasters such as earthquakes. 'With the surge in demand for high-speed connectivity and bandwidth needed for AI innovation in the region, the development of resilient, high-capacity digital infrastructure is more important than ever. This investment will play a critical role in advancing digital inclusion and catalysing economic growth across the region,' says Alan Tan, chairperson of the Asia United Gateway Cable Management Committee and director of Submarine Cable Planning at Singtel. The consortium behind the project is chaired by Singtel and includes Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Aeteria Networks, Chunghwa Telecom, Dreamline, Globe Telecom, Telekom Malaysia and Unified National Networks. Singtel has a long history and expertise in submarine cable investments in the region. Its investments include the Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 6 and Southeast Asia-Japan 2 cable systems, spanning over 195,000 kilometres to cover more than 30 countries. As at 10:23 am, shares in Singtel are trading 8 cents higher, or 1.98% up, at $4.13. See Also: Click here to stay updated with the Latest Business & Investment News in Singapore Singtel makes further bets on NCS to keep growth engines running MAS to further boost financial institutions' AI adoption and quantum readiness Why the future of innovation depends on the network you don't see Read more stories about where the money flows, and analysis of the biggest market stories from Singapore and around the World Get in-depth insights from our expert contributors, and dive into financial and economic trends Follow the market issue situation with our daily updates Or want more Lifestyle and Passion stories? Click hereError in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
National Post
15-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
Zayo Levels Up Its AI-Ready Infrastructure with New Routes and 100% 400G Enablement
Article content With these industry-leading milestones and major Q2 upgrades, Zayo is delivering the backbone for the AI- and bandwidth-driven future Article content DENVER — Zayo, a leading global communications infrastructure provider, today announced major updates to its AI-ready infrastructure across North America, including breaking ground on three of its new purpose-built-for-AI long-haul dark fiber routes and the 100% 400G enablement of its North American core network. Article content Article content Delivering the Backbone for AI with Strategic Fiber Buildouts Article content Increased long-haul fiber infrastructure is essential to support rapidly growing AI demand. Zayo recently broke ground on the first three routes purpose-built to support this need. Guided by in-depth market modeling, these builds are designed not just for today's needs, but for where AI demand is headed next. Article content Chicago to Columbus: Zayo is advancing construction on a 385-mile, low-latency fiber route between Chicago and Columbus, designed to support high-throughput, AI-driven workloads. With connectivity to all major data centers in both metros, the route strengthens a critical corridor between two of the nation's top hyperscale markets. Article content Chicago to Minneapolis: Zayo is constructing a brand-new 521-mile dark fiber route linking key AI data center hubs of Chicago and Minneapolis. Engineered for scale, the route features ultra-high fiber counts and direct connections to Zayo's AI-optimized corridors, including Chicago to Columbus and Zayo's SPREAD networks. Article content Phoenix to Tucson: Zayo is building a 123-mile high-capacity fiber route between Phoenix and Tucson, connecting key data centers in one of the Southwest's fastest-growing AI corridors. The route will directly connect into three future builds designed to meet customers' AI demands, including Tucson to El Paso; El Paso to Dallas; and El Paso to Mexico. Article content These builds are part of Zayo's multi-year strategy to deliver the long-haul fiber infrastructure needed for the next generation of AI. In January, Zayo committed to constructing over 5,000 new route miles of long-haul fiber as AI demand is expected to grow 2-6X by 2030. Article content 'AI requires scale at an order of magnitude greater than any technology we've seen before,' said Bill Long, Chief Product & Strategy Officer at Zayo. 'As the only provider to build long-haul infrastructure at scale in the last decade, Zayo is uniquely positioned to deliver on this need in a way that no one else in the market can. We're not just building the infrastructure AI requires today, we're powering connectivity between these key AI corridors, and the communities along the way, for years to come.' Article content Enabling the 400G Era Article content In Q2, Zayo completed the full 400G upgrade of its North American core network, delivering the high-capacity, low-latency infrastructure that modern organizations now depend on. Article content As demand for data-intensive technologies like generative AI, real-time analytics, and cloud-native applications explodes, 400G has become the new performance baseline. Last year, 400G wavelengths represented the largest share of total terabits purchased, outpacing both 10G and 100G solutions. Article content 'As next-gen technologies demand more and more bandwidth, 400G connectivity is now the standard for high-growth businesses,' said Troy Lupe, Chief Network Officer at Zayo. 'With our core network now fully 400G enabled, Zayo is leading the movement toward higher-capacity solutions, enabling our customers to support the bandwidth-intensive demands of AI, cloud computing, real-time analytics, and any other innovation to come next.' Article content Next-Level Infrastructure Enhancements Article content Additional enhancements to Zayo's infrastructure and capabilities in Q2 include: Article content Enhanced Optical Capacity: Added 393.6 terabits (Tb) of optical capacity, strengthening the network's ability to handle massive volumes of data at high speeds and low latency. The expansion also added 10 additional 400G-enabled POPs to Zayo's network. Article content Expanded Fiber Monitoring: Expanded its fiber monitoring capabilities to over 14K route miles in total. These routes deliver consistent, optimized performance with a network that can quickly detect and resolve issues. Article content IP Core Upgrades: Expanded its IP network with the deployment of six new IP Points of Presence (PoPs), including two new 400G-enabled PoPs in Montreal and Chicago—a key AI hub. Article content New Quick Connect Data Centers: Introduced 25 new Quick Connect Data Centers, bringing its total to over 100 Quick Connect facilities. Zayo's Quick Connect Data Centers enable turn-up of IP and Ethernet services within just 10 days, providing essential scale and agility for network connectivity services. Article content About Zayo Article content For more than 17 years, Zayo has empowered some of the world's largest and most innovative companies to connect what's next for their business. The Zayo group of companies connects 400 global markets with future-ready networks that span over 19.1 million fiber miles and 147,000 route miles. Zayo's tailored connectivity solutions and managed services enable carriers, cloud providers, data centers, schools, and enterprises to deliver exceptional experiences, from core to cloud to edge. Discover how Zayo connects what's next at and follow us on LinkedIn. Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Media Contact Article content Article content Article content Article content
