Before we dive in, let's first describe a few key terms that are important for understanding how data is transferred over the internet.
- Suggested Connection Speeds
Uploads refer to data being sent from your device, over the internet, to another device. An example would be sending an attachment via email, or posting a picture to your Facebook page.
When using Canix you upload data to our system by scanning tags or weighing harvests then pushing that information to the web or mobile application.
Downloads refer to data being sent from another device, over the internet, to your local device. Unlike uploads this may not require that you tangibly put something on your local device -- rather streaming a movie can be considered a download.
When using Canix, anytime you log in you are downloading information. It doesn't store on your local device but is cached on your internet browser. For example, loading the active plant, harvest, batch, and package tables are considered downloads.
Higher bandwidth is better. Bandwidth refers to your network capacity, or how quickly your internet service provider (ISP) can send and retrieve information. If you think of the internet as a highway, larger files such as a feature-length movie or a large Metrc submission that contains lots of plant information can take longer to drive on that highway because they contain multiple cars; whereas a smaller file may only constitute one or two cars and can traverse the highway much more quickly.
In addition, the width of your highway can have an effect on your traffic. The more narrow your highway is the more likely there are to be slowdowns and crashes.
This speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps). Megabits are composed of multiple bits. Eight bits make up one byte. 1,000,000 bytes equal one megabit, or MB, a term you may have seen before. The higher your Mbps, the faster you can upload and download content.
Lower latency is better. Latency is how much time it takes for a signal to travel from its destination and back. Latency can be testing by having your computer send a "ping" of information to a remote server and then measure how long it takes for that signal to get back to your device.
The reason that lower latency is better is that latency measured by how long the delay is between when the signal is sent and how quickly it comes back. The quicker it is to send and receive the signal the better.
Suggested Connection Speeds
To use Canix to its optimal performance we recommend that you always use Google Chrome, as it is the most reliable and secure web browser.
We also recommend the following connection speeds:
Canix recommends a minimum of 3 Mpbs for your upload speed.
Canix recommends a minimum of 25 Mbps for your download speed.
Reminder, the lower the latency the better. Canix recommends a latency of less than 100ms.
You can run a free internet speed test right from your computer using HighSpeedInternet.com's Internet Speed Test.
- Click "Start Speed Test" once you get to the site.
Reference: The Consumers Guide to the Internet