One thing computer users look for when signing up for a broadband connection is the speed. Same goes with users signing up for a WiFi subscription—one looks for the speed of the network. It’s either 802.11 B or G—with B reaching 11 Megabits per second, and G going up to 54 Megabits per second.

However, you’d have to consider that speed is not everything. In the first place, the network rated speed is just the maximum. The effective speed (for downloading and uploading of data) is usually half the rated speed—so WiFi B would be about 5 Megabits per second, while G would be just below 30 Mbps.

The speed of a wireless network is greatly affected by distance. The farther you go from a WiFi hotspot or access point, the weaker the signal gets, which makes your computer shift down the speed to prevent errors. So if you’re looking at connecting at a public WiFi hotspot, better check if the signal is strong. Some public hotspot providers say they have a whole building covered, when in fact the hotspots are only so sparsely located. Once you’re in an area with weak coverage, your connection speed will start to suffer.

A word of advice: try out a service first before committing or signing up!