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The Amazon Fire Stick is a great device that gives you the power to enjoy streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and more on your TV screen. Oh, and did we mention that the Fire Stick makes it all possible on your regular TV? You read that right, you won’t need an expensive smart TV to make this work! This is one of the reasons the Amazon Fire Stick is a valuable investment for you.

However, just as you need an internet connection for your smart TV, you need an internet connection to go with your Amazon Fire Stick as well. But what is the best internet speed for this device? Which internet providers should you be looking into? You might have a ton of questions like these and those are the types of questions we will be answering today.

In today’s blog, we will be diving into the ideal speed of the internet connection for Fire Stick. We will also be discussing the right service providers and how to set up your Amazon Fire Stick. After you are done reading this blog, you will be able to find the right internet package or plan for your Fire Stick. So, keep reading to learn more!

Best Internet Speed for Amazon Fire Stick Streaming

Before deciding on the provider, we will need to decide on the internet speed so we can explore companies accordingly. For SD video streaming, a minimum speed of 3 Mbps is required whereas for HD video streaming, a minimum speed of 5 Mbps would be more effective. Considering that these are the minimum set limits, you would obviously require more speed depending on how many people are using the same internet connection as you. It also matters which online activities are being performed by these other people.

The reason you need to take all this into consideration is that when the speed is shared among multiple users, it can affect your and their streaming, gaming, or any other internet-related activity. So, you will have to identify the activities and the speeds they are using, in order to get the appropriate speed you need. To be on the safer side, you should opt for a high-speed internet connection, so that you don’t face that problem.

If you do not have an idea of what speeds your average online activities might require, here is a table of some of the most common and repetitive activities for your help.

Online activity Number of devices Internet speed
 
  • Emailing
  • Browsing
  • Streaming music
  • SD video streaming

1-2

5-20 Mbps

  • Working from home (no heavy apps)
  • Online gaming
  • 4K video streaming
  • HD video streaming
  • Music streaming

1-3

20-40 Mbps

  • Multiplayer online gaming
  • 4K video streaming
  • Security devices
  • Smart devices
  • Downloading large files

2-4

40-100 Mbps

  • Home office
  • Heavy software for designing graphics
  • 4K video streaming
  • UHD streaming on multiple devices
  • Fast file download for large files

2-5

100-500 Mbps

  • Home office
  • Heavy creative designing apps and software
  • 4K video streaming
  • Home security devices
  • Smart home devices
  • Heavy level of usage of internet on multiple devices simultaneously

5+

500-1000 Mbps

Choosing the Right Internet Providers

After knowing the minimum speed limit and the internet speed required by basic online activities, you must have formed a basic understanding of the speed you need. What about the provider? The American market is saturated with plenty of well-known internet service providers, which makes the decision more difficult. Some well-known ISPs that we would recommend off the top of our heads are Spectrum, Xfinity, AT&T, CenturyLink, and Cox.

How to Set Up Your Fire Stick

You now know about the internet speed and you have also looked at the internet plans from the internet providers. This brings us to the next section, which is how we can set up the Amazon Fire Stick. To do that, you just need to follow these simple instructions written here:

  • First, plug the device into the HDMI port of your TV.
  • Connect the TV to a power outlet and use a USB cable to connect the power adapter and Fire TV.
  • Turn on the TV, switch to HDMI input, and go to the settings from the menu.
  • Connect to Wi-Fi and download updates.
  • Log in using your credentials and that’s it!

Perks of Using an Amazon Fire Stick

The Amazon Fire Stick is quite a brilliant device, isn’t it? A small device like that can bring you tons of channels and entertainment options, it’s definitely something worthwhile! But, what else can you do besides streaming movies and TV shows? There are plenty of benefits of the Amazon Fire Stick and they are discussed below.

Voice Control

You know that the TV can be controlled via your smart voice assistants like Alexa, much like your home lights and more. So, you can also control the Fire Stick indirectly through your TV. Instead of going and getting your remote to make a selection and continue watching your show, you can just grab some snacks, settle down on the couch and ask Alexa to play the show or movie you want to watch!

Connect Online

The Fire Stick isn’t just useful for streaming movies and TV shows, but you can also play some online games on it. This is why this device is so highly recommended as you get most of the features as you would with a smart TV, but on a regular one.

Share Pictures

Not only can you connect your Fire Stick to the TV, but you can connect it with your phone too. Using the phone’s hotspot, you can connect the Fire Stick while it is connected to the TV. What do you get from doing that? You can display your pictures from your phone on the big screen.

After you have connected the Fire Stick through the hotspot, you’ll go to the settings and then to display and sounds. Next, you’ll enable Display Mirroring and then, on your phone, enable wireless display settings. Turn the Wi-Fi on and click on the Fire Stick to display photos from your device on the TV screen.

Stream Content Online

And of course, this is the main thing about this device. You can watch on-demand movies on streaming services and you can watch live content after connecting it to the internet. There will never be a moment of boredom with the variety you will have, thanks to the Fire Stick!

Is Amazon Fire Stick Worth the Money?

Well, are you still somewhat unsure about the Fire Stick? While we have shared the perks and techniques of how to maximize your experience with the Fire Stick, let’s see some of the pros and cons to get a better idea.

Pros

  • The Amazon Fire Stick is a good and affordable option for maximum entertainment.
  • As compared to an ordinary TV, you get a lot more options!
  • The internet speed consumption is nearly the same as regular video streaming, so you don’t need to get a very high-speed option.
  • It is a small and easily portable device that you can carry around with you even while traveling.
  • It comes with voice support, which is how you can control it through a voice assistant.

Cons

  • If you are not a user of Amazon Prime, you will discover that Amazon often sells its content with its devices. So, if you are getting a Fire Stick, count on there being content from Amazon on it too.
  • While the device is not so expensive, if you are not using it much, it can be a waste of money for you.

Smart TV vs Amazon Fire Stick

Throughout this blog, we have been comparing the Fire Stick to the smart TV, so which is better? It’s time to finally compare the two to see what is the difference and which one you should be getting.

The simple difference between the two is that the Fire Stick allows you to enjoy the perks of a smart TV, but with a regular one. And of course, there is the price difference between the two but that’s pretty significant.

To Sum It All Up

In the end, it all goes down to preference and your own choice. Whether you choose a regular TV and Fire Stick or directly go to smart TV, you know what to expect. You also know what internet speed to be looking for when getting a Fire Stick. You can stream to Fire Stick just as well as you can stream on a smart TV.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is 40 Mbps fast enough for the Amazon Fire Stick?

Amazon Fire Stick requires 3 Mbps for SD video streaming and 5 Mbps for HD video streaming. So, to answer your question, yes, 40 Mbps is most definitely fast enough for the Amazon Fire Stick.

How can I make my Amazon Fire Stick stream faster?

If you choose a good internet plan that is fast enough, you won’t need to worry about slow internet. Choosing a good internet package and a good internet connection will keep you from worrying about the slow connection.

Does Fire Stick use a lot of Wi-Fi?

Amazon Fire Stick uses just as much internet speed as a regular streaming service, so it does not use a lot of Wi-Fi. If you find the best internet speed for it, you will see it doesn’t use much Wi-Fi.

Robert

Robert is a dedicated and knowledgeable author, an SEO expert with a passion for all things tech. He has a keen eye for detail, allowing him to write interesting blogs that are informative and engaging for readers. He has extensive knowledge of internet, TV, and phone pricing and plans, and has created numerous how-to guides to help users make informed decisions. As a tech geek and TV buff, he is always up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in the industry, making his content always fresh and relevant.