Upload

An upload is the act of sending data from a local device to a remote workstation or server.

The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a common Internet protocol for downloading and uploading files. (To upload information to another site, one must usually have permission in advance to access the site and the directory where the file is to be placed.) The upload process is a part of every Internet connection, however. Every request and most commands while browsing the internet must be uploaded to the Internet server. Only when commands are completed by scripts on a given page do the commands not need to be uploaded.
Conversely, servers exist primarily to upload data to remote clients. However, they must download requests and commands from clients, as well as any updates or additions to the data they already serve.

The opposite of this activity is called downloading. For each data transfer, an upload and a download take place. In the client-server model, the server uploads the data to a client; the client downloads the date from the server. Uploading is usually slower than downloading. This is due to the bottleneck at the modem, though upload speeds are also often throttled (limited) by the internet service provider as well.

Typical speeds

Internet service providers usually offer a variety of service plans. Typically, there are offerings for commercial entities, which have static IP addresses and high upload throughput—these are for content providers. There are also service plans for consumers, such as residential service plans. These typically have low upload throughput, and a dynamic IP address—these plans cost less, but are intended to discourage large volumes of content sharing. Most individuals use this latter option.

SPEEDS
Dial-up: Up to 54 kbit/s
DSL: 54-2000 kbit/s
Cable: 1000-3000kbit/s