How come my computer says my internet speed is 54mbps but my provider it's .256 mbps?

[Jesus]

I have a feeling they are ripping me off!
WHAT I MEANT BY .256MBPS WAS THAT MY PROVIDER SAID ITS 256 KBPS

[Tanisha]

I have a feeling you don't understand arithmetic.

[WayneH]

You need to brush up on your math. .256 million bits per second is the same as 256 thousand bits per second.

The 54 megabits per second is your wireless connection, not your Internet speed.

[me2]

Although your ISP may be giving an honest 256 kbit/sec, or possibly 256 kbyte/sec, your wireless connection to the router is considerably slower, maxing out at 54mbits/sec.  That doesn't represent the true throughput you're experiencing, which due to overhead tops out at about 22mbits/sec.

To get an accurate view of the Wi-Fi performance, visit http://speedtest.net .  Click Settings, and under Global Settings, set "Speed Measurement" to "kilobytes".  Click Save, then click Take a Speed Test.

Hover the mouse over the green triangle, then click a server..

[deboerdn2000]

256kbps is exactly that. What your looking at is connection from your laptop to router. Not laptop to router. They aren't ripping you off. You just don't understand networking. I can say I have 20mbps but should be getting 1gbps because thats whay my computer says I have. 1gbps is my connection between my pc and my router. Not between my pc and the internet