Every at present and then, everyone experiences the kind of cyberspace slowdown that makes you wonder whether you're really getting the internet speed you lot are paying for. Wifi speed tests can help you confirm this.

You can unremarkably view the speed of the cyberspace programme you're paying for by viewing your internet bill. The speed for your plan is typically listed alongside the plan name.

If you're paying for a plan that promises up to 60 Mbps, for example, then accurate speed tests from devices on your network should report a speed at least shut to that rate.

It's also worth figuring out whether your download and upload speeds are symmetrical or non. Verizon FIOS is symmetrical, significant if you have 100 Mbps download, you also have 100 Mbps upload, which is amazing if you need to upload a lot.

Agreement Wi-Fi Speed Test Results

At that place are three core tests yous tin can perform to measure the overall health and speed of your internet connexion. Those three tests are download, upload, and ping.

Ping tests are related to network latency. Latency is the amount of time it takes for a packet of information to travel from one computer to some other over the network.

This is related to upload and download tests anyway, so isn't necessary for most users to perform ping tests. Even so, for gamers, where latency can lead to significant lag in network gaming, ping test are very of import.

Download tests show y'all how chop-chop your estimator tin can transfer content from the internet to your computer. This includes fourth dimension information technology'll have to stream content from video streaming services to your computer or downloading files.

Upload tests will let you know how long it'll take to transfer files or other content from your reckoner to the net. For example, uploading files from your reckoner to your Google Drive or other cloud storage business relationship.

All speed test tools volition provide you with download and upload speeds in megabits per second (Mbps) and sometimes likewise ping time in milliseconds (ms).

If Mbps doesn't make any sense to yous, make sure to read my guide on understanding network transfer speeds first.

Best Online Wi-Fi Speed Tests

There are many free tools available that will requite you accurate speed results.

A few of the best online tools include:

  • Speedtest.cyberspace: This service is offered by Ookla and lets you perform parallel stream tests for accurate speeds, or a single connectedness mode to simulate downloading a single, large file.
  • AT&T Speed Test: AT&T offers this quick browser-based examination to measure out accurate upload and download speeds between your figurer and the internet.
  • SpeedOf.Me: This spider web-based speed exam has one of the coolest user interfaces of any available online tool.
  • TestMy.net: This service offers three distinct tests for specifically measuring download and upload speeds, and an automatic speed tests that measures your internet speed over a period of time.
  • Fast.com: One of the easiest online tests you can perform is the one at Fast.com. All you must practice to run the test is visit the site!

Performing any of these tests is fast and piece of cake. Usually it's just a matter of clicking a test button and letting the test run its grade.

Results should be like from service to service. However, it's a good idea to run the tests from several services and from several devices in your dwelling to get a large sample of results you can boilerplate together.

Mutual Mistakes to Avoid During Speed Tests

An internet speed test seems simple plenty. Y'all visit a site, run the test, and become an accurate measurement of upload and download speeds to and from your computer.

The reality is that information technology isn't that elementary. There are many factors that tin irksome downwards your internet connection and affect your measurements and provide inaccurate results.

Event: Placement

To go accurate speed results while connected to your router over a wireless connection, the placement of your computer or mobile device makes a huge difference. Certain wall materials or other objects can potentially block or interfere with your Wifi signal.

Solution: Create a clear wireless path

Yous'll want to make sure you're performing the test in a location with a stiff wireless connection to your dwelling router.

The platonic scenario is placing your estimator or mobile device in the same room every bit the wireless router before running the tests.

Event: Wearisome Computer

The biggest mistake many people make is running internet speed tests from an older computer that may take an older network card incapable of the kind of internet speeds offered past your ISP.

Mod network cards are capable of handling data transmission speeds of up to thousand Mbps. Those should have no problem running accurate speed tests. However, much older PCs could have network cards only capable of 1 Mbps to 10 Mbps. If y'all're trying to confirm an internet connection capable of 60 Mbps, you'll remember your internet speed is too irksome when information technology isn't.

Solution: Test from multiple devices.

An easy fix for this issue is to run your internet speed tests from multiple devices. Try running a test with your laptop in one surface area of the house. And so try with your mobile phone in another function of the house (brand sure you're continued to Wifi and not your mobile data connection).

Accept the results of all tests and average them together for the near accurate speed results.

While you're at it, y'all might also want to troubleshoot what issues are slowing your computer downward.

Issue: Aggressive Applications

I of the biggest bug people ignore when running speed tests is the network bandwidth consumption happening on your test device itself.

Obviously, having an awarding like Netflix streaming while y'all're running your test will provide terrible speed results. Yet, fifty-fifty when y'all're not running obvious bandwidth-consuming apps, there could exist other apps using your network bill of fare without y'all even knowing information technology.

Solution: Check for trouble apps.

You can check which apps are using up the network connection with Task Managing director.

  1. Right-click on the taskbar and select Chore Manager.
  2. Select the Processes tab.
  3. Select the Network field to sort active processes by network use.
  4. Make a annotation of the processes at the top of the network usage listing.

If there are any non-browser processes using up a lot of network bandwidth, you tin can right click on the process and select End task to close them.

Once yous're sure those processes eating up your network menu's bandwidth are closed, you're ready to run your Wi-Fi speed tests.

Outcome: Existing Internal Network Traffic

There are ii kinds of existing network traffic that can negatively bear upon your Wi-Fi tests. These are internal traffic inside your dwelling house, and external traffic in your neighborhood.

Internal traffic would be your kids in their bedroom streaming high-bandwidth games while you're trying to run your Wi-Fi speed test.

This bandwidth consumption is like also much water trying to fit through a pipe going out of your firm. Your network speed exam could render a low (and false) result.

Solution: Terminate all internal streaming during your test.

Make sure everyone in your firm is asunder from the cyberspace during the small timeframe you're performing your Wi-Fi speed testing. This will ensure that you're testing truthful network streaming when your system has access to your unabridged internet bandwidth.

Issue: Existing External Network Traffic

Many people don't consider the impact neighbors have on internet speed. This is especially truthful if you're on a cable internet connexion. In the instance of cable internet, neighborhoods usually share a connection to a nearby network router on the route to the local Isp's master hub.

This is especially truthful if you live in highly populated neighborhoods where a lot of families live close to one some other.

If you run your Wi-Fi speed test during a time when everyone in the neighborhood is at dwelling house streaming movies or playing online games, you're going to see a significant drop in your test measurements.

Another outcome with neighbors is overlapping wireless channels. The best affair to practise is to scan for all the networks nearby and endeavor to switch to a different channel.

Besides, about people are still using two.4Ghz networks, so moving to a 5Ghz connection tin can really speed things up, though this would normally require upgrading your router.

Solution: Perform multiple tests at different times of the solar day and week.

By spreading out your Wi-Fi testing over multiple times of the day, and during different days of the week, yous'll ensure y'all're getting a good film of your truthful network speed.

You tin can use the best measurement equally a baseline for your platonic internet speeds, and the everyman measurement as what you can expect during peak cyberspace use hours in your neighborhood.

How to Use Wi-Fi Speed Tests

If y'all find that your Wi-Fi speeds aren't what you expected, don't despair. At that place are several actions you lot can take to correct the problem.

  • Make sure that your router settings are correct and optimized.
  • Troubleshoot your in-home Wi-Fi configuration before blaming your ISP.
  • Call your Internet access provider and report the problem. They may need to transport you a replacement router.

Ultimately, just accepting and dealing with slow Wifi or dull internet speed isn't a proficient option. Information technology can touch your enjoyment of streaming video and music services, drag your online gaming to a clamber, and make your overall internet feel miserable.

Then run a few speed tests and make certain yous're getting the speeds that you're paying for.