Attempting to purchase a flight while completing a business project and sending a crucial email, and your internet fails, you begin to question whether your internet speed is…dangerously sluggish. Contrary to popular belief, testing your Internet speed is simpler than you may believe.
The speed of your internet connection will vary depending on the time of day, the number of connected and active devices, and other variables.
We recommend doing numerous speed tests over the course of two days and keeping track of the results to determine your connection’s genuine speed.
The solution may be as simple as restarting your modem and router, which should always be your first step, or upgrading to a mesh network. Follow the steps below to determine your internet connection’s speed.
What Is a Good Internet Speed?
A “good internet speed” depends on multiple factors, including your daily internet consumption, the number of people in your home who use the internet, and what they use it for. A decent download speed should be at least 100 Mbps, while a good upload speed should be at least 10 Mbps.
Understanding an Internet Speed Test
A speed test for the internet examines several variables in megabits per second, including download speed, upload speed, and latency.
Internet speed is measured in bits per second, hence Mbps is an abbreviation for megabits per second. Gbps represents one billion bits per second, hence one Gbps is equivalent to 1,000 Mbps.
Download Speed
Bandwidth, commonly referred to as download speed, is the rate at which data flows from the internet to your device. This measure is essential while watching or downloading your favorite television.
Upload Speed
Upload speed evaluates the rate at which your device can send data to another online address, such as posting images to social media sites.
Latency
Latency Lag, also known as latency, is the amount of time it takes for a signal to travel from your device to your internet service provider and return. A greater delay necessitates a greater buffering rate while attempting to transmit video.
Internet Speed 101
Depending on your needs, Internet Service Providers offer different service tiers and connection speeds. There are typically five types of internet: dial-up, satellite, DSL, cable, and fiber.
Dial-up internet is one of the most affordable solutions, but also the slowest. One receives what one pays for. It is incapable of online video streaming and has a maximum speed of 0.05 Mbps.
Netflix may be streamed using satellite internet, which connects to your home wirelessly via a satellite signal. Satellite internet is advantageous since it can be accessed from any area, no matter how rural or remote.
DSL, or digital subscriber line, provides internet access via phone networks, but at speeds ranging from 0.5 to 75 Mbps, it is more efficient than dial-up. Your router’s distance from your ISP’s main office affects DSL performance.
Copper wiring is utilized for both cable TV and cable internet. Speeds range from 25 to 1,000 Mbps, with increased download and upload rates. In most cases, cable internet is shared between neighbors, so it is slow during peak internet usage hours.
Fiber internet provides the fastest and most dependable Wi-Fi, ranging from 50 to 2,000 Mbps, using fiber-optic lines. With these options, your uploads and downloads operate at the same rate.
How to Determine Your Internet Speed
Here’s how you can determine your internet speed:
Do a Test of Your Computer’s Speed
Several websites on the internet offer free Wi-Fi speed tests. We advise using either Speedtest.net or CloudFlare. It should take no longer than sixty seconds to run the download and upload speed tests. Do a few Wi-Fi tests for the best performance.
Wi-Fi consumption varies from person to person and home to household; consequently, so will the Wi-Fi speed you require. Regular service, which is suggested for low usage, varies from three to eight megabits per second (Mbps). For households with more than four users/devices, a service package with speeds greater than 25 Mbps is recommended.
Keep in mind that your internet speed varies depending on the time of day and the number of devices connected to your router. In an ideal situation, you would connect your ISP’s modem with an Ethernet cable, however, this may not be possible.
Do a Speed Test Using Your Smartphone or Tablet
With websites like Speedtest.net or CloudFlare, you can administer a speed test on your smartphone or tablet in the same manner as on your computer.
Conduct a Speed Test Using the App for Your Wi-Fi Router
Some Wi-Fi routers include speed test applications. This feature is available on specific routers such as Google Nest. If you are using Xfinity internet, and want to do an Xfinity speed test, you can speak to the ISP about how to do it on their given router.
If your Wi-Fi connectivity is slower than expected or desired, purchasing a new router is not always the solution. But, if your router is outdated, this may be the best choice.
Analyze Your Wi-Fi Speed Test Results
The findings of an internet speed test are meaningless if they cannot be interpreted.
Examine your download rates to determine the rate at which files can be downloaded, your video streaming capabilities, and the number of devices that your Wi-Fi can support. DSL speeds will inevitably be slower.
Cable internet may be sluggish owing to congestion caused by other cable households.
All in All
If your Wi-Fi still isn’t working even after taking the aforementioned measures, the problem may be caused by malware, an outdated router, an unreliable internet service provider, or defective hardware. Use an antivirus app to detect malware.
Ultimately, the aforementioned steps should be able to determine your internet speed; if not, you may always switch ISPs.
