{"id":129841,"date":"2025-09-11T12:05:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T12:05:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/129841\/"},"modified":"2025-09-11T12:05:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T12:05:08","slug":"how-to-test-your-home-internet-speed-and-what-to-do-with-the-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/129841\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Test Your Home Internet Speed and What to Do With the Results"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you getting the internet speed you\u2019re paying for? Should you blame a slow connection on your Wi-Fi router<\/a> or internet provider<\/a>? Can your internet handle things like online gaming or livestreaming?<\/p>\n

The answers to all of these questions can be found by running a simple internet speed test. There are several websites you can use to check your speed for free, and they’ll all give you the same key metrics about your home internet connection.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

I usually say the best internet connection is the one you never notice. If you never experience buffering<\/a>, frozen video meetings or laggy online<\/a> games, you\u2019re probably getting plenty of speed. But how low can you go before these problems start popping up? According to a CNET survey<\/a>, 63% of US adults saw their internet bill increase an average of $195 in the past year, leading many to downgrade their plans to lower speeds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A speed test can help you determine if you\u2019re paying for more speed than you need<\/a> or barely scraping by on your current plan. But how does it work?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is flooded with the equivalent of a large file. That will test the full capability of the network,\u201d says Luke Kehoe, an industry analyst at Ookla, CNET\u2019s pick for the best speed test<\/a> overall. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)<\/p>\n

But speed isn\u2019t entirely straightforward in an internet context. Several other factors can impact your overall experience online — all of which a good speed test will tell you.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Key metrics explained: Download, upload, latency and jitter\u00a0<\/p>\n

No matter which speed test you use, the key numbers are always the same: download speed, upload speed and latency<\/a>. Jitter is also listed on many speed test results, although you may have to do a little digging to find it.<\/p>\n

\"unnamed-7.png\" <\/p>\n

Ookla\u2019s speed test results show download speed, upload speed and ping — both overall and under load for downstream and upstream.<\/p>\n

Ookla\/CNETDownload vs. upload speed<\/p>\n

The headline numbers on any speed test will be upload and download speed. Both measure bandwidth, which tells you how much data your connection can transmit at once.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cDownload speed is what speed tests are synonymous with,\u201d Kehoe tells me.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When you see an internet service provider advertising how fast it is, this is the number it\u2019s talking about. Download speed refers to the amount of data your connection can take in from a server in a single second.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Download speed is the number that matters for most things we do on the internet. Streaming TV shows<\/a>, browsing social media and downloading podcasts all rely on that downstream number.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Upload speed is the opposite. This measures the amount of data you can send out in a second. Things like video meetings, online gaming and posting on social media all use the upload side of the equation. Think of it as the speed at which you can send your video and voice to others on a call.<\/p>\n

Historically, internet providers have designated a lot more of your bandwidth for downstream traffic than upstream. (Fiber internet providers<\/a> are an exception; download and upload speeds are typically equal.) According to the latest report<\/a> from the analytics firm OpenVault, the average download speed in the US is 568Mbps, while upload speed is just 35Mbps.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Latency and jitter \"speedsmart-speed-test-showing-jitter-and-latency\" <\/p>\n

Latency — or ping — is shown with a double-sided arrow (left), while jitter is symbolized by a wavy line (right).<\/p>\n

SpeedSmart\/CNET<\/p>\n

While bandwidth measures the amount of data an internet connection can transmit, latency — or ping — measures the time it takes for the data to make the trip.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Latency is measured in milliseconds, and anything under 20ms is generally considered excellent. When you\u2019re online gaming<\/a>, for instance, you want the movements on your controller to correspond as instantaneously as possible with the results on your screen. Anything over 20ms, and you might start to notice some lag.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some free speed tests, including Ookla and Cloudflare, also give you download and upload scores for latency. These are referred to as \u201cloaded latency\u201d results, and they\u2019re taken while the speed test is flooding your connection during the download and upload speed tests.<\/p>\n

\"unnamed-9.png\" <\/p>\n

Some speed tests, like Cloudfare, show download and upload scores for latency<\/p>\n

Cloudfare\/CNET<\/p>\n

\u201cSome networks can have problems where the latency increases when it’s being flooded with data,\u201d Kehoe explains. \u201cUsually a very high loaded latency is something that you may see during a concert or in a congested area. It’s a good indicator of the network being under pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Closely related to latency is jitter, which measures the variations in latency.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can have a really good average latency, but within that, there could be one-off spikes in latency that are not captured by that average,\u201d says Kehoe. \u201cThe jitter would capture those particular spikes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kehoe says a jitter score below 5ms is considered excellent and between 5ms and 20ms is considered good. Once you\u2019re over 20ms, you\u2019ll start to see some degradation in your gaming<\/a> or video streaming.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Most speed tests don\u2019t automatically show your jitter score — you\u2019ll have to click on \u201cResults\u201d in Ookla to find it — but it\u2019s valuable information to have.<\/p>\n

\"ookla-speed-test-responsiveness-score\" Ookla\/CNETPreparing for an accurate speed test<\/p>\n

Running a speed test is as simple as pressing a button on a website, but there are a few factors that can impact your results. To get the most accurate picture, you should consider these factors before you start your (virtual) engine:<\/p>\n

Wi-Fi or Ethernet: It\u2019s perfectly valid to test your connection over Wi-Fi and Ethernet<\/a> — you\u2019ll just want to know which one you\u2019re using to interpret the results correctly. Testing over a wired Ethernet connection will give you the most accurate picture of what your ISP is actually delivering. Comparing the results with a Wi-Fi test will show you how much that wireless connection is costing you. If speed, latency or jitter is dramatically worse over Wi-Fi, it might be time to upgrade your router<\/a>.\u00a0Other devices on the network: A speed test is meant to test the full ability of your connection. If you\u2019re downloading a large file on another device, for example, your download speed results might look lower than they actually are. Before you begin your test, turn off any devices that could be actively using the internet.\u00a0Test at varying distances from your router: Running a speed test on a device close to your router will give you good information, but it\u2019s also important to know how well your Wi-Fi works further away. I\u2019d recommend running speed tests everywhere you plan on being online. If your speeds drop off significantly in certain rooms or floors, you might want to consider upgrading to a full-fledged mesh system<\/a> or adding a Wi-Fi extender<\/a> to the mix.\u00a0Test at different times of the day: Network congestion can impact your internet speeds. Try running speed tests during \u201cinternet rush hour,\u201d which occurs on weeknight evenings when many people are streaming at the same time. This is likely when your network will be stressed the most, and you should see the slowest speeds.Step-by-step guide to test your home internet speed<\/p>\n

Testing your home internet speed is incredibly simple. No matter which speed test you choose, the process is as simple as pressing a button marked \u201cplay\u201d or \u201ctest.\u201d You can even Google \u201cspeed test\u201d and use Google\u2019s speed test (run by M-Lab) without leaving the search results.<\/p>\n

\"google-speed-test\" <\/p>\n

Google\u2019s speed test gives you some basic information about your connection.<\/p>\n

Google\/CNET<\/p>\n

My preferred speed test is Ookla<\/a>, but Cloudfare<\/a>, M-Lab<\/a> and SpeedSmart<\/a> are all good options that give you the important metrics you need to look at.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe saturate the connection, and it’s measuring how fast the data actually gets to the user,\u201d says Kehoe, explaining how Ookla arrives at its results.<\/p>\n

Speed tests usually take less than 30 seconds to complete. Once they\u2019re done, you should immediately see all the key information on a results page.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Interpreting and improving your speed test results<\/p>\n

You have your speed test results. Now what do you do with them?\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you ran a speed test through an Ethernet cable and got speeds significantly lower than the plan you\u2019re paying for, it\u2019s worth contacting your internet provider with that information. Speeds vary by time of day and most plans are marketed as \u201cup to\u201d a certain threshold, but you shouldn\u2019t fall well below that mark. If you hit a dead end with your provider, it might be time to consider switching ISPs<\/a> entirely.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Results through Wi-Fi are a little more complicated. In these tests, the reason for slow speeds could be an outdated Wi-Fi router, poor router placement<\/a> or interference from other devices. In general, I recommend replacing your router every five years or so to keep up with the latest Wi-Fi standards.<\/p>\n

Over the past several years, Wi-Fi 6E<\/a> and Wi-Fi 7<\/a> routers have become increasingly affordable. Both give you access to the ultrawide 6GHz band — the most significant Wi-Fi speed improvements in recent memory.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Wi-Fi standard makes a big, big difference,\u201d says Kehoe. \u201cThe manufacturer is less of a differentiator than the underlying Wi-Fi standard.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"chart-of-median-download-speeds-by-wi-fi-standard\" <\/p>\n

Median download speeds from Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 routers are significantly faster than previous generations.<\/p>\n

Ookla<\/p>\n

According to Ookla\u2019s data<\/a>, only around one in 10 US homes are currently using a Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 router. But those that are have seen massive boosts in speed. The median download speed from Wi-Fi 7 routers is 764Mbps, compared to 713Mbps for Wi-Fi 6E, 375Mbps for Wi-Fi 6 and 227Mbps for Wi-Fi 5.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re renting your router from your ISP, you may be able to get an equipment upgrade simply by asking for one. In other cases, you might need to purchase your own router to get the latest generation of Wi-Fi.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a bit of a hassle, but it pays off in the long run. Equipment fees average around $10 per month, and you can get a brand new Wi-Fi 7 router for a little over $100. Buying your own router will almost always pay for itself<\/a> within a couple years, and you\u2019ll typically get much better performance out of it, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What\u2019s a good internet speed?<\/p>\n

Internet speed is highly personal. What works for a single person with only a few devices won\u2019t cut it for a family of five with a fully automated smart home system.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But a good reference point is the Federal Communication Commission\u2019s benchmark for broadband internet<\/a>, which it raised last year to 100Mbps download and 20Mbps upload speed. The FCC doesn\u2019t include a maximum latency number, but providers receiving federal money to build out rural broadband infrastructure have to deliver latency under 100ms.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Those numbers should be considered the bare minimum (or maximum, for latency). You won\u2019t have a problem streaming video or scrolling social media with those speeds, but any activity with a live component will struggle with those latency scores — think online gaming or videoconferencing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The bottom line\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now that you know what speed you\u2019re getting, you have a better idea of what you need to do next. At a minimum, you hopefully saw some numbers that met your plan\u2019s minimum speeds. If not, you\u2019ll have a better idea about how to fix the issue now that you know precisely where the problem is.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Are you getting the internet speed you\u2019re paying for? Should you blame a slow connection on your Wi-Fi…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":129842,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[1638,86,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-129841","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-internet","8":"tag-internet","9":"tag-technology","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129841","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129841"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129841\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129842"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}