Is your internet connection fast enough? How to check internet speed
You are working from home and in a video call, but there is a lag in the sound and a delay seeing your colleague’s presentation. In the evening, the movie you are streaming keeps stopping and rebuffering. An email with a large attachment takes forever to send. What's happening?
One cause for such issues is a slow internet connection. But how do you find out if this is the problem? It’s easy – you can test your internet speed in just a few seconds.
by Alyssa SchmittIs your connection fast enough to stream Paw Patrol AND work remotely?
Internet too slow? This is a common issue as our increased used of streaming services means movies, TV and music are all coming into our homes via the internet and the increasingly high resolution of videos means download sizes are larger. Most American households also have multiple devices connected to the internet at any given time – mobile phones, laptops, tablets, game consoles, smart TVs – the list goes on and on.
So how do you know if your internet connection is fast enough for everything you do online? It’s surprisingly easy to test your internet speed! Today, we’ll show you how – plus share some recommendations for testing programs and apps.
How to test internet speed
There are several free tools you can use to test your internet speed, and it will only take a few minutes of your time. Before you run the test, there are a few steps you should take.
If you’re testing on your computer, it has to be connected to the internet – either directly to your router using a network cable or through your Wi-Fi network.
Many experts recommend the former for the most accurate results, since interference and fluctuations can occur when using Wi-Fi. If Wi-Fi is your only option, minimize interference by disconnecting any other devices (like your smartphone) from your Wi-Fi while you’re testing.
Turn off any streams, downloads or uploads you have running, and deactivate any VPN software.
How to check internet speed at home
If you would like to perform a quick, simple speed test, go to the search engine in your preferred internet browser. Simply typing “speed test” into the search bar should bring up an option to test your internet speed in the browser in a single click. Or click on a speed test website in your search results for a quick test of your ping, download and upload speeds.
You can test your internet speed right in your web browser
Once you start the speed test, your device will send a signal (“ping”) to the test server. The server then sends data to your device, and the program measures how much is downloaded in a certain amount of time. The program then sends data back to the test server to measure the upload speed.
How to check internet speed on mobile phone
If you’d like to check the internet speed on an iPhone or Android phone, the same principle applies. Open your preferred browser app – Safari, Chrome, etc. – and type “speed test.” The first search result should give you the option to “Run Speed Test”. Tap the button test your internet speed. Alternatively, you can visit one of the test websites in the search results or download an internet speed test app (see recommendations below).
How is internet speed measured?
A basic internet speed test will measure three main values:
Ping/latency: The time it takes for a signal to travel from your device to the test server and back. Delivered in milliseconds (ms), this is a measure of responsiveness – which is important for gaming or video chats.
Download speed: How quickly your connection can transfer data from the internet to your device. Download speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps) and is important for activities like watching videos or browsing websites.
Upload speed: As you probably guessed, this is the reverse of download speed – how fast data travels from your computer to the internet. Also measured in Mbps, this matters for video calls, sending documents or uploading photos to the cloud.
Depending on the internet speed test you use, you may see these metrics as well:
Connects: The number of connections that are possible simultaneously.
Bandwidth: This refers specifically to the maximum volume of data that can be transferred over your internet connection within a certain amount of time – also measured in Mbps.
Jitter: This refers to fluctuations in the ping values, which can indicate the stability of the internet connection. Like with ping values, the lower this number, the better.
Good to know: Download vs. upload speeds
When it comes to download and upload speeds, the higher the megabits per second, the faster the connection. However, don’t be alarmed if your download speed is a lot higher than your upload speed. Because download speeds are more important to the average user, many high-speed internet connections are designed to be asymmetric and provide better speed for downloads than uploads.
Why do my internet speed test results seem to vary?
An internet speed test provides a snapshot of your internet speed at a given moment. Internet speed can vary depending on the time of day, how many devices are currently connected to your network, etc. You should also not be surprised if you are not seeing the top internet speed offered by your internet service provider (ISP). This can be caused by anything from hardware issues at your end (like an outdated router) to the internet infrastructure available in your location (like the type of cable used). This is why ISPs offer speeds “up to” a certain Mbps.
What internet speed tests are best?
In addition to the basic speed test in your browser, there are a lot of reputable websites you can turn to. Perhaps the best known is Ookla Speedtest, but you could also try Fast.com (made by Netflix with streamers in mind), speedof.com (which, like Ookla, is great for showing fluctuations in speed), the Xfinity Speed Test, and many others.
If you are interested in tracking the speed of your internet connection over time, Speedtest offers you the option of creating an account so you can save and view your entire test history. To test internet speed on your phone, the speed-testing tools listed above also offer apps for Android and iOS. Using an app also gives you the advantage of being able to keep a record of your tested speeds.
What is a good internet speed?
So, if find yourself wondering “How fast should my internet be?” -- this will depend on the size of your household and what you use the internet for. For example, the FCC recommends a minimum download speed of 25 Mbps for a household with “moderate” usage by four devices or users at a time.
Depending on the number of users and devices in your home, you may find speeds between 50 and 100 Mbps necessary for streaming 4K video or multi-party video conferences. Committed online gamers might even want to venture into 200+ Mbps territory. On the other end of the spectrum, in a single-person household where the internet is mostly used for emails and checking social media, a download speed of 5 Mbps could be sufficient.
Bonus explainer: Internet connection speed and email speed
Ever had the feeling your email was slow and wondered if the problem was your internet connection? Lags in email sending and/or delivery can be due to a variety of factors, including internet speed. So, what causes slow email?
Email speed depends on a combination of factors, e.g., the size of your message (including embedded images and attachments), the performance of the email app you are using, the speed of your internet or Wi-Fi network, available storage space, and firewall and antivirus settings. There may be temporary email slowdowns if there is an issue with the email server, e.g. maintenance or downtime, and email delivery speed may also be affected by spam-filtering practices such as greylisting.
How can I increase my email speed?
Check that you have a fast and stable internet connection.
Make sure your device and email program are updated to the latest version.
Clear your email cache – this will often help your email client run more efficiently.
Scan your device for malware and viruses that may be affecting its performance.
Unfortunately, unlike the internet speed test, there is not really an email speed test you can use to test your email client at home. If you have checked all the potential causes above and your email performance is still sluggish, you can reach out to your email service provider for assistance.
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This article first appeared on April 3, 2022, and was updated on Sept. 5, 2024.
