How To Determine Upload And Download Speed

Testing the speed of your internet connection is easy. Just click on the push button below to take our speed test.

This test will measure your download and upload speeds (also equally other data like latency, which y'all can see if you click on the details), which you can compare to your provider'due south advertised speeds.

Only at that place's more to internet speed than merely the numbers. We'll walk you through all the ins and outs of measuring your internet speed and what your speed means for you.

What an internet speed test measures

What does Mbps mean?

Permit'southward beginning with the basics. Internet speed is measured in bits (a single binary 1 or 0) per second. Internet connections can handle a lot of this data, then we ordinarily talk about speeds in megabits per 2d (Mbps), which is a million bits per second. When speeds get really fast (1,000 Mbps or faster), we talk well-nigh them in gigabits per second (Gbps), which is a billion bits per second. (1,000 Mbps = ane Gbps)

Download speed

Download speed, besides referred to as bandwidth, measures how fast information from the internet gets to your device (for example, how fast your Netflix testify loads). It's commonly measured in megabits per 2nd (Mbps), although really fast connections are measured in gigabits per 2d (Gbps). Download speed is particularly important for uses like watching high-quality video or downloading software.

Upload speed

Just every bit download speed refers to how fast data gets to your device, upload speed refers to how fast data on your device tin can exist sent to some other destination on the net (similar how fast your vacation pictures post to Instagram). For near connections, upload and download speed are normally different, simply when yous see net plans advertised by speed, they're usually focusing on just the download speed.

What is latency?

I other of import measurement for internet speed is latency, or lag. Latency is very different from bandwidth, even though both deal with the speed of your connectedness. Latency refers to the time it takes for a indicate to be sent from your figurer to your service provider and come back. High latency can pb to more buffering on streaming video, but it's much more disruptive in activities like video conversation or online gaming.

Run a search beneath to see what other kinds of net are bachelor in your area. You lot may exist able to find much faster packages than what you lot accept at present.

What determines your internet speed?

If there's ane thing that everyone knows virtually net speed, it's that not all connections are created equal. Most ISPs offer multiple plans with different speeds, but often these plans also utilise dissimilar technologies to connect you to the internet. Though some are significantly faster than others, there are also other pros and cons besides just speed.

Dial-upwards internet is the slowest kind of cyberspace connectedness and is too slow for uses like streaming video. It can't hit broadband speeds, commonly topping out effectually fifty kbps (only 0.05 Mbps), though depending on the service, it can be much slower. Information technology's commonly pretty cheap, but there are much better low-cost options these days.

Satellite cyberspace uses a satellite betoken to wirelessly connect to your habitation. Satellite tin can requite you the broadband speeds necessary to practice things like stream video, only it'southward even so a relatively dull and expensive pick. Satellite internet speeds range from v Mbps to 25 Mbps. Also, since your indicate has to accomplish a satellite in orbit, it has incredibly high latency. The upside is that you can go it nigh anywhere in the United states of america, even in remote areas.

DSL, or digital subscriber line, uses existing telephone networks, just it achieves much higher speeds than dial-upwards, anywhere from 0.v Mbps to 75 Mbps. It's not much faster than satellite and its speed is affected by the distance to your ISP's central office.

Cable internet uses copper wires, simply like cable Goggle box. Cablevision offers incredibly fast speeds, between 25 Mbps and 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps), but it also has a few drawbacks. Connections are mostly shared betwixt neighbors, which means cable networks become congested during elevation hours. Cable too offers much higher download speeds than upload speeds. This isn't an outcome with cablevision TV, since broadcasts go but one direction, but it tin can exist a problem for some online activities on cable internet.

Fiber cyberspace connects you to the web via cobweb-optic cables. Fiber is the fastest and well-nigh reliable kind of cyberspace service, with speeds ranging from l Mbps to 2,000 Mbps (2 Gbps). It also has the do good of symmetrical upload speeds. In other words, your uploads are just as fast equally your downloads.

Past understanding what kind of net connectedness you have, you should have a good idea of how fast your connection should be. The question, though, is how much speed you lot're really getting from your connection.

Tips to get the most accurate speed

Testing your speed is easy, but how do y'all go the most authentic measurement of your internet connection? Hither are a few things yous can do to get the most accurate results:

Break automated downloads.

First, make certain you're not downloading any large files in the background. You tin check the Chore Director on Windows or the Activity Monitor on macOS to see if any programs are trying to download updates or other large files. Close or quit all apps on your computer. Y'all might nonetheless accept some background processes using the net just nothing that would make a big impact.

Get rid of freeloaders.

Next, make sure that no one else on your home network is using a chunk of your bandwidth. You're not going to become very authentic results if you have people streaming Netflix in three different rooms of your house while you lot test. If you suspect you might have someone stealing your Wi-Fi or another freeloaders on your network, you can besides alter your network countersign.

Bank check for wireless router issues.

Many people argue that you should always plug your figurer directly into your router with an Ethernet cable before you test your internet speed. While this does requite you a more accurate mensurate of what your ISP is giving you, it doesn't help much if you're still getting slow speeds where you lot normally use your devices.

We suggest that you bank check your internet speed where yous nigh often utilise your estimator. If the speed is less than what yous expect, endeavor plugging it into your router. If yous get a dramatic increment in speed, it might be time to get a better router.

Connection all the same as well slow? Run a search with your cypher code to observe providers with speeds and performance that encounter your needs.

So, what do my results mean?

Once yous know exactly how many Mbps you're getting over your internet connectedness, what do y'all do next? Offset off, y'all demand to brand certain yous can translate your results. There's no need to make an angry phone call to your ISP because you're paying for gigabit internet but but getting upload speeds of 30 Mbps. If you lot take a cable connection, that's perfectly normal, and it probably yet has plenty of upload speed for your needs.

Interpreting download speeds

The most important number from your speed test is your download speed. That's what'south going to determine how fast files download, how many devices your network can support, and how high the quality of your video tin can exist.

If yous have DSL, you should expect your speed to be a bit lower than advertised due to your distance from the fundamental hub, but there's also no style to improve it unless you lot move your whole house closer (or switch to a different blazon of connection).

If you have cablevision internet and your result is low, yous're probably experiencing congestion from the other homes in your area. Endeavor testing your speed at another fourth dimension when your neighbors are less likely to be online. If you're hit the proper download speeds outside of pinnacle-utilize times, there'southward nothing wrong with your connection. That's merely how cable works.

Checking your latency

If y'all play online games or spotter alive video, you also desire to pay attending to your latency. If your latency is downward below xx milliseconds (ms), your experience should be perfectly shine. If your latency is above 150 ms, y'all're going to accept some significant issues with lag. Some lag issues tin can't be fixed because that would hateful irresolute the laws of physics. Even going at near the speed of light, it takes fourth dimension for a point to reach a server in Republic of korea.

Other sources of lag tin be dealt with. Replacing an old router can reduce latency. Connecting directly to your router via Ethernet cablevision instead of over Wi-Fi will make a huge difference in preventing lag. Finally, y'all can upgrade to a type of connectedness with naturally lower latency, similar fiber.

Diagnosing issues

If you've done everything yous can to become the most accurate speed test and your download speeds are all the same manner beneath what your Internet access provider promised, it could mean a few unlike things.

Malware—You might accept malware on your device. Network worms and other malicious software hijack part of your bandwidth, merely this is often the least of your worries. Run antivirus software to check for and remove malware.

Outdated hardware—You might have outdated hardware that's incompatible with your provider'due south requirements. For instance, Xfinity'southward gigabit services require a DOCSIS 3.i modem. Although DOCSIS iii.0 equipment can technically get up to gigabit speeds, Xfinity doesn't support information technology.

ISP issues—At that place might be a problem with your provider's infrastructure. Sometimes these are just network interruptions caused by your ISP upgrading part of their network or but doing maintenance. It could also be a more serious problem that can exist fixed only by your provider. If you've explored the other options and are withal having bug, call your Internet access provider's customer service.

Malfunctioning equipment—If your speed is lower than expected, merely there are no problems with your Internet access provider, there might be a problem with your equipment. Reset your modem and router past turning them off, waiting for a minute or two, and so turning them dorsum on. Try connecting to your router using an Ethernet cablevision instead of over Wi-Fi. If you lot're already using a wired connexion, try swapping out your Ethernet cablevision for a different one. You can also endeavour running the speed test from a different device to see if yous go the same results.

Get a meliorate internet plan

If, after all this, your internet speed is all the same not enough to meet your needs, information technology might exist time to upgrade to a faster programme, or simply discover a better Internet access provider.

To see what other options are available in your surface area, type your zip code below.

Writer - Peter Christiansen

Peter Christiansen writes near satellite internet, rural connectivity, livestreaming, and parental controls for HighSpeedInternet.com. Peter holds a PhD in communication from the University of Utah and has been working in tech for over 15 years as a figurer developer, game developer, filmmaker, and writer. His writing has been praised by outlets like Wired, Digital Humanities Now, and the New Statesman.

Editor - Cara Haynes

Cara Haynes has been editing and writing in the digital space for seven years, and she'south edited all things net for HighSpeedInternet.com for five years. She graduated with a BA in English language and a minor in editing from Brigham Young Academy. When she'due south non editing, she makes tech accessible through her freelance writing for brands like Pluralsight. She believes no i should feel lost in internet land and that a good net connectedness significantly extends your life bridge.