Learning
How to Check Your Internet Speed Test (and Why It Matters)
Slow internet is the bane of your existence. Discover how to test your home internet speed test here. Broadband internet has become a residential utility on par with water or electricity in the last fifteen years.
According to Pew Research, approximately 25% of adults in the United States had home broadband internet service in 2004. By 2019, the percentage had risen to 73 percent.
Most broadband internet today is billed as high speed, but there is no agreement on what that entails.
Depending on where you reside and your internet service provider, the term high speed could refer to various internet connections, including those that haven’t been called fast since 2004.
This can make it hard to tell if the service you’re paying for is worth it or if you’re even getting the promised high speeds. A speed test for the internet is a quick and easy way to determine how well your internet service works.
If your internet appears slower than it should be, conducting a speed test is the easiest way to determine whether the problem is on your end or with your internet service provider.
How to Conduct an Internet Speed Test?
Anyone who wants to test their internet speed can do it fast and easily using a variety of free platforms available online. If you search Google for an internet speed test, the first result is a speed test (hosted by Google) that you can run right in your browser.
Going to Speedtest.net and downloading the designated app for the device you wish to test is the quickest way to run an accurate, consistent, and reliable speed test. Ookla’s Speedtest.net is a free service with native apps for almost every platform, including iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.
Doing the test is simple once you’ve downloaded the Speedtest app to your preferred device.
- Open the app
- Check that you are connected to your home’s internet connection
- Press GO
After you press the “GO” button, the software will run the test without additional input from you, testing the download speed and then upload speed.
When the test is finished, the results appear at the top of the screen. Don’t worry if you run a test and forget the results; the Speedtest software saves track of every test you do.
Why You Should Conduct a Wired Test?
Do a speed test from a device connected to your router through an Ethernet wire to see if you’re getting the maximum internet speed you’re paying for. Ethernet cables deliver internet access directly from the source via a physical connection, which is inherently more stable and reliable than WiFi.
For example, if you pay for peak speeds of 100 Mbps but your wired internet speed test shows that you’re only getting approximately 30 Mbps, call your internet service provider and ask what you can do to get your internet up speed. Telling them you tested from an Ethernet cable gadget demonstrates your knowledge and should be taken.
Why You Should Conduct a Wireless Test?
A speed test from a device connected to your house’s WiFi network is a useful way to assess the network’s strength in different areas of your home. The closer your device is to the router, the stronger the wireless connection.
Go to the rooms farthest from your router and use a mobile device linked to your WiFi network for a speed test. If the speed difference across rooms is minor, you know your router is in a decent placement.
If the speed of your WiFi becomes noticeably erratic as you walk away from the source, you may want to consider updating your router or installing a WiFi range extender to service the areas of your home with a weak connection.
What is Considered Fast Internet?
Not surprisingly, there does not appear to be agreement on what constitutes high-speed internet. Download rates of more than 200 Mbps are the standard for anyone with access to optical fiber internet.
Yet, such technology is new and not readily available. In places where fiber internet is unavailable, consumers should expect top speeds of roughly 100 Mbps, or somewhat less, which is generally sufficient.
The trouble is that most internet connections today are fast, and there’s no use in being high-speed when most consumers don’t need the extra 100 Mbps that ISPs provide, Anh Trinh of GeekWithLaptop.com explained.
Regarding broadband internet, having a high-speed connection is no longer necessary. All that matters is that you have the internet speeds you require daily, which will vary from person to person and from home to household.
An internet connection of at least 25 Mbps is usually very good for handling the fundamentals with some streaming thrown in,” Trinh said. “It’s fine for the ordinary person, and you can always increase your plan to meet your needs.”
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