How to Test Your Internet Speed and What the Results Actually Mean

You might not have a skincare routine, but a slow internet troubleshooting routine probably sounds relatable.

How many times a day do you reboot your devices, hoping for a miracle? Ever wondered why the Wi-Fi keeps dropping even when you’re sitting right next to the router? Yes, your internet service provider (ISP) is the #1 suspect.

Running an internet speed test is how you gather information to prove your suspicions. But first, you’ve got to learn how to read and make sense of the speed test results.

Internet Speed Test Explained

In simple words, an internet speed test tells how fast your internet is at a particular moment. Internet speeds may vary throughout the day, so you can expect different results each time.

The speed of your internet connection is a collection of multiple metrics:

• Download Speed
• Upload Speed
• Ping/Latency
• Jitter

Download Speed

This is the paramount aspect of your internet speed. Download speed is a measure of how fast you can receive data/information from the internet on your device. High download speeds allow quick loading of videos as you scroll social media, faster downloading of heavy files, buffer-free streaming, and so on.

Internet download speed is typically measured in megabits per second (Mbps). By modern standards, 100 Mbps or above can be considered a good download speed.

Upload Speed

Upload speed determines how fast you can send data/information from your device to an online server. With fast upload speeds, you can promptly publish videos on social media, enjoy uninterrupted video calls, and avoid lag in other real-time applications.

Corresponding to download speed, internet upload speed is also measured in Mbps. ISPs (except fiber internet providers) prioritize downstream traffic, which is why upload speeds are often much lower than download speeds.

An upload speed of 10 – 20Mbps is considered sufficient for the average US household.

Ping or Latency

The ping rate or latency of your internet connection represents how much time it takes a data packet to travel from your device to a server and back. Low ping means your internet is fast and responsive, whereas high ping results in delays or lag.

Ping or latency is measured in milliseconds (ms). Internet with latency below 20ms is excellent, but up to 100ms is also considered decent. Lag usually becomes noticeable beyond 100ms.

Jitter

Jitter is the fluctuation in ping rate. Consistent latency or ping translates to a smooth online experience. In contrast, a ping that frequently switches between highs and lows increases jitter and impairs connection quality; this may result in choppy audio/video and pixilation.

Similar to latency, jitter is measured in ms. Jitter up to 20ms is good, up to 50ms is acceptable, but over 50ms can be problematic.

Conclusion

In case the speed test results show that your ISP is delivering the promised speeds (upload & download) and ping + jitter range is reasonable, they’re not to blame. However, if you need more speed, consider upgrading your plan.

On the other hand, if the internet speed test results are bad, i.e., all metrics are far from the acceptable range, it might be time to switch to a better network.

FAQs

Upload vs. download speed: Which is more important?

Download speed is more important than upload speed, as we generally receive more data than we send over the internet. Most of our online activities, like music and video streaming, rely on download speeds. 

What is the difference between ping and latency?

Latency is the time it takes a data packet to travel from source to destination, whereas ping is a measure of a round-trip, i.e., from source to destination and back.

Are speed and bandwidth tests the same thing?

An internet speed test measures the actual data transfer rate at a given time, whereas a bandwidth test measures the maximum data transfer capacity of a connection.

How to improve internet speed?

You can improve internet speeds by:

• Optimizing router placement
• Keeping your devices updated
• Rebooting internet equipment
• Removing idle devices from the home network
• Upgrading your internet plan
• Switching to a faster connection