Internet Speed & Quality Test

Understanding Your Broadband Quality Results

Speed Test is the most accurate way to test your broadband speed and quality. Most other tests only measure download and upload speeds, but we go further. With decades of experience, we’ve formulated new performance quality benchmarks – latency and jitter – that directly affect the day-to-day realities of today’s businesses. This makes our test the most accurate and complete measure of your internet connection. And because we know that businesses rely on their internet connections, we offer our speed test free of charge. So if you’re wondering how your connection stacks up, there’s no better way to find out than with Speed Test.

Why Should I Test My Internet Speed and Quality?

Internet speed is only part of the story. While conventional speed tests measure throughput, you should also test the Internet quality of your connection. Some providers may use old copper connections while others deliver your service using state-of-the-art fiber connectivity. These, along with other factors, could impact latency, jitter and packet loss. Plus, these affect your bandwidth quality. Depending on whether you are using your connection for VoIP, video conferencing, or mission-critical applications, you may need a higher quality service. Our Internet quality test does this for you and helps highlight potential risks to your business.

If your Speed or Quality is Lower Than Expected

If you are experiencing a slow or poor connection, there are several steps you can take to try and improve your speed.

1. Stop any downloads or programs that may be using your connection.

2. Use a wired Ethernet connection instead of WiFi or cellular services, as there may be interferences with those signals.

3. Try rebooting your modem or router and run the speed test again.

Usually one of these steps will improve your connection speed. However, if you continue to experience slow speeds, you may need to contact your service provider for further assistance.

Glossary of Terms

Download Speed
- The term “download speed” refers to the rate at which data is transferred from the Internet to your computer. This is the largest amount of data you can receive in a specified amount of time. Download speed is measured in Megabits per second (Mbps). The higher the Mbps, the faster your download speed will be. There are a number of factors that can impact your download speed, including the type of Internet connection you have, the strength of your signal, and the number of people using the same connection. If you’re looking to improve your download speed, there are a few things you can do, such as connecting to a high-speed Internet connection, adjusting your router’s settings, or using a faster browser. However, it’s important to keep in mind that there are many factors that can affect your download speed, so it’s possible that you may not be able to achieve the highest possible speeds.
Upload Speed
- The opposite of download speed, upload speed measures the largest amount of information that you can send from your computer using your access provider’s connection. This is also measured in Mbps. While download speed is important for things like streaming video and downloading large files, upload speed is more important for activities like video conferencing and sending large files. A high-speed internet connection will typically have a higher upload speed than download speed, so if you need a fast connection for uploading large files or participating in video calls, make sure to check your provider’s upload speeds before making a purchase.
Latency (Ping)
- Internet latency is a measurement focused on how long it takes a packet of data to complete a round trip between two points. High latency will be noticed on voice calls through delays in conversation and periods of silence. In addition, web pages may load more slowly. Latency can be affected by a number of factors, including the physical distance between the two points, the type of connection being used, and the amount of traffic on the network. While there is no magic number for acceptable latency, in general, anything above 50 milliseconds is considered to be high. For reference, the average human blink takes about 400 milliseconds. In most cases, high latency can be addressed by making sure that the devices are close to each other and connected with a high-speed connection such as fiber optics. However, in some cases, other factors such as server location may need to be taken into account.
Jitter
- Network latency refers to the amount of time it takes for a data packet to travel from its source to its destination. When dealing with real-time applications such as VoIP, it is important to ensure that latency is kept to a minimum. Otherwise, voice packets may be delivered out of order, resulting in echo or talk-over effects. To measure the variation over time of latency across the network, you need a jitter test. This test involves repeatedly sending data packets over the network and measuring the amount of time it takes for them to arrive at their destination. By comparing the results of successive tests, you can get an indication of how stable the network latency is. If the jitter values are high, it may be necessary to take steps to improve network performance.

When choosing a business internet plan, it’s important to consider both downstream and upstream speeds. Downstream speed is the rate at which data is transferred from the internet to your devices, and it’s critical for activities like video streaming and web browsing. Upstream speed is the rate at which data is transferred from your devices to the internet, and it’s essential for activities like VoIP calls and file transfers. Most business internet plans offer symmetrical speeds, which means that downstream and upstream speeds are equal. However, some plans may have higher downstream speeds than upstream speeds. Be sure to choose a plan that offers enough bandwidth for all of your business needs.