A Step-by-Step Guide to Accurately Measure Your Internet Speed

Is it time to change to a new ISP? Users who don’t feel like they’re getting fast enough speeds may consider upgrading to a new plan. Before (and after) doing that, it is a good idea to measure the actual speed of the internet. This helps to determine if the speed is what’s expected for the plan and if a faster plan is needed. If the internet isn’t as fast as expected or faster speeds are needed, it may be time to shop around. 

Plug the Computer Into the Ethernet 

When checking your internet speed, it’s a good idea to make sure the computer is using a wired internet connection instead of wireless. An ethernet cable is commonly used today to connect to the internet, but older connections may use different cables. A wired connection is always going to be faster than a wireless one, so it’s important to use a wired connection when testing to be as accurate as possible. 

Close Everything and Disable Programs

Before running the speed test, take the time to close everything running on the computer. If there are a lot of tabs open or programs running in the background, it could cause the connection to seem slower. By closing everything, it’s possible to get a much more accurate idea of the internet speeds to be able to decide if upgrading is needed. 

Use a Speed Test to Check

Next, it’s a good idea to use a speed test to check the internet connection. These only take a few moments to do, but it is important to let it complete to get an accurate reading of internet speeds. It may be a good idea to use a few different speed tests, too, to see if there are any differences in what they say. The service provider should have their speed test, but there are other ones to try out, too. 

Check at Different Times of the Day

It may be a good idea to check the speeds at different times during the day. Depending on the internet connection, during peak hours the internet may be slower than expected. During non-peak hours, when fewer people are online, the speeds may be a lot faster. Check on different days during the week, too, to determine if that makes a difference in the internet’s speed. 

Try Updating the Router Firmware

If the speeds aren’t what’s expected, it may be a good idea to update the router’s firmware. This can help to get rid of anything that might be causing the internet to slow down and ensure it is able to be as fast as possible. It may be possible to see a difference when running a speed test after updating the router, but if there isn’t a difference, it may be that the speeds aren’t as fast as advertised.

Take the time to test your internet speeds a few times to see if they are as fast as they’re supposed to be according to your current plan. If the speeds aren’t fast enough, it may be time to think about upgrading the internet connection or switching to a new ISP. Take a look at providers nearby to learn more about the speeds available and why upgrading may be the right choice.