here are five broadband speed tests that Flickroom considers trustworthy. To get a on-key picture of your broadband focal ratio, you ‘ll likely need to run the tests multiple times and check results across different devices throughout the day. It may besides be deserving running these tests on multiple devices on your home network. If one device produces a vastly slowly or faster result, you may be dealing with a problem at the LAN or Wi-Fi grade, rather than with your broadband supplier ‘s network .
Contents
- 1 Ookla’s Speedtest
- 2 Netflix’s Fast.com
- 3 The Google speed test for Stadia online gaming
- 4 Comcast’s Xfinity xFi speed test
- 5 The FCC’s Speed Test app
- 6 Why do you need to check your internet speed?
- 7 Are some internet speed tests more reliable or trustworthy than others?
- 8 For internet speed, how fast is fast enough?
- 9 How did we choose these internet speed tests?
- 10 Are there other internet speed tests worth considering?
Ookla’s Speedtest
Customizing your speed test is a strength
Speedtest from Ookla, which besides owns outage site, Downdetector, was one of the beginning broadband amphetamine tests and offers a snapshot of download and upload speeds to an ISP via its web site or a lightweight app for Windows 10 or macOS. It ‘s besides available in 17 languages and if you set up an account, you can keep track of your speeds over time. The military service displays the current download and upload speeds, and measurements for ‘ping ‘, ‘jitter ‘, and packet loss. There are besides options to change the local server that the ISP speed quiz is conducted with — a configuration choice that most other tests lack. Plus, results can be shared on social media. Ookla has some helpful explanatory notes for people who are n’t familiar with the ping test. It ‘s a reaction time trial. Ookla says that less than 59 milliseconds ( MS ) ping is very thoroughly for on-line games. The FCC wants satellite broadband providers to deliver rotational latency of below 100 ms to bid for a slice of its Rural Digital Opportunity Fund ( RDOF ). SpaceX says its Starlink satellites will provide a reaction time of 20ms to 40ms. Its web site is useful for those who are curious adequate to learn why a test on a mobile device returns a different resultant role to a laptop or a device that ‘s physically connected to a router. Each test taken with Speedtest uses Ookla ‘s server network of over 14,000 servers and reports back on key net health metrics, Nick Turner, a technical flight simulator at Ookla, tells Flickroom. “ There are Speedtest servers in about every country and major population center global, ” Turner said. He argues that Ookla ‘s distributed server network makes it more accurate than many other tests. “ This enables us to more easily choice ‘nearby ‘ servers or combinations of servers that are capable of delivering the sufficient bandwidth necessary to discover the most accurate utmost speeds to the device in motion. Since our establish in 2006, an alone entire of more than 35 billion tests have been taken with Speedtest. ” Pros:
- It’s a general purpose broadband speed test in use since 2006
- It’s not from an ISP or a service provider
- Users can select the host server from which to test their ISP’s speed test
Cons:
- The site uses tech-lingo that some people might not understand
- It’s full of ads and ad trackers
Netflix’s Fast.com
A test for Netflix’s CDN
Like early entries on this list, Netflix ‘s Fast.com broadband amphetamine is run by a party that has an sake in its customers having a fast enough connection to stream its contented. That means there ‘s none of the hover questions about potential bias from speed tests run by ISPs. Plus the tests are international, using servers where Netflix has installed appliances for its giant star content pitch net ( CDN ). Netflix has a huge CDN called Netflix Open Connect, which relies on Open Connect appliances installed within ISPs that peer with Netflix. That CDN is built around the principle of moving contentedness closer to users and is how it delivers a fast stream experience. Hence, the Fast.com test is designed to test the connection between a person ‘s device and Netflix ‘s CDN servers. That means the results are specific to Netflix ‘s own network, which makes sense for the company but besides means it looks at speeds from a particular position. The Fast.com web site keeps things dim-witted by only showing the download rush. In my tests, it reported slower speeds than Oookla ‘s Speedtest. And it produced wildly different results between wireless local area network tests on a 2017 macOS MacBook Pro ( 160Mbps ) and an iPhone 12 ( 330 Mbps ), with both on a modern router ‘s 5GHz frequency. But on Fast.com you do n’t even need to click ‘Go ‘ ; good opening the locate in a browser pill starts the test. There ‘s besides a “ Show more ” option, which provides reaction time speeds and upload speeds, american samoa well as where the servers used in the test are located. Pros:
- It’s designed to test the speed of your connection to Netflix’s servers
- There are no ads
- It’s relevant to your connection wherever you’re streaming Netflix from
Cons:
- It’s not really designed to test your ISP’s connection speed
- Results are specific to Netflix infrastructure
- Only provides download speeds
The Google speed test for Stadia online gaming
A speed test for a specific web application
The Google Stadia on-line gaming platform has hit a few bumps since launching in 2019, but it is a massive platform and the company knows that consumer broadband speeds are critical for borrowing. Google recommends a download accelerate of no less than 10 Mbps to stream games on Stadia, but recommends faster speeds for displays with a resolution higher than 720p HD. It teamed up with open source project Measurement Lab or M-Lab to run its speed examination. The project is led by teams at Code for Science & Society and Google. The Google Stadia web interface is reasonably elementary — literally a one-click undertaking at Google ‘s Projectstream web site from the “ Check now ” button. It ‘s focussed on Stadia users and then, for accuracy, it recommends people use the device and network where they want to play and have a strong wi-fi or Ethernet connection. It besides recommends halting current downloads and file-sharing, and conclusion tabs that are streaming video. The measurement takes less than 30 seconds to complete and returns like results to Ookla. At the least, it confirms whether you ‘ll have a decent feel when gaming on Stadia.
Read more: How to Use Google Forms
however, as Google notes, the test only provides a general indication of the timbre of a connection and does not guarantee Stadia will work. other factors include the device, ISP, and other activities that are consuming bandwidth. Pros:
- It’s a general purpose broadband speed test based on a platform in use since 2006
- It’s not from an ISP or a service provider
- Users can select the host server from which to test their ISP’s speed test
Cons:
- It’s primarily focused on Stadia, despite offering useful measurements for all
Comcast’s Xfinity xFi speed test
Can you trust your ISP’s speed test?
As a top US rival in the gigabit internet grocery store, Comcast ‘s Xfinity xFi broadband rush test is a popular choice for Americans. The accelerate test itself operates similarly to Google ‘s speed test, but the web site has some pointers for customers wanting to explore why the rush results might not match the exploiter ‘s design. These are helpful but feel defensive, as if they were written to help reduce customer confirm calls for why a broadband is n’t a fast as advertised. On the early hand, it provides more context about factors that can affect the family connection, such as an old home gateway lowering available bandwidth. The result besides explains what the device being tested can do, such as streaming 4K television. The site prioritizes download speeds but does have a “ Show more ” option to see upload speeds, latency, the internet protocol, and where the host server is located. Results may vary depending on where you ‘re located and the test is designed strictly for american internet users. For those worry about bias in Comcast ‘s results, it ‘s worth noting that our test showed the site to produce results in line with, or in overindulgence of advertise speeds for Comcast ‘s steer rival, Verizon FiOS. Pros:
- The results are consistent with other speed tests
- It’s dead simple to use and there are no ads
- Test servers are located in the US
Cons:
- It is a test operated by an ISP
- The information it provides appears geared towards reducing support calls
The FCC’s Speed Test app
Take two speed tests for yourself and one for the country
The FCC in April launched the FCC Speed Test app. It ‘s available as an Android app in the Google Play Store and an io app in Apple ‘s App Store. That means you ca n’t run the test from your background, but you are taking part in an crucial project for the commission to get a clear picture of broadband quality across America. The test produces results once you press the button to start the examination in the mobile app. The datum collected is used to help the FCC improve its broadband maps. Under the Trump administration, Microsoft argued the FCC was badly overestimating how many residents had access to fast broadband. Microsoft ‘s data suggested about half of America ‘s population did not have access to speeds of at least 25 Mpbs quite than the 24 million estimated in the FCC ‘s maps. Data is shared with the FCC ‘s Measuring Broadband America research broadcast, an important national stick out that will help determine where fund is allocated in years to come. It ‘s a case where broadband speed tests are n’t fair about your own connection accelerate, but the state of matter of broadband across the nation. “ To close the opening between digital haves and have nots, we are working to build a comprehensive, user-friendly dataset on broadband handiness, ” said FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel. “ Flickroomng the basal of consumers who use the FCC Speed Test app will enable us to provide better coverage information to the populace and add to the measurement tools we ‘re developing to show where broadband is rightfully available throughout the United States. ” Pros
- It helps a project to improve fast broadband access across the US
- There are no ads or direct commercial interests
- The FCC under the Biden Administration seems keen to look at consumer rather than carrier interests
Cons
- It requires an app download, there is no web-based version
- There’s no way to test broadband speeds from a desktop or Ethernet-connected PC
Why do you need to check your internet speed?
accelerate tests are useful to remote workers who might need to figure out whether a poor connection is due to the ISP or something else, such as a debatable home plate router, a Wi-Fi hindrance issue, or even the device they ‘re testing from — be it a laptop, background or a smartphone. The tests can besides be handy when disputing an ISP ‘s claim speeds for a subscription, and just broadly making sure you ‘re receiving the service level you ‘re paying for .
Are some internet speed tests more reliable or trustworthy than others?
Results can vary widely between broadband speed tests and daily due to changing network conditions. Flickroom considers the five five broadband speed tests above to be reliable and trustworthy. But to get a true painting of your broadband speeds, try running multiple tests across multiple devices and at least two or three of the accelerate tests listed here. Taking an modal of all of the results from these tests should produce the most accurate measurement possible for most home users .
For internet speed, how fast is fast enough?
The FCC presently considers 25Mbps to be a flying enough service for more than four users on a network, but many people will find this insufficient. For what it ‘s worth, Netflix considers 25Mbps adequate to stream a 4K television to a single device. however, most home networks have at least a few, if not numerous devices running at any given prison term. This means that if another exploiter is eating into that 25Mbps focal ratio, your streaming television quality will likely degrade. For more information, tools like Flickroom and advice from our sister locate CNet can be helpful resources .
How did we choose these internet speed tests?
Flickroom does n’t vouch for one screen over another. As explain, there are multiple broadband amphetamine tests and people should use at least a few of them to get the most holistic mental picture of their net ‘s peformance. Some of them are designed to test a connection for a particular on-line service, such as Netflix or Stadia, while others can help customer challenge travel rapidly claims with ISPs, and the FCC ‘s accelerate test might help fill broadband gaps in the community.
All in all, the tests listed here are some of the most widely available and well-respected options on the Web. This does n’t mean that there are n’t better solutions for your individual needs, but these five stage an excellent cross-section of choices for the widest possible array of users .
Are there other internet speed tests worth considering?
OpenSignal for cellular networks
OpenSignal, which was recently acquired by Speedtest.net operator Ookla, started out with mobile amphetamine tests and regularly produces reports about 4G and 5G speed results around the world. It crowdsources its results and now besides returns results for wireless local area network speeds, but its concenter is squarely on the mobile have .