How to Find the Upload and Download Speed on a PC

There's nothing more annoying than watching a spinning cursor as you wait--sometimes it seems like forever--for a web page to load. Thankfully, there are some tools on the Internet you can use to diagnose the speed of your Internet connection or network that can aid you in solving problems. Some even compare your speed to others using the same ISP.

Instructions

1. Determine whether you have dial-up, DSL or cable broadband Internet service. Those of you with dial-up connections should follow the instructions in Step 2 before continuing.

2. Connect your dial-up modem to a phone line, click on the icon you've set up to dial out to your ISP and sign on to the network.

3. Open your Internet browser (usually Windows Explorer or Safari) and go to one of the websites listed in the Resources section.

4. Click on the "speed test" icon. In broadbandreports.com, find it under tools on the left side of the page. In broadbandspeedchecker.com, it is at the top of the left side of the home page.

5. Choose the location of your test from the list of server locations. Pick the server that is closest to you. Also try to pick a server with a low traffic level.

6. Press the "Start" button in the new window that opens after you select your server. Your upload and download speeds are displayed in this window.

Tips & Warnings

• Enable Java in your browser before running the speed tests.

Resources

• Broadbandspeedchecker.com reports your Internet connection speed
• Broadband Reports