How to Determine Internet Speed
Internet connection speed, or bandwidth, is the rate at which an Internet connection can transfer data. Transfer speeds on the Internet are important when attempting to download large files or stream video and music, since such files require the transfer of large amounts of data. Lag will be experienced if Internet speeds are too low.
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Instructions
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Using the Networking Monitor
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1
Hold the control, alt and delete keys at the same time and open the task manager.
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Click on the "Networking" tab. This will bring up readouts of the performance of your different network devices.
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Monitor the network utilization as you use the Internet and calculate Internet speed. As you use the Internet, the monitor will show your network device as using a certain percentage of its maximum bandwidth. To calculate your approximate Internet speed, multiply the network utilization percentage by the networking device's maximum link speed. For example, if your monitor says you are using 10 percent of your network card's speed, and its max speed is 54 Mbps, your connection speed is 5.4 Mbps.
Download a Large File
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Go to a site with fast bandwidth that hosts freeware file downloads (see Resources).
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Choose a freeware file to download. It doesn't have to be something that you are interested in installing---you are just downloading it to test speed.
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Start the download, and check the download window of your browser. It should list the download speed, which will be close to your max Internet speed.
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Cancel the download after you find out your Internet speed.
Use an Internet Speedometer
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Find a website with an Internet speedometer tool. Several sites host speedometer tools, which test connection speed for you automatically (see Resources).
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Begin the speed test.
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Wait a few seconds as files are transferred during the test, then record the result.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are using a wireless network, finding ways to reduce obstructions between you and your wireless access point can increase speed. Sometimes your Internet speed will be limited by the sites you are trying to visit, rather than the limitations of your connection.
