How to Do a Check My Speed Test

A slow internet connection can be a source of frustration for computer users.

Using a tool to check the speed of your Internet connection can be a helpful way to quantify the strength of your connection. A speed test is especially important if you are having difficulties with your Internet connection. While most Internet service providers (ISPs) give an estimate of the bandwidth you will receive with their service, there are many variables that can impact that bandwidth and degrade your Internet service. By using a check my speed test you will have a critical piece of information regarding your Internet service.

Instructions

1. Use an online search engine (like Google.com) and search the phrase "Check My Speed Test". The results will display many websites that offer free tests of your Internet connection, such as speedtest.net. Select one of these websites.

2. Click on the button that is displayed on the website that indicates you would like to begin or start your speed test.The website will take a few moments to ping one of their servers and begin the test. The whole testing process should take no more than a minute.

3. Read your download speed. Most speed tests are designed to test for your download speed first. Most ISPs offer packages that have much higher download speeds than upload speeds so you should expect that your download speed will be much higher than your upload speed. This is normal. Download speeds are reported as Mbps (megabits per second).

4. Read your upload speed which will also be reported in Mbps.

5. Repeat the test. If you are having difficulties with your Internet connection it is best to run the speed test several times to establish an average speed. It also can be helpful to use more than one of the online speed tests available to see how the results compare. After repeating the test several times the results will indicate an average range for your Internet connection speed.

References

• Speed Test
• McAfee: Internet Speed Test