How can check my internet speed

I suggest running multiple speed tests over the course of a day or two, tracking the results, to gauge your connection's true speed. For the tech savvy, you can use a Raspberry Pi to run speed tests on a set schedule and upload the results to Google Drive for you to monitor by following this handy guide.

Ideally, you'd connect your computer directly to your ISP's modem with an ethernet cable to run a speed test, but that's not always possible. But there's another option for running a speed test: use your wireless router's app. Depending on the wireless router you use, it might be possible to run a speed test through its dedicated app. For example, Google's Nest Wi-Fi includes the ability to run a speed test in the app or by asking Google Assistant how fast your internet connection is.

Eero, Linksys Velop and Asus ZenWifi routers also include the same capability, although not all support asking a smart speaker to run the test. It's best to start by looking in a dedicated app. Using your wireless router's speed test may prove to be more accurate, in theory at least, because the router is connected directly to your modem.

You don't have to rush out and buy a new router if the speed test results are lower than you expect or are paying for. However, that may end up being the case depending on how old it is.

Router technology, just like any other technology, often changes and it can lead to performance issues. Here, lower values are preferable. What data transfer rates should you expect to see in the test results? Your maximum possible data transmission speed depends on whether you have a broadband, fibre, WiFi or another connection, as well as your pricing plan and service provider.

The following is an overview of the theoretical highest download speeds so you can compare your test results to see just how well your speed measures up.

Sometimes you might be a little below or a little above what you pay for. That's fine, but you don't want the results to be drastically below the speed you're supposed to be paying for. Internet speeds can fluctuate throughout the day, so do multiple tests to see what your connection speed averages out to.

If you have a smartphone, you probably also pay for high-speed 4G LTE. You can download the Speedtest app for Android or iPhone to run a similar test. Unfortunately, since wireless data varies drastically on where you are when you test it, and how strong your signal is with a nearby tower, you can't really just call and have your modem reset as you would with home internet.

Still, you can get a good idea of how your speed compares with your home internet, and where you get the best coverage. If you consistently see slow speeds at home, maybe it's time to find a new wireless provider.

Skip Navigation. Key Points. There are a variety of websites that allow you to test your Internet speed for free, like SpeedTest or Google's speed test which can be accessed by searching for speed test.

These sites will measure both your download speed and upload speed. They'll also measure something called ping , which is the time it takes to send data to a server and back. You'll mostly be interested in your connection's download speed, or how fast you're able to pull data from other servers.