Does your WiFi / Internet seem slow? How do you know for sure? Are you getting the speeds you paid for?
In a nutshell …
There are websites and iOS/Android apps that will tell you what real-world Internet speeds your Internet connection is achieving. They’re free, easy to use and, if you use them correctly, quite accurate. Just make sure that you know your megabits from your megabytes.
GIYF (Google is your friend) … search for fast.com or speedtest.net. On a mobile device? Use the same search on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to get an app that will do the same job.
Details, for the devilish only …
Hardly a week goes by when there isn’t something in the news about TelCos (telephone companies) over‑charging, over‑promising or under‑delivering when it comes to Internet services. The really nasty surprise though is that they are (allegedly) doing this knowingly! Not cool (allegedly).
Here’s just a small sample from the recent news …
ACCC accuses Telstra, Optus and TPG of misleading customers on NBN speeds, takes them to court
Telstra fails again: Telco cops $25 million refund bill over NBN plans
OK, so now you’re skeptical Spidey-senses are tingling and you really want to check your Internet speed. How do you do it?
Preparatory steps
Firstly, we should cover the best way to set up for your Internet speed test. In order of preference, you should run the test from:-
- The “speed test” menu in your router (assuming your router provides that functionality), here is a sample from an ASUS RT-AC68U router.
- A computer with a web browser and a wired, ethernet connection to your router.
- The latest-model wireless client (because it probably has the best WiFi chip) that you have. The client must be able to run one of the following:
- A web browser
- Apple’s iOS (iPhone or iPad)
- Google’s Android OS (mobile phone or tablet)
Secondly, the environment should be put into the best condition to run an accurate test. Perform the following steps to obtain the best result from your Internet speed test.
- If you’ve connected to the router via a wired, ethernet connection then you should turn off the router’s WiFi.
- If you’ve connected to the router via WiFi, then turn off as many of the other WiFi devices in your home as you can.
- Disconnect any other wired, ethernet connections from your router.
- Reboot your router, i.e. turn it off, wait 30 seconds and then turn it back on again, and wait for it to reconnect to the Internet.
Performing steps #1, #2 and #3 will ensure that your Internet speed test is not affected by traffic from other devices on your WiFi. Step #4 will clear out any “glitches” that your router may be suffering from and put the device into a nice, clean and fresh state.
Performing the test
Now that you’re prepared and, hopefully, the only one using your Internet connection you can perform the test.
If you are using a web browser on a computer or a mobile device then connect to either the https://www.fast.com or the https://www.speedtest.net web site.
If you are using a mobile device, then download and install the “Fast Speed Test” or “Speedtest by Ookla” app from your device’s App or Play Store.
Why two options? “Fast” is easier to use but not a perfect test as you are really only testing the speed of your connection to Netflix’s servers. “Speedtest” is a better test but is slightly more difficult to configure, use and interpret the output from. Try them both if you like and see how they compare, they’re free to use.
You can see the quick and detailed results of a “Fast” test and the results from a “Speedtest” test on my home network. As I’m currently using a NBN FTTC connection on a 50Mbps (down) / 20Mbps (up) plan, I can verify that I’m pretty much getting what I paid for. Fears allayed … for this week at least.
In summary …
With a little bit of preparation, and some freely available tools, you can test your Internet speed with a fair degree of accuracy and have some confidence that you are indeed getting what you paid for from your Internet provider.
If your speed testing numbers don’t look right then you will have to dig a little deeper to find out who, or what, is causing the problem.
Hope this helps … happy speed testing!