Internet Connection: How to Check How Fast Your Computer Is Set
If the majority of time you spend on a computer involves accessing the Internet, the speed of your computer probably isn't as important as the speed of your Internet connection. If you're not sure how fast your Internet connection is, there are many free tools that will help you find out. Run three separate utilities and average the results together. Compare the results to the speed you expect from your Internet service provider to make sure you're not experiencing network problems that nobody is aware of.
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1.
Find out the upload and download speed you expect to get from your Internet service provider. Refer to your monthly Internet service bill or ask a customer service representative at your ISP. For example, you might expect 30 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload.
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2.
Test your Internet connection speed by running the Speedtest.Net utility. Wait for the tool to load and click "Begin Test" to run it. Note the download speed and the upload speed. For example: 30.12 Mbps and 3.16 Mbps.
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3.
Run the Broadband DSL Reports speed test. Select either the Flash or Java speed test and choose the closest server with capacity to run the test. Record the download speed in green and the upload speed in red. For example: 27,634 Kbps and 2,964 Kbps.
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4.
Run the SpeakEasy Speed Test. Choose the city closest to you to begin the test and view the speed readouts as the test is performed. Record the download speed and the upload speed. For example: 32.84 Mbps and 3.15 Mbps.
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5.
Convert the results from Broadband DSL Reports from Kbps to Mbps by dividing by 1,000. For example:
27,634 Kbps = 27.6 Mbps (upload) 2,964 Kbps = 2.96 Mbps (download)
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6.
Add the three download speeds together and divide by three to compute an average. Calculate an average for the upload speeds. For example:
Upload: 30.12 Mbps + 27.63 Mbps + 32.84 Mpbs = 90.59 Mbps / 3 = 30.20 Mbps Download: 3.16 Mbps + 2.96 Mbps + 3.15 Mbps = 9.27 Mbps / 3 = 3.09 Mbps
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7.
Calculate 90 percent of the speed quoted by your ISP to allow for fluctuations due to network traffic. For example, 30 Mbps * .90 = 27 Mbps download and 3 Mbps * .90 = 2.7 Mbps upload.
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8.
Compare your average speed to the speed you expect. Contact your ISP if there is a significant discrepancy for either the download or the upload speed, as you might experience a problem with one and not the other.
References
Resources
Tips
- If you were expecting 30 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload, and your average speed was 22 Mbps or lower for download or 2.2 Mbps or lower for upload, you should contact your Internet service provider to find out if there's a problem that nobody is aware of. Provide them with the test scores and the time of day you took the tests.
Warnings
- If you have a 30 Mbps or greater Internet connection and you're accessing the Internet over a Wireless-G network, your maximum speed is likely determined by your wireless technology, not your Internet service. While the maximum speed of a Wireless-G router is 54 Mbps, the actual speed is usually around 22 Mbps.
Writer Bio
Steve McDonnell's experience running businesses and launching companies complements his technical expertise in information, technology and human resources. He earned a degree in computer science from Dartmouth College, served on the WorldatWork editorial board, blogged for the Spotfire Business Intelligence blog and has published books and book chapters for International Human Resource Information Management and Westlaw.