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In this article, we’ll show you the very simple steps how to Check your Internet Speed on PC and Phone. Checking the speed of the internet can sometimes be very helpful. You can check the speed to see if it matches what the Internet Service Provider says it is, or you can check to see if the internet connection is working properly. Does your Internet service provider give you the speeds you were promised? We can say that because you can use free tools to keep track of how long your own connection lasts.
Most ISPs also have a speed test, which is usually a version of what’s below. Don’t use them. If it’s your own Internet service provider (ISP), you can’t be sure that the connection between you and the ISP servers won’t be tweaked to make it faster. Use a test tool from a third party. There are a few things that could slow down your actual internet speeds at home. Most problems with routers can be fixed by restarting your modem and router, or if you want a more permanent fix, you can upgrade to a mesh network. Here are the easy steps how to Check your Internet Speed on PC and Phone.
What is internet speed?
The number they give you for your internet speed, like 5 Mbps, has nothing to do with how fast it works. It’s not like a car or motorcycle, where you can use miles per hour (mph) to measure how fast it goes. Instead, your (allocated) bandwidth is how fast your internet works. Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be sent to you and is usually measured in seconds. For example, 5 Mbps means that you can get up to 5 megabits of data per second.
The speed of the Internet is the rate at which data can be sent from one device to another. The data can be sent faster the faster the speed is. There are many things that can slow down or speed up your Internet connection, such as the type of device you’re using, the type of connection you’re using, and how strong the signal is. With CenturyLink’s low prices, you can get any plan, with speeds that vary, so you can choose the one that works best for you.
How to Check your Internet Speed on Windows PC
- Open your preferred web browser.
- Go to a reliable speed testing website, like speedtest.net.
- Click the “Go” or “Start” button on the website’s interface.
- Wait for the test to finish; it will measure your download, upload speeds, and ping.
- The results will display your internet speed in megabits per second (Mbps).
How to Check your Internet Speed on Mac
- Open a web browser on your Mac.
- Go to a speed test website like Ookla’s Speedtest Official Website or Fast.com.
- Click “Go” or the equivalent button to start the speed test.
- Wait for the test to finish; it will display download and upload speeds.
- Note down the results for your reference.
How to Check your Internet Speed on iPhone
- Open the App Store on your iPhone.
- Search for a reliable Internet speed test app (e.g., Ookla Speedtest, Fast by Netflix, etc.).
- Download and install the chosen app.
- Launch the app from your home screen.
- Allow the app to access your location (usually required for more accurate testing).
- Tap the “Start” or “Begin Test” button within the app.
- The app will now measure your download and upload speeds as well as ping.
- Once the test is complete, the app will display your internet speed results.
- You can now see your download speed, upload speed, and ping latency.
- Close the app when you’re done checking your internet speed.
How to Check your Internet Speed on Android Phone
- Open your preferred web browser on your Android phone.
- In the browser’s search bar, type in a reliable internet speed test website (e.g., speedtest.net).
- Go to the website by pressing Enter or tapping the Go button.
- On the speed test website’s homepage, you’ll typically see a “Start” button. Tap on it.
- The website will now measure your download, upload, and ping speeds.
- Wait for the test to complete; this usually takes just a few moments.
- Once the test is finished, you’ll see the results displayed on the screen, showing your download and upload speeds in megabits per second (Mbps) and your ping in milliseconds (ms).
- These results give you an idea of your current internet speed.
Why is it important to check your internet speed?
- Service Verification: This lets you check to see if your Internet Service Provider (ISP) is giving you the speed you pay for. If your actual speed is much slower than what your ISP says it is, you might want to contact them to fix the problem.
- The speed of your Internet affects the quality of your online experience: A slow connection can cause videos to buffer while streaming, websites to load slowly, and games to lag. Checking your speed lets you know if your connection can handle the online activities you want to do without any problems.
- Troubleshooting: If your computer is running slowly, checking your internet speed can help you figure out if the problem is with your internet connection or if it’s caused by something else.
- Device Performance: Slow internet speed can sometimes make it seem like your device isn’t working well, when in fact it’s the internet that’s causing the delays. By checking your speed, you can tell the difference between problems with your device and problems with your internet speed.
- Upgrades and Changes: Checking your internet speed can help you decide what kind of service you need before you sign up for a new plan or switch ISPs. It can also help you figure out if you need to upgrade your plan to make it work better.
Questions and Answers
Use a free, browser-based test like the one offered by Internet metrics company OOKLA at Speedtest.net to find out how fast your WiFi is. This is the fastest, easiest, and least painful way to do it. With about 8 billion tests under its belt, OOKLA has more data than any other speed tester to back up speed comparisons.
There are also many online speed test tools, like speedtest.net or fast.com, that are usually free to use and give you real-time speed information with the click of a button. Ping rates and upload and download speeds are often shown on online speed tests.
Bandwidth is used by every device you connect to a network. As the number of devices you have connected goes up, the bandwidth available to the devices you already have connected goes down. Another reason why the internet on laptops might be slow could be that other devices, like the phone you’re comparing it to, are using a lot of the network’s resources.
Most of the time, all devices in a home network share the same internet connection. As soon as more people or devices are added to the network, the performance starts to get worse. Installing a second router to spread the load on the network can solve this problem. When you do this, you can support any number of devices.