Test History
How to Run an Accurate Internet Speed Test
Running a free internet speed test is the fastest way to find out if you’re getting the download speed and upload speed you’re paying for from your internet service provider (ISP). For the most accurate internet speed test results, follow these best practices:
Always test on a wired (hardline) connection first. Connect your device directly to your router or modem via an ethernet cable before running your speed test. WiFi connections introduce wireless variables — distance, interference, and device limitations — that can significantly lower your measured download speed and upload speed, making it harder to diagnose true ISP performance issues.
Use an updated device. Older desktops and laptops may have network interface cards (NICs) that physically cap your bandwidth below what your internet plan supports. If your device is more than five years old, consult an IT professional to confirm it can accurately measure your current internet speeds.
Reduce network congestion before testing. Power down or disconnect as many devices as possible from your home network before running your speed test. Smart TVs, gaming consoles, security cameras, and smart home devices all consume bandwidth in the background — skewing your results. The goal is to isolate your core internet connection speed.
What Your Speed Test Measures
- Download Speed (Mbps): How fast data travels from the internet to your device. Most streaming, browsing, and gaming rely on download speed.
- Upload Speed (Mbps): How fast data travels from your device to the internet. Critical for video calls, cloud backups, and content uploads.
- Ping / Latency (ms): The round-trip time for a data packet to travel to a server and back. Lower ping means a more responsive connection — essential for online gaming and video conferencing.
- Jitter (ms): Variation in ping over time. High jitter causes choppy video calls and unstable gaming connections even when average ping looks fine.
Running a Wireless Speed Test
Speed tests can be run on individual devices via their wireless (WiFi) connections as well. For the most accurate wireless or mobile speed test results, make sure your device’s operating system, network drivers, and WiFi firmware are fully up to date before testing.
Keep in mind that wireless speed test results will almost always be lower than a hardline ethernet test — this is normal. The gap between your wired and wireless results tells you how much performance your current WiFi equipment and placement are costing you.
Here’s how today’s WiFi generations compare in real-world speed test performance:
- WiFi 5 (802.11ac): Typical real-world speeds of 350–550 Mbps on dual-band connections — still functional for basic households but increasingly a bottleneck on modern internet plans
- WiFi 6 (802.11ax): Capable of 600 Mbps to 1 Gbps and beyond on compatible networks — the current baseline for new devices as of 2026
- WiFi 6E: Extends WiFi 6 into the less congested 6 GHz band, improving reliability and speeds in dense multi-device environments to 800 Mbps–1.2 Gbps
- WiFi 7 (802.11be) — Current Best Standard (2026): Delivers real-world speeds roughly 2 to 2.4 times faster than WiFi 6E, with latency reductions of 50 to 75 percent thanks to Multi-Link Operation (MLO) — the technology that allows your device to connect across multiple frequency bands simultaneously. Maximum theoretical speeds reach up to 46 Gbps, nearly four times faster than WiFi 6E’s 9.6 Gbps ceiling.
For the best wireless speed test results, run your test as close to your router as possible, disconnect unused devices from the network, and test during off-peak hours for a true baseline reading.
How to Improve Your Internet Speed
If your internet speed test reveals download speeds or upload speeds below what you’re paying for, there are several steps you can take before calling your provider.
Request an official signal test from your ISP.
Whether you have cable, fiber, or fixed wireless internet, signal issues are one of the most common and underdiagnosed causes of slow speeds. Request a home inspection from an in-house technician — not a third-party contractor — and ask them to test signal levels both inside and outside your home. Issues like corroded splitters, aged coaxial cable, or improperly spliced fiber lines can cause dramatic speed drops that a single line replacement will fix.
Reboot your modem and router.
Before calling your ISP, perform a full power cycle — unplug your modem and router, wait 60 seconds, then power the modem back on first, followed by the router. Run another internet speed test after reconnecting. This simple step resolves a surprising number of slow connection issues.
Check for ISP plan upgrades and new services.
Internet service providers regularly expand their infrastructure and introduce faster plans. Many areas that previously only had cable internet now have access to fiber-optic internet, which supports symmetrical download and upload speeds of up to 10 Gbps. Contact your ISP to find out if faster tiers are available at your address — you may be leaving speed on the table without knowing it.
Upgrade your wireless network to WiFi 7.
Your wireless network equipment is one of the most overlooked factors in home internet performance. As of 2026, WiFi 7 (802.11be) is the current best standard for home and business networks. WiFi 7 delivers real-world speeds roughly 2 to 2.4 times faster than WiFi 6E, with latency reductions of 50 to 75 percent thanks to Multi-Link Operation (MLO) technology. Entry-level WiFi 7 routers now start around $100, and flagship smartphones from Apple, Samsung, and Google all ship with WiFi 7 radios. If your router is more than two or three years old, upgrading your wireless network could produce the single largest improvement in your everyday internet speed test results.
Explore regional and local fiber providers.
Beyond major carriers like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon, hundreds of regional cable and fiber internet providers serve communities across the United States. A local fiber provider may offer faster speeds at lower cost than your current plan. Have a sales representative arrange an engineering survey of your property to determine what infrastructure is available in your area. Fiber-optic internet offers unmatched reliability and supports symmetrical multi-gigabit speeds — the gold standard for home and business connectivity in 2026.
Fiber vs. Cable vs. Wireless Internet
Internet Speeds Available
Not all internet connections perform equally. Understanding how your connection type affects your speed test results can help you make smarter decisions about your internet service.
Fiber-Optic Internet
Fiber delivers the fastest and most consistent internet speeds available today. Because fiber transmits data using light pulses through glass or plastic cables, it offers symmetrical upload and download speeds — meaning your upload speed matches your download speed. Fiber plans can support speeds from 500 Mbps all the way to 10 Gbps, making it the best choice for households with multiple heavy users, remote workers, and 4K streaming on several devices simultaneously.
Cable Internet
Cable internet uses the same coaxial infrastructure as cable TV. Download speeds are typically strong — often 200 Mbps to 1 Gbps — but upload speeds are significantly lower, commonly 10–35 Mbps. If your speed test shows a large gap between download and upload speed, you’re likely on a cable connection. Cable performance can also vary based on neighborhood congestion during peak hours.
Fixed Wireless & Satellite Internet
Fixed wireless and satellite internet (including services like Starlink) have improved dramatically. Starlink now delivers average download speeds of 100–200 Mbps in most US markets, making it a viable option in rural areas without cable or fiber access. However, latency remains higher than cable or fiber, which can affect ping-sensitive activities like online gaming and live video calls.
