Loading...
Test your connection with our comprehensive speed analysis
HD: 10 Mbps min / 4K: 25 Mbps min. Low latency is less critical here; download speed drives quality.
15-50 Mbps download. Ping under 30 ms and jitter under 10 ms are more important than raw speed.
10-25 Mbps download and upload. Low latency and jitter prevent audio dropouts and frozen video.
200-500+ Mbps recommended. Multiple simultaneous streams, calls, and downloads need headroom.
Use the table below to determine whether your connection is fast enough for your household's needs. These recommendations assume a single device performing each activity; multiply accordingly for simultaneous users.
| Activity | Min Download | Recommended | Key Metric |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email & Web Browsing | 5 Mbps | 10 Mbps | Download speed |
| HD Video Streaming | 10 Mbps | 25 Mbps | Download speed |
| 4K Ultra HD Streaming | 25 Mbps | 50 Mbps | Download speed |
| Video Conferencing (Zoom) | 10 Mbps | 25 Mbps | Upload & latency |
| Online Gaming | 15 Mbps | 50 Mbps | Latency & jitter |
| Work From Home | 25 Mbps | 100 Mbps | Upload speed |
| Live Streaming (Twitch) | 25 Mbps up | 50 Mbps up | Upload speed |
| Multi-User Household (4+) | 100 Mbps | 300+ Mbps | All metrics |
A speed test measures four core metrics that together paint a complete picture of your internet connection quality. Understanding what each number means helps you determine whether your service is performing as advertised and whether it is adequate for your daily activities.
Download speed determines how quickly data travels from the internet to your device. It affects everything from how fast web pages load to how smoothly Netflix streams. Most ISP plans are marketed around this number, and the FCC considers 100 Mbps the minimum for broadband service.
Upload speed measures how fast your device can send data to the internet. It is critical for video conferencing, cloud backups, live streaming, and uploading large files. Fiber connections typically offer symmetrical upload and download speeds, while cable and DSL often have much slower uploads.
Ping measures the round-trip time for a small data packet to travel from your device to the test server and back. Lower latency means a more responsive connection. Gamers and video callers should aim for under 30 ms. Satellite connections often see 500 ms or more due to the signal traveling to orbit and back.
Jitter is the variation in latency over time. A connection with 20 ms ping but 15 ms jitter will feel less stable than one with 30 ms ping and 2 ms jitter. High jitter causes audio glitches on calls, rubber-banding in games, and buffering during streams. Anything under 10 ms is considered excellent.
If your results seem lower than expected, check these common culprits before calling your ISP.
WiFi adds overhead from signal attenuation, interference from neighboring networks, and distance from the router. A direct Ethernet cable typically delivers speeds 20-40% faster.
Cable internet shares bandwidth with neighbors. Peak hours (7-11 PM) often produce slower speeds. Fiber is less susceptible because each connection has a dedicated line.
Older WiFi 4 (802.11n) routers cannot deliver gigabit speeds. Upgrading to WiFi 6 or WiFi 6E ensures your hardware does not bottleneck your connection.
Every device streaming, downloading updates, or syncing cloud storage consumes bandwidth. Close unnecessary apps and pause large downloads before testing.
Not happy with your speeds?
Compare plans from top providers available at your address.