The fastest way to check your speed

Open a web browser and go to speedtest.net or fast.com. Click the button to start the test. Within 30 to 60 seconds, you'll see three numbers: download speed, upload speed, and ping. That's your internet speed check done.

Both sites are free and don't require an account. Speedtest.net is run by Ookla, a company that has been measuring internet speeds since 2006. Fast.com is run by Netflix. Either one gives you accurate results. The test works on phones, tablets, and computers.

For the most honest result, close other browser tabs and apps before you test. If someone else in your home is streaming video or downloading files while you test, your numbers will be lower than your actual speed.

Key Takeaways

  • Speedtest.net and fast.com are the two most reliable free tools, and both give you results in under a minute without signing up.
  • Download speed is what matters most for everyday use like streaming and browsing; upload speed matters if you video call or upload files regularly.
  • Your speed will vary depending on the time of day, how many devices are connected, and what other people in your home are doing online.
  • If your speed is much lower than what your internet provider promised, restart your router and test again before contacting them.

What the three numbers actually mean

Download speed is how fast data comes to your device. This is the number that matters most for watching videos, loading web pages, and downloading files. Internet providers advertise this number — when they say "100 Mbps internet," they mean download speed. Mbps stands for megabits per second.

Upload speed is how fast data leaves your device. You need upload speed for video calls, uploading photos to the cloud, or sending large email attachments. Upload speed is usually much lower than download speed, and that's normal. Most home internet plans don't need fast upload speeds unless you work from home doing video calls or editing video.

Ping is how long it takes for your device to send a signal to a server and get a response back, measured in milliseconds. For everyday browsing and streaming, ping doesn't matter much. For online gaming or video calls, a lower ping (under 50 ms) means smoother performance. A higher ping (over 100 ms) can cause lag or delays in video calls.

Why your speed changes from day to day

Internet speed is not constant. The same connection will show different speeds depending on when you test it. Peak hours — typically 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. — are when your neighborhood's internet is slowest because many people are using it at once. Testing at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday will usually show faster speeds than testing at 9 p.m. on a Friday.

Your home network also affects the result. If five people are streaming video while you test, your speed will be lower than if you're the only one online. The distance between your device and your router matters too. A phone sitting next to the router will test faster than a laptop in another room.

Weather can slow down internet speed slightly, especially if you have a satellite connection. Interference from microwaves, cordless phones, or neighboring Wi-Fi networks can also reduce speed on wireless connections.

What speed you actually need

For basic web browsing and email, 5 to 10 Mbps download speed is enough. For streaming one video in standard definition, you need about 3 to 5 Mbps. For streaming in HD (high definition), plan on 5 to 8 Mbps. If you stream 4K video, you need 15 to 25 Mbps.

If multiple people in your home are doing different things at once — one person streaming video, another on a video call, a third downloading files — add up the speeds each activity needs. A household with two people streaming HD video at the same time needs at least 10 to 16 Mbps.

Most internet providers offer plans ranging from 25 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps. For most households, 50 to 100 Mbps is more than enough. You only need the fastest plans if you work from home doing video editing, run a server, or have a large household with heavy use.

When to test your speed and what to do with the results

Test your speed once a month to watch for trends. If your speed drops suddenly and stays low, something has changed. Test at different times of day — morning, afternoon, and evening — to see whether the problem is peak-hour congestion or something else.

If your speed is much lower than what your internet provider promised, restart your router first. Unplug it for 30 seconds, plug it back in, and wait two minutes for it to fully restart. Then test again. A restart fixes many temporary slowdowns.

If the speed is still low after a restart, move closer to your router and test again. If the speed improves significantly, the problem is Wi-Fi range or interference, not your internet connection. If the speed stays low even near the router, contact your provider and tell them your test results. Have the speedtest.net or fast.com result ready to show them.

Other speed test tools worth knowing about

Google has a built-in speed test. Search "internet speed test" in Google and a test tool appears at the top of the results. It's simple and quick, though it shows fewer details than Speedtest.net.

Your internet provider may have its own speed test tool on their website. Comcast has Xfinity Speed Test, Verizon has Verizon Speed Test, and AT&T has AT&T Speed Test. These tools test your connection to the provider's own servers, so they sometimes show slightly different results than third-party tools. Use them as a second opinion if you're unsure about a result from Speedtest.net or fast.com.

If you want to test the speed of a wired connection (plugging an ethernet cable directly into your router), you can do that on any of these tools. Wired connections are usually faster and more stable than Wi-Fi, so testing both can help you figure out whether Wi-Fi is the bottleneck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to use speedtest.net and fast.com?

Yes. Both are legitimate, widely used tools. Speedtest.net collects data about internet speeds across the country, which it publishes in reports. Fast.com is owned by Netflix. Neither tool asks for personal information or installs software on your device.

Why is my Wi-Fi speed slower than my wired speed?

Wi-Fi is always slower than a wired ethernet connection because radio signals are less efficient than a cable. The difference is usually 10 to 30 percent slower on Wi-Fi. If the difference is much larger, you may be too far from the router or have interference from other devices.

Does testing my speed use up my data plan?

Yes, a speed test uses a small amount of data — usually 50 to 100 megabytes per test. If you have a capped data plan on mobile, run speed tests on Wi-Fi instead of cellular data. On home internet with no data cap, this is not a concern.

Can I trust my provider's speed test over speedtest.net?

Both are accurate, but they measure different things. Your provider's test measures speed to their own servers, which are usually close by. Speedtest.net measures speed to servers in different locations. If results differ, test on both and average them for the most realistic picture.

What should I do if my speed is half what I'm paying for?

Restart your router and test again. If the speed is still low, test on a wired connection to rule out Wi-Fi problems. Then contact your provider with your test results. They may need to check your line or send a technician to investigate.