Internet Speed Test: Download, Upload and Ping

Press start to measure latency, jitter, download and upload speed between your browser and our server using real data transfers.

Download speed is the headline number every internet provider sells, but it is only part of what makes a connection feel fast. Upload speed decides whether your stream or video call looks sharp to others. Ping decides how responsive games feel. Jitter decides whether that responsiveness is steady or keeps stuttering. This internet speed test measures all four in about twenty seconds and translates them into what your connection can actually handle.

It transfers real data between your browser and this site’s server, shows progress on a live gauge, and finishes with plain answers: whether you can stream 4K, hold HD video calls, go live in 1080p, play competitively, and roughly how long a large game download will take.

How to run the internet speed test

1. Pause large downloads, cloud backups and video streams on your network, including on other devices.
2. Press Start speed test and keep the tab open.
3. The gauge first measures ping, then download, then upload. Each phase takes several seconds.
4. When all four numbers appear, read the summary of what your connection handles well.
5. Run the test two or three times at different times of day for a fuller picture.

How the speed test works

Ping and jitter

The test sends a series of tiny requests to the server one after another and times each round trip. The first request is discarded because it includes setting up the connection. Ping is the median of the rest, and jitter is the average change between consecutive pings. Low, steady values mean a responsive connection.

Download

Your browser opens four parallel streams and pulls random data from the server for about eight seconds, counting every byte the moment it arrives. Using several streams fills the connection the way real downloads and streaming services do. The first second is excluded from the final result because connections always start slowly while they ramp up.

Upload

The test generates random data in your browser, which cannot be compressed along the way, and sends it to the server over three parallel uploads for about eight seconds. Again, the ramp up period is excluded.

Why results differ from other speed tests

Every speed test measures the path to a particular server. This one measures the route to this website’s own host, which reflects how quickly real websites and services reach you. Other tools pick servers close to you, often inside your provider’s own network, which tends to produce higher numbers. Both are valid. They simply answer slightly different questions.

Megabits versus megabytes

Speeds are shown in megabits per second, the unit providers advertise. File sizes are usually shown in megabytes, and one byte is eight bits. A 100 Mbps connection therefore downloads at roughly 12.5 megabytes per second at best, which is why a download manager never seems to match the number on your plan.

Understanding your speed test results

For gaming, ping and jitter matter far more than raw download speed. A 50 Mbps connection with 15 ms ping feels much better in a shooter than a 1 Gbps connection with 80 ms ping and heavy jitter.

Why your internet might be slower than expected

• Wi-Fi. Walls, distance and interference often halve speeds. Test on a wired connection to see what your line really delivers.
• Other devices. Updates, backups and streams elsewhere on the network share your bandwidth.
• Peak hours. Evenings are busiest, and some connections slow noticeably between 7 and 11 pm.
• VPNs. A VPN adds distance and encryption overhead to every request.
• Old equipment. Routers, cables and network adapters can cap speeds below what your plan offers.
• Browser extensions. Some privacy and ad blocking tools inspect traffic and slow transfers.

Tips for accurate results

• Use a wired Ethernet connection for your baseline measurement.
• Close other tabs, especially video and music players.
• Restart your router if results are unusually low, then test again.
• Test at several times of day and compare, rather than relying on a single run.
• Remember the test uses real data. On metered mobile connections, a single run can use a few hundred megabytes at high speeds.

Improving your connection

Move the router to a central, raised position, use the 5 GHz or 6 GHz band for devices close to it, and consider a mesh system for larger homes. For gaming, a wired connection is the single biggest improvement you can make to ping and jitter.

A fast connection supports everything else in your setup. Make sure your camera and microphone are ready with the webcam test and microphone test, and for gaming, pair a low ping with fast reflexes in the reaction time test and a smooth display confirmed by the refresh rate test.

Frequently asked questions

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