An internet speed test is the essential tool we turn to when we see that something is wrong with our connection. It is such a simple procedure that anyone is capable of carrying it out..
But is it reliable? How is it done? What are the best websites that offer a speed test? In this special we will answer all these questions. Because doing a speed test is something that will be of much more use to us than we think.
Speed test: how to do it?
The first thing we have to do is enter a website to take the speed test . Two of the most used by users are Speedtest or Testvelocidad.eu. Even when putting "speed test" (without the quotes) in Google, the first result is, precisely, a test offered by the big G through the Measurement Lab service..
It is recommended, before completing the test, that we close any other web page or service through which data may be being downloaded, such as a smart TV, torrent managers , streaming content platforms , etc.
Usually the speed test shows what appears to be a speedometer. You just have to start the test for it to start. Remember not to change tabs while the process is in progress..
This is an example of the result obtained in Speedtest .
And this, in Testvelocidad.eu .
As you can see, the results differ , so it will always be advisable to perform the test in two different places. Now, what should we look at?
The most important parameters
This is what the variables being analyzed mean.
Download / Download : it is the speed at which we download data from a server. It is measured in megabytes per second, that is, the megabytes that we can download in one second. eye! web pages, when viewed, are being downloaded. We are not just referring to large files.
Upload / Upload : the reverse path. How long it takes to get a file to an external server.
The speed that we have contracted usually differs a little from the one we obtain in the speed test, since a large majority of us connect via WiFi. The speed can decrease as we move away from the router or if we are connected to a saturated channel. The closer the test result is to the contracted speed, the better. In the proposed example, the contract was 100 Mbps, so we can be satisfied.
Ping or latency : if the discharge velocity is the amount of water that a hypothetical pipe is capable of transporting, the latency would be the width of that pipe. In short, it indicates the amount of data that we are able to download in a given time. Latency, which is measured in pings, will make a difference, for example, in online games and it is preferable that it is below 60 milliseconds.
We can conclude by stating that, although they are not 100% accurate , speed tests are adequate to verify if everything is going well in our connection. To resolve any questions, it is convenient that we put you in contact with our telephone operator.