Simple Ways to Run a Speed Test the Right Way

A speed test is the first thing most people run when the internet feels slow. But the number you see depends as much on how you test as on your connection.

Test on a cable first

Wi-Fi adds variables — distance, walls, interference and the age of your device. To check what your broadband line delivers, connect a laptop directly to the router with an Ethernet cable and test there. If the wired result is close to your plan speed, the line is fine.

Close everything else

Background downloads, cloud backups, smart TVs and other people streaming all share the connection. Pause them, or test at a quiet time, to see your full speed.

Check your device's limits

Older phones and laptops may support only 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi or older standards that top out well below 100 Mbps. A budget phone on a 300 Mbps plan will never show 300 Mbps over Wi-Fi — that is the phone, not the line.

Run several tests

Test three times, a few minutes apart, and on more than one testing service. Note download, upload and ping (latency). Ping matters most for gaming and video calls.

Interpreting results

• Wired near plan speed, Wi-Fi much lower: improve router placement or consider mesh Wi-Fi.
• Both wired and Wi-Fi low: restart the router and ONT, then contact support with your results.
• Good speed, but calls still lag: look at ping and jitter, and check for other heavy usage at home.

The bottom line

A careful speed test saves time when you talk to support. Share your wired and Wi-Fi results along with the time of day, and the team can pinpoint the problem much faster.

Learn more about Home Broadband from UbiFi, or talk to our team.