Selectively enabling and disabling your WiFi hotspots can quickly help identify the problematic device. For the most accurate results, use an ethernet cable to connect your computer to your router before running the test. If you want to run the test again in another room, just tap ‘Restart’ and the speed checker will do the rest. The best times to game online or make big downloads, for example, would be when connection is fastest.

If the interet speeds differ on your connected devices, however, the poor connectivity is likely either due to a local misconfiguration or device capabilities. In this context, it represents the time it takes a data package to complete its roundtrip over the network and the acknowledgment from the server that it was received.

More responsive connections are those with a low number of ms (meaning they take less time to respond). The broadband speed test mimics your online activities by uploading and downloading files, and measures how long this takes.

Unlike an Ethernet connection, WiFi signal can be disturbed by obstacles such as walls, furniture and doors.If your speeds are significantly less than you expected, there are steps you can take to improve things – get started by checking our advice on Speed up slow broadband. Obviously, broadband speed tests are especially useful when you’ve noticed your speed is slower, but running an internet speed check is also a good habit to get into more regularly to make sure your broadband is performing as it should. The tool measures the response time – also known as latency – of your broadband connection, as well as your download and upload speeds.

While simply browsing the web can be achieved with low single-digit megabit per second speeds, streaming Netflix in 4K resolution will need a maximum speed of at least a 25Mbps connection speed. You can run a WiFi speed test on all your devices to idenitify the ones that have a strong WiFi signal and the ones that don't. To download files especially large files at a good speed you should aim for a download speed with a transfer rate of at least 10Mbps. Maybe your device is not connecting to the correct WiFi hotspot, so it must go through a thick wall.

The ping or latency describes the delay of a signal due to the time it takes that signal to travel to its destination. Disconnect devices around the home that aren’t currently being used to try to speed up the internet connection and boost WiFi signal.

Computers, laptops, smart phones, tablets – the internet speed check above works with all modern desktop and mobile browsers. Internet speed test results can help you find and address potential connection problems, such as fixable WiFi blackspots. Alternatively, if you’re running a WiFi test, you’ll want to be able to see the Hub and make sure that walls and obstructions aren’t blocking your WiFi signal.Because browsers on mobile devices have poor performance, we suggest using a mobile app written in native code to ensure the most accurate test results.