Ever wondered how fast your Wi-Fi really is? Your download and upload speed, ping and jitter will all determine what your Wi-Fi is capable of achieving – and whether that smart TV in the basement or security camera in the front yard is a good idea!
Here’s how to test your Wi-Fi speed anywhere on your property, and what the results actually mean.
Ready to put your Wi-Fi to the test? Here’s how to run a Wi-Fi speed test online.
- Open any browser on your device – be sure that you’re connected to the network you want to test. For best results, remain stationary.
- Visit speed.swoopbroadband.com.au click Go and wait for the test to finish. This is completely free, and you can run as many tests as your need!
- Finally, view your results. The results will show your “download speed,” “upload speed,” “ping,” and “jitter.”
Note: You may want to retest at different times of the day, from different devices and from different locations in your home – as your results will vary based on these factors.
For most accurate results on the speed delivered by your service provider, you should do a speed test on your computer and connect it directly to your modem with an Ethernet cable. Results from devices connected wirelessly will be lower, can vary due to a number of factors including your home’s layout, walls, etc.
What do the results mean?
So, you have your results… but what do they mean?
What is download speed?
Your download speed refers to how fast your device receives data from the internet, which is measured in megabits per second (Mbps). Faster download speeds mean surfing the internet will feel smoother, your devices will have a more reliable connection, and you can stream higher-quality videos without buffering.
What is a good Wi-Fi download speed?
It depends on the way your use the internet! Good download speeds for most households can be as low as 25Mbps – which will allow one person browse the web, stream videos and check emails, etc on a few devices.
However, if you need more from your network, and have lots of devices connected, you may need speeds of 100-200Mbps or even more. These speeds are more suitable for those that run smart homes or enjoy regular streaming, gaming or videos calls (especially on multiple devices at once).
Here’s a generic guide:
What is upload speed?
This refers to how fast your device can send data over the internet and is measured in megabits per second (Mbps). You’ll need a good upload speed for sending large files, video calling, using smart devices and live-streaming.
It is usual for your upload speed to be much lower than your download speed unless you specifically ask for a “symmetrical internet plan.”
What is a good upload speed?
For most households, a good upload speed is 3Mbps – which is good enough for most activities online, including smart devices, gaming, video calling, etc – even with multiple connected devices. However, if you want to live stream, you may need a higher upload speed than this.
What Is ping?
Ping (or latency) refers to how long it takes a device to receive a reply from a server after sending a request, and is measured in milliseconds (ms). The lower your ping, the more responsive your connection; which is especially important for online gaming.
If you’re struggling with high latency, it can often be resolved by upgrading your router, modem, cables or internet plan.
Note: Did you know that your Wi-Fi speed can also affect your ping? A slower connection speed is more likely to give you a higher latency – however, fast Wi-Fi speeds do not guarantee a low ping.
What is a good ping?
For most households, a good ping would be considered as anything below 60 ms. If you ping is higher than 60, you may experience intermittent delays – but if it’s higher than 150, you’ll experience significant lag, especially whilst gaming.
What is jitter?
The term jitter refers to the way your ping fluctuates over time, and is measured in milliseconds (ms).
It will help you understand the variability in the amount of time it takes your device to send and receive data. The lower the jitter, the more consistent your latency!
What is a good jitter?
For most households, anything under 20ms would be considered a good jitter. If it’s above 30ms, you are likely to see an impact on quality of your audio and video – especially when video chatting, or experience buffering while streaming.
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