Test your internet speed.

What the numbers mean

A speed test measures four things. Download is how fast data reaches you — it drives streaming, browsing and downloads, and it’s the headline most ISPs sell on. Upload is how fast data leaves you, which matters for video calls, posting and backups. Ping (latency) is the delay before data starts moving; lower is better, and it’s what makes gaming and calls feel responsive. Jitter is how much that delay wobbles — high jitter causes stuttery calls even on a “fast” line.

How much speed do you actually need?

These are per-activity guides — a busy household runs several at once, so totals add up.

Getting a fair reading

Wi-Fi, your device and other people on the network all affect the result, so a single test isn’t gospel. For the truest picture of your line speed, test on a device plugged in by cable (or right next to the router), close other downloads, and run the test a few times. If the speed by the router is fine but a back room is slow, that’s a Wi-Fi coverage issue — our guide to fixing slow Wi-Fi covers the quick wins, and fibre routers from ISPs explains when better hardware helps.

Slower than you’re paying for?

If your result is consistently well below your plan — even by cable — it’s worth raising with your ISP, or reconsidering your connection. A stable, uncapped fibre line is the most reliable fix; if you’re on LTE or 5G, see LTE vs fibre and improving a weak wireless signal.