differentiate between a reliable test and a valid test.

Keep those times in mind - they are ideal for scheduling downloads of large files such as video games or movies.

Try running a few speed tests throughout the day for an idea of when your connection is at its peak performance. Test at different times of the day. Depending on your internet connection type, peak usage times (typically weeknight evenings when many are streaming their entertainment) can hinder your speeds.If speeds are drastically different between devices, you may need to adjust device or router settings to improve performance across all devices. Run a speed test on your computer, your phone, your smart TV, gaming console, etc. Try running a few speed tests at varying distances from the router, and perhaps other rooms or floors of your home, to get a gauge of your router's range and identify any dead zones. Distance from the router can affect your Wi-Fi speeds. Test at varying distances from your router.Follow the Ethernet test with a test over Wi-Fi for an idea of the speed difference via Wi-Fi versus wired connection. Oftentimes, you can run such tests straight through your router via the router's accompanying app. Testing over an Ethernet connection will give you a better look at actual speeds you're getting from your provider.

Test using both Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections.Here are a few tips to consider when taking an internet speed test. Running a speed test is typically as simple as finding the test and clicking the start prompt, but there are some extra measures you can take to get more accurate and informative results. That's not surprising, but it might make a slight impact on your results depending on the strength of your connection at the time of the test. You can even run the Ookla speed test on an Apple TV.Īll of that said, Ookla does display banner ads while you run basic speed tests.

In addition to the website and the smartphone apps, Ookla also has apps that you can run on Windows or on Mac. Most recently, the service released a video-specific speed test that measures your network's ability to handle 4K video streams. Ookla's done a good job of keeping up with the times by adding new features and capabilities over the years. Incidentally, Ookla's speed test is also the one we use when we're testing Wi-Fi routers. Popularity aside, we like Ookla for having everything a basic user needs from a speed test: accuracy, the ability to view your speed test history (when you create an account), a wide array of servers to connect to, and even a handy app for speed testing from your Android or iOS device. One of our favorites is the Ookla speed test, which has a strong reputation for consistency and for being one of the first speed tests on the web.

Differentiate between a reliable test and a valid test.