J.D. Fox Micro Resource CenterLinksInternet Speed TestsGeneral Speed Tests Introduction Here are five sites that allow you to measure the speed of your Internet connection for free. They will all generally provide the same results. But, if you get something unexpected, try one of the others. Keep in mind that these tests measure the access speed from the testing site all the way to your computer. If your speed is slower than you expect, it may be due to misconfiguration, congestion, or latency on your own network that slows down data transmissions between your Internet connection and your computer. For further assistance, contact an IT service professional. System Requirements Except for the Microsoft test, all the links on this page require Adobe Flash to run on a desktop or laptop computer. You can read about and download Flash in the Website Media and Interactivity section. The Microsoft test requires Java. Connection Type Considerations If you are on a very high-speed connection (over 10 Mbps), use the Broadband Reports link below and select the Java-based test (you can read about and then download Java here if you don't have it already). If you are testing from a phone or tablet connected to a cellular carrier, you should use the Broadband Reports link, and select the appropriate option. If your network uses a proxy/caching server, these tests may show random results, usually showing download speeds that are way too high. For example, if you use Microsoft's ISA or Forefront TMG proxy servers, then (as you would expect) only the speed test hosted by Microsoft (below) works accurately. None of the below speed tests may work accurately if you use a dial-up modem for Internet access. The Links 1. Broadband Reports provides links to Flash- and Java-based tests from various providers across the country, as well as its own speed tests for mobile phones. 
2. Speakeasy is provided by a major Internet Services Provider, Megapath. 
3. Bandwidth Place is an independent consumer information site. 
4. CNET Reviews is another independent consumer information site. 
5. Microsoft Online Services is provided for the stated purpose of rating your system's capability to utilize Microsoft's online services. 
Quality Test This site offers the ability to test for jitter and packet loss, two important factors to measure if you use VoIP (Voice Over IP) telephones and suffer from audio quality problems. This test requires Java (you can read about and then download Java here if you don't have it already). After you choose your location, it will look like the test is running, but you have to click a button labeled "Click to start test" to actually run it. If you don't know what codec your phone uses, leave the option on its default. |
