Sometimes it can be useful to run an internet speed test to find out how good your connection is at home or at work. An internet speed test tool (or speedtest) is a service you can use to find out if your ISP is delivering on its speed promises.
With the arrival of fiber and the improvement of network technologies, Internet subscriptions now offer connection speeds that can reach very impressive figures. But the quality of your provider (good or bad) does not explain everything. It is also worth noting that your speed Internet may vary depending on the device you are connecting from; for example, sometimes the phone's browsing performance is better than that of the PC, or vice versa. This can depend on many things, such as the type of connection (ethernet or wifi), your internet setup or simply the quality of your wifi chip.
What is an Internet speed test and why is it important?
An Internet speed test is a test that will measure the quality and speed of your connection. It generally performs two measurements: a measurement of the download speed and a measurement of the data sending speed (upload).
For the most accurate test possible, it is recommended to disconnect all devices that could have access to the Internet and interfere with the results. So check that no other device is consuming bandwidth and close all browser tabs, keeping only the one that will perform the measurement.
Moreover, do not hesitate to carry out the test several times in a row to check the stability of the results.
It is advisable to do this when you notice that your internet speed is slower than usual. You can also do it when you change your internet service provider (ISP) and want to check that the speed you see is close to the speed you promised.
If not, this is a good tool to start investigating the weak link in your connection: your computer, your Internet box (or its positioning), your ISP?
The 4 best sites to perform an Internet speed test
There are quite a few online services that offer to test your Internet speed. Most of the time, these are sites that integrate tools from other specialized sites. Here are 4 sites that have their own tools and that will allow you to easily (and for free) test your Internet speed.
Speedtest.net – the most popular connection speed test
Ookla's Speedtest.net is probably the most popular speed test on the internet. Having been online for many years, it has proven to be very effective. Furthermore, it has its own app for Android, iOS, and Windows platforms, allowing you to check your connection performance at any time.
This tool is very simple to use with a clean and easy to read interface. In addition to throughput, it also provides a lot of information such as ping, latency and even your IP address.
Fast – Netflix’s internet speed test service
Fast is an Internet speed test service owned by the Netflix platform. It allows users of the streaming service to check where the problem comes from (Netflix or their connection) in the event of Netflix slowness.
This is a very intuitive and easy-to-use tool, which can be used both on a computer and on a mobile phone. In addition, it is considered by many to be the fastest test, as it provides results on the connection performance in a matter of seconds. At first, it only displays the download speed, but by clicking on "See more info" at the end of the test you can see a whole bunch of useful information.
nPerf – the most complete tool
nPerf is probably the most comprehensive internet speed test tool of all those presented here. It allows you to see a large number of particularly useful information about your internet connection.
We find in particular your operator, your IPv4 and IPv6 address, your speeds of course with the average and maximum speed, as well as the latency and jitter.
This results in a somewhat cluttered interface compared to other services, but it is certainly the most detailed!
Google Fiber Speedtest – the Google solution
This connection speed test is provided by Google Fiber, Google's fiber optic provider in the United States, but does not require being a customer of the service.
Its user interface is efficient and easy to use, which is ideal for quick tests at any time when your connection is running slowly. It provides information on upload and download speed, among other things.
This is not the only Google testing tool, because if you type " internet speed test » in Google search, the search engine will offer you a small widget to carry out an Internet speed test directly from the search results.
