Speed Test Results Explained

Your speed test gives you four numbers. Here's what each one means and how to interpret it.

Download speed

How fast you can pull data from the internet, measured in megabits per second (Mbps). This is the number most people care about — it determines streaming quality, page load times, and how long downloads take.

• Slow: < 25 Mbps
• Adequate for most uses: 25-100 Mbps
• Fast (multi-user households): 100-500 Mbps
• Very fast (gigabit fiber): 500+ Mbps

Upload speed

How fast you can push data to the internet. Often much lower than download speed (especially on cable or DSL). Important for video conferencing, large file uploads, and live streaming.

• Slow: < 10 Mbps
• Adequate: 10-50 Mbps
• Fast (symmetric fiber): 100+ Mbps

Ping (latency)

Round-trip time for a small packet, in milliseconds (ms). Lower is better. Critical for real-time apps: gaming, video calls, remote desktop.

• Excellent: < 20 ms
• Good: 20-50 ms
• OK: 50-100 ms
• Poor: 100+ ms

Jitter

Variability in ping over time. Less obvious than ping but matters for VoIP and gaming — high jitter means your latency is inconsistent, causing audio drops and laggy gameplay.

• Good: < 10 ms
• OK: 10-30 ms
• Poor: 30+ ms

If your results are slower than expected

1. Run the test on a wired (Ethernet) connection if possible. WiFi adds variability.
2. Re-run the test 3 times and compare. Take the median.
3. Test from a different device. If only one device is slow, that device or its WiFi adapter may be the issue.
4. Restart your router. Then test again.
5. Test at different times of day. Cable internet slows during peak hours (7-11pm).
6. If results are consistently below your plan's advertised speed, contact your ISP.