Guides · 19 Jan 2023

DIY Guide: Performing Internet Speed Tests at Your Property

Want to know how fast your internet really is? This practical guide walks you through running proper speed tests at your property.

Guides·19 Jan 2023

Understanding your internet speed is the first step toward fixing connectivity problems. Rather than relying on vague claims from your provider or guesses about performance, running speed tests at your property gives you concrete, measurable data. This guide walks through everything you need to know to perform accurate speed tests and interpret the results.

Why Speed Testing Matters

Speed testing serves multiple purposes. First, it confirms what you're actually receiving versus what your provider advertises. Second, it establishes a baseline so you can measure improvements over time. Third, it lets you compare different broadband options before making a switch. Whether you're troubleshooting slow speeds or evaluating alternatives like SD-WAN or Starlink, accurate speed tests provide the evidence you need to make informed decisions.

Tools You'll Need

Two free tools dominate the speed testing landscape. Speedtest by Ookla (speedtest.com) is the most comprehensive option, showing download speed, upload speed, and ping latency. Fast.com, created by Netflix, offers a simpler interface focused on download speeds. Both work on computers and mobile devices. For most purposes, Speedtest provides the detail you need, but Fast.com is excellent for quick checks.

Running a Proper Speed Test

To get accurate results, follow these steps. Connect your computer directly to your router via ethernet cable—Wi-Fi can artificially reduce speeds due to signal strength and interference. Close all other applications and browser tabs that might consume bandwidth. Stop any downloads or uploads. For the most realistic picture, test at different times: peak evening hours, early morning, and midday. Run multiple tests and average the results rather than relying on a single test.

Understanding Your Results

Speed test results show three key metrics. Download speed measures how fast data comes to your device—this affects streaming, browsing, and general internet use. Upload speed measures how fast you can send data out—important for video calls, uploading files, and cloud backups. Ping, measured in milliseconds, shows latency or delay—lower is better for gaming and video conferencing. A typical good result might be 50Mbps download, 10Mbps upload, and under 30ms ping.

What Speeds Are Good?

Appropriate speeds depend on your use case. Basic web browsing and email need just 5Mbps. HD video streaming requires 10-25Mbps. 4K streaming demands 25-50Mbps. Home working with video calls needs 10-15Mbps upload minimum. Online gaming requires low ping more than high speed—aim for under 50ms. Households with multiple simultaneous users should target 100Mbps+ download to avoid congestion.

Testing Mobile Signal Strength

If considering mobile-based solutions like SD-WAN or 5G home broadband, test mobile signal strength at your property. On your smartphone, open a speed test app and run tests while standing at different locations throughout your home and garden. Try different mobile networks if you have devices with multiple SIM cards. This data reveals which networks perform best at your location and helps identify the best placement for external antennas.

When to Call in the Professionals

DIY testing gives you valuable information, but sometimes professional help reveals opportunities you'll miss alone. A Integra desktop survey can assess all your connectivity options—existing fibre, mobile signal strength, Starlink viability—and recommend the solution best suited to your property. Their experts can identify environmental factors affecting signal, calculate realistic speeds, and design installations for optimal performance.

Start with these DIY speed tests to understand your baseline. Armed with concrete data, you can then decide whether your current service is adequate or if exploring alternatives makes sense.