How to run an accurate home internet speed test and use the results

Kerry Wan at ZDNET outlines how to test your home internet accurately using Speedtest by Ookla and how to interpret and act on the results to improve Wi‑Fi performance. She advises preparing a test environment free from interference: use a wired Ethernet connection when possible, close unnecessary apps, stop background uploads or downloads, disconnect other devices, and consider rebooting your router.

On Speedtest by Ookla, click the big "Go" button; the tool pings local servers to pick the one with lowest latency and then measures download speed, upload speed, and latency, showing a summary and category ratings. Wan notes Google, Cloudflare and ISPs also offer tests, and discloses Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis.

How to judge results depends on needs: Wan suggests aiming for around 50 Mbps download for smooth 4K streaming, 100 Mbps for heavy gaming households, and upload speeds near 20 Mbps (30 Mbps for smoother streaming, gaming and work). She says latency under 50 ms is solid and under 20 ms is ideal, and cautions that advertised ISP speeds are theoretical maximums — small dips are normal, but drops to about half warrant troubleshooting.

Wan shares her own example results (roughly 788 Mbps down, 40 Mbps up, 17 ms latency) as an illustration.

Key Topics

Tech, Speedtest By Ookla, Internet Service Provider, Download Speed, Upload Speed, Latency