Nothing is more frustrating than being in the middle of a video call and experiencing choppy, pixelated picture or audio.
Or, if you’re trying to update your computer or gaming system, and that download loading bar is barely headed toward 100%.
Or, streaming your favorite show, only to keep getting the spinning wheel that speaks the universal language of buffering.
To troubleshoot, you pull up a speed test and hit the big “go” button. Numbers appear, and they look fast, but there are half a dozen different measurements. What does it all actually mean?
What is a speed test?
An internet speed test measures the download and upload speed of your internet connection, and it shows more than just how fast your internet is. It breaks down your connection into a few different numbers that can help explain how online activities feel day to day.
What do the different speed test measurements mean?
In general, a speed test will contain three basic measurements: download, upload, and ping/latency.
Download speed is how fast data comes to your device. It’s what controls how quickly pages load, videos buffer, and files arrive. This affects streaming, browsing, and system updates.
Upload speed measures how fast data leaves your device. Every video call, cloud backup, and shared photo depends on it.
Ping/latency, is the delay between your devices communicating with the internet. Lower ping means faster reactions. Higher ping means you might experience that frustrating half-second lag on calls and games.
On technologies like cable, 5G Home Internet, or low earth orbit satellite like Starlink, you’ll be more likely to see varying speeds and higher pings. These types of services market “speeds up to,” in order to account for factors that affect their quality of speed delivering, including weather or network congestion from other people online.
On technologies like fiber, your download and upload speed should measure very close to the internet package you subscribe to. For example, if you are on a Geneseo Communications 500Mbps/500Mbps package, your download and upload speeds should measure very close to 500Mbps if everything in the test environment is perfect. Even with technologies like fiber, you will always see some small variance in your speeds and ping/latency due to several outside factors, but we’ll discuss more on that later.
Some advanced speed tests also measure additional metrics, including jitter and packet loss.
Jitter measures how consistent your ping/latency is over time. Even a fast connection can feel choppy if jitter is high, and it’s usually the source behind broken audio and freezing video.
Packet loss is data that never makes it to its destination. Even small amounts of lost data can cause buffering and dropped connections.
Together, these numbers paint a picture of your connection: not just how fast it is, but how stable and responsive it really is. Even still, there are several factors inside your home that could affect the numbers you see on a speed test.
What should you consider when running a speed test?
Before you read too much into your results, a few things can affect what the test measures.
First, run your test more than once. Speeds can vary minute to minute depending on what else is happening on your network. Test at different times of the day, like mid-morning versus the evening, to get a more accurate picture of your typical experience.
Where and how you run the test matters just as much as when. Testing over WiFi introduces variables that have nothing to do with your internet service, like the age of your router, how far you are from it, or how many walls are in between.
For the most accurate reading, connect your computer directly to your router with an ethernet cable and run the test from there. If your wired speed looks good but your wireless speed is slow, that tells you the issue is likely with your home WiFi setup, not your internet service.
The device you test on can also skew your results. An older laptop or one with a lower-quality wireless chip may not be able to receive the speeds your connection is capable of delivering. If you can, test across multiple devices and compare.
One last thing to keep in mind: a VPN can significantly slow your speed test results. If you run your internet through a VPN, either pause it for the test or run a second test without it and compare.
When should you call your ISP?
A speed test is a useful tool, but knowing when to act on what you see is just as important.
Reach out to Geneseo Communications if you notice consistently slow speeds, especially when you are connected directly to the router with an ethernet cable. At that point, the issue is unlikely to be your WiFi setup or your devices.
If your wired test looks fine but your wireless experience feels sluggish, that could point to a signal issue between your router and your devices. We can help diagnose whether a router upgrade or a whole-home mesh WiFi system would make a difference.
If speeds look normal on the test but something still feels off, like calls still drop or video still stutters, share those details when you call. Jitter, packet loss, and ping/latency can tell a story that download and upload speed alone cannot.
A speed test is a great first step when something feels off. But, if the numbers don’t look right, or you are not sure what you are looking at, give us a call. We’re here to help.