CHECKING  YOUR INTERNET  SPEED, Q&A

Why do I need to check my internet speed?

These days, many of us pay for high speed, wide bandwidth internet. We need that high bandwidth signal so that we can stream video and access content. We expect content to be seamlessly delivered to our screens at the touch of a button, and we pay a pretty penny for that internet use. But how do you know you are indeed getting what you are paying for? By checking on what your provider is delivering and keeping them honest, you’ll be sure to get exactly what you pay for. If you aren’t getting out what you are paying for on a monthly basis, you need to complain to the customer service representative at your internet provider. Let them know that if you aren’t getting the service you’re paying for, they need to help you get that speed, or charge you less for less of a service.

 
How fast should my internet speed be?

Most internet speeds that your provider is offering start at the 100 mbps level. This is usually adequate for most moderate internet use. Most connection speeds lower than that are usually older accounts, and can usually be upgraded to their new minimum for not much more money. Consult with your internet provider to find out the details of their plans, and which one would be best, and most economical for you.

 
How do I actually check my internet speed?

After hooking up your ethernet cable to the tap and to your computer open up your internet browser of choice and go to www.Speedtest.net. Click on the big circle in the middle of your screen that says ‘go’ on it; you will see the results as they test in real time. Keep in mind that these will be instantaneous readings. That means they can change over time. To get an accurate reading of how fast your internet really is, try taking a reading about four times a day, and keep track of the results to see if they differ at any specific time of the day.

 
Where do I plug in to check my internet speed?

You need to plug an ethernet cable into your computer. The other side of the cable gets plugged directly into the cable modem. The cable modem is where the round, and usually black, cable called coaxial cable gets plugged in. It should be very close to where your service enters your house. This is called the tap, and like a garden hose, attaching directly to your house source, this is where the greatest amount of pressure will be. And in our case, where your internet speed will be greatest. Any other connection downstream of your cable modem may cause inaccurate results. They rely on other devices, such as your wifi router, and may not give an accurate reading on your cable modem speed.

 
What if my internet is as fast as they say it should be?

If your internet speed is not as fast as your provider says it should be at the tap, then you must gsearch down stream to figure out the true issue. You can test each device by plugging in the ethernet port or connecting to the wifi and testing that device on the speedtest website. Eventually you should get to the point where the speed decreases and you should suspect that device.

 
What do I do if my internet speed is not approaching what I should be getting?

Firstly, make sure your wires are not frayed and that no connections are loose. If you are not receiving the proper speed that you are guaranteed from your internet provider, you should have them come to your house and inspect the wires for damage. They can also test your line for noise that may cause your speed to slow down considerably from what you should be getting. If they detect noise on the line, in many cases, they can replace the wires or equipment at the pole to alleviate the problem. They can also see if your cable modem is old. If you currently have an older, and outdated cable modem, in many cases they will replace the old equipment for more a more modern cable modem. In many cases, this alone will speed up your internet connection.

 
What is a ping and how fast should it be?

A ping is the basic communication between any two devices on a network like the internet. A ping is 4 data packets sent to any given domain name. That computer will send that exact data back to the sending computer. It is then measured how quickly and how completely the 4 data packets are returned. In a ping, the lower the time, the better. Times of 19 milliseconds and below are best, and it is obviously better to get 100% of the data returned.

 
Should download be as fast as upload speeds?

In most home internet accounts, we pay for what is called asynchronous internet. That means that your download speeds will be significantly faster than the upload speed. For most users, that will be acceptable as the upload is used to ask for content and the download is used to display the content. A good starting internet speed is right around 100 mbps. That speed would be fine for most average households or small businesses. However, you can go as high as gigabyte ethernet if you find that 100 is less bandwidth than you need.

 
Should I get cable or satellite internet?

Any high speed internet provider will be faster than hooking up a computer to the internet through a phone connection and a modem. Nowadays, the ultimate internet connection goes through fiber optics and requires light to blink on and off to communicate. It is fast but can also be quite pricey. While it would be nice to have all that speed, it may not be absolutely necessary for the ordinary user. Cable is generally the most reliable and affordable method to most households and businesses. Satellite internet such as Dish or Viasat can be a good alternative when cables cannot be run to your building. One of the problems with satellite cable is the time that it takes the signal to travel from your computer out to a satellite, then the information must travel from the satellite to the internet server and back again to serve you the information. This is commonly referred to as satellite lag. This can be quite bulky and can result in a lag from when you press a button until the action is displayed on your computer. It must also be said that satellite has a tendency to not work well during storms or periods of dark cloud cover. 

 
Are there any other options to get my internet?

Another option that you may consider if your internet providers are not great is cellular data. If you are relatively close to a cell tower you can try to use 4g or better cellular signal to provide data to your computer. It works with a device that receives and transmits cellular data. It connects to your computer as if you were connecting to a wifi router. This may be a slower way to get data, but it can work in a pinch. You can also use this method to access the internet from the road. You can occult with a reputable computer shop. Ask them what your options are for internet providers in your area are. They can also inform you of your best options are for your needs where you live.

 
What kind of wire should I use?

In most households or small businesses, you won’t see a big difference in internet speed based upon the type of cables that you use. All three types of cable have 4 twisted pairs of wires. The higher the category cable, the less crosstalk and noise the cable will have. A clearer connection will result in the higher possible speed. Keep in mind that the speed can only go as fast as the speed to the cable modem itself. Cat 5 cables can withstand speeds up to 100 mhz, whereas Cat 6 cable can provide communications of up to 250 mhz and  Cat 7 cables with communication rates of over a gigabit. Category 7 cable requires special routers with a different, deeper set connector. These connectors and speed ratings will also be backwards compatible with other formats. For most users, A category 6 cable will be more than sufficient.

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Last edited 10-13-19 rl

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