Speed tests can determine how quickly your internet connection delivers data to your device. They can be found on websites that will transmit harmless data to your device to perform the measurement.
With most speed tests, you’ll get two numbers – one represents the download rate (i.e. how quickly your internet connection can receive data from the internet), and the other represents the upload rate (how quickly you can send data to the internet).
If you have got a 50/20 connection, for example, your maximum download rate will be 50Mbps, and your maximum upload rate will be 20Mbps. If you run a speed test on a 50/20 connection, depending on your ISP, you should be getting close to that.
Most speed tests are web-browser based, so you simply load up your internet browser, head to Google and find your preferred speed test. Some also offer dedicated apps for your mobile phone, which you might find to be more convenient, but in most cases will not offer a deeper feature set.
What should I look for in the speed test?
Wi-Fi speed test results will also be slightly slower compared to a test using a wired (ethernet) connection. There are several factors here. Speeds may vary from room to room in your household, depending on the distance of the room to the nearest router, and how many walls and other barriers are between the devices. Because of the myriad factors that can affect your speeds over Wi-Fi, it is a good idea to keep an ethernet cable so you can run a speed test directly from your modem if you think your speeds are not what they should be. This allows you to figure out if the issue lies with your Wi-Fi or your internet connection itself.
The time of day that you do the speed test will also have some impact on the results. During evenings, when there are more people using the internet, you may notice a decline in the overall speed.
What do I do if I am not getting good speeds?
If you find that your internet is running well below expected speeds which is confirmed by a speed test, there are a couple of things that you can do to troubleshoot:
- Consider the age of the modem and/or router – it may be that the modem and/or router is no longer adequate to deliver the speeds you expect. At the very least you should ensure that your router is a dual-band device. If you have a more modern router, try switching to the 5GHz spectrum as that will often result in faster access. For more information on the Wi-Fi spectrum, click here.
- Change your password – check the list of devices connected to your internet connection (you can do this in your router’s admin portal – refer to your device’s instruction manual). If there are any devices that you do not recognise, it could be that a neighbour has figured out how to access your internet. Change your password frequently to prevent this from happening, and make sure that you’re using strong passwords.
- You can also give Uniti a call on 1300 847 201 to see if there are any other issues that might be slowing down the signal. Service disruptions to an area might be slowing down internet access, rather than stopping it completely.
We hope that helps you get to a maximum speed. Check out our fast and reliable fibre plans here.