You can even test your speed on a mobile phone without installing any apps! The test sends a small amount of data to your browser to get a rough idea of how fast your connection is and to measure latency how quickly transfers begin , based on this figure it then sends a large amount of data and measures how quickly this is transferred. The data transferred is randomised and designed to not benefit from compression and to avoid caching, however it can be affected by proxies and 'turbo' browser features so ensure that these are switched off before you test.
We send enough data to saturate your connection ensuring that even the fastest lines are accurately tested. The test is run multiple times and these figures are averaged to get the best indication of your connection's speed. For the upload portion of the test, a similar process occurs but random data is sent back to our servers.
The data our test transfers is not stored on your computer. We use browser cookies to remember your last test result, your postcode and the rating you gave your provider. This is to save you time when you next visit the site, allow comparisons with your last result and to prevent too many duplicate provider ratings.
Our cookie only lasts 30 days, but will be rewritten with each test. Your test results are stored on our servers to allow us to report on the average speeds of each of the providers.
This helps other visitors to our site to decide which is the best broadband provider for their needs, as do any ratings you leave for your provider. Rating your provider or entering your postcode are optional, the test will work without these. However if we have your postcode then we're able to show you the estimated speeds for your line and which technologies are available in your area. This allows you to better understand your speed in context and determine whether you have a fault, or if you're just experiencing the speeds expected in your area.
Broadband speed is generally measured in megabits per second. This is written as 'Mbps' or just 'Mb', sometimes this is also referred to as 'meg' or 'megs'. A 'bit' is a single binary digit of data. There are 1,, bits in a megabit. Most computers measure filesize in 'bytes' rather than bits. Bits tend to be abbreviated to lower case b while bytes are abbreviated to upper case B, so a MB is very different to a Mb.
There are 8 bits to 1 byte, bytes to the kilobyte and kilobytes to the megabyte. This means that there are actually 1,, bytes or 8,, bits in a megabyte. This includes accurate information on how fast your broadband will be. You should get the estimated speed you are likely to experience at busy times of the day, when average speeds are often lower.
These times are pm for home services, and pm for business services. Your provider should always give you a minimum guaranteed speed for your broadband service.
For superfast broadband products, this information is now based on the capability of the line going into your home or office, which means it will be even more accurate. To find out what speed you should be getting, check your contract or ask your provider. Speed is clearly important. But the reality is that not all of us will get the average speeds that providers quote in their ads.
We're pleased that this change has been made, but we think there's still more that could be done to improve broadband in the UK. Customer score. Superfast broadband sounds appealing. But just how fast is it and do you really need it? Read on to find out. YF Yvette Fletcher. In this article Do you need to switch to get faster broadband?
Standard vs fibre broadband The benefits of faster broadband speeds Do I need to get superfast broadband? What about ultrafast broadband? How accurate are broadband speeds? What broadband package is right for you? Take our three-question quiz to find out what broadband speed you need. Standard Broadband You do not have many devices connected to the internet at one time and rarely do things that require high internet speeds.
Superfast Broadband You have quite a few devices connected to the internet and sometimes engage in activities that need high internet speeds.
Ultrafast Broadband You have lots of devices connected to the internet, and a lot of what you do online requires high bandwidth. How many different devices in your household are connected to the internet at one time?
Phones, laptops, smart devices etc How often are people in your household surfing the web? How often do people in your household use video streaming services iPlayer, Netflix, YouTube etc?
You can check your browser on the Get Safe Online website. Halogen lamps, electrical dimmer switches, stereo or computer speakers, fairy lights, TVs and monitors and AC power cords have all been known to affect routers. Keep your router as far away as possible from other electrical devices as well as those which emit wireless signals such as cordless phones, baby monitors etc.
Try to place your router on a table or shelf rather than on the floor and keep it switched on. If you have an older router, or you have regular disconnections on your line, you may benefit from upgrading. Speak to your provider. If you don't keep your wireless router secure, anyone nearby could log on to your broadband. Not only could this slow down your internet speeds but your online security could also be at risk.
To find out whether you are secure, search for available wireless networks. If your network is secure there should be a picture of a padlock next to it. If there isn't then you'll need to password-protect your router.
0コメント