While using the internet, sometimes you may feel that your network connection is slow or significantly reduced, unlike the bandwidth you have subscribed to. In the following article, Mytour will help you check your wifi network speed on both your computer and phone with just a few simple steps.
Why Should You Test WiFi Network Speed?
Typically, initially after installing an internet connection, the network access speed will be very fast. However, this speed will gradually slow down over time, sometimes even becoming erratic without clear reasons why. Therefore, you need a method to test the network speed accurately and in detail.
If you find that the actual speed is much slower than the speed stated in the network contract, you need to contact the network provider to ensure your rights. In addition, checking network speed not only helps you determine if the quality of the network connection corresponds to the amount you spend each month but also helps you check the internet coverage throughout your entire home. From there, you can use the internet effectively and troubleshoot weak signals.
Regularly checking network speed will help stabilize the network connection (Source: Internet)Decoding Network Speed Test Parameters for Internet or WiFi
An internet connection's stability is often evaluated based on three main factors: ping, download speed, and upload speed. These are:
- Ping is a tool for computer networks, used to check the connection to a specific computer. High latency will result in slow network, lag, affecting the user's movie watching or gaming experience. A ping below 50 ms is considered to have good latency.
- Download speed is an important parameter of computers, it is the speed at which data is downloaded to your computer. In addition, this parameter also tells you whether the data being downloaded is fast or slow. The unit is Mbps - megabits/second.
- Upload speed is the speed at which data is uploaded from your computer to the internet. This parameter will show you whether the data uploaded from the computer is fast or slow.
How to Test Network Speed on Computer
1. Test Internet Speed with SpeedTest
- Step 1: Access the SpeedTest website. When the main interface of the website appears, click on the Go button to start the network speed test process.
- Step 2: After the connection process is completed, you will see the IP address information of the device displayed on the left side along with the internet speedometer. Speedtest will check download speed, upload speed, and ping.
Speedtest is one of the most popular internet speed testing applications on computers that you definitely shouldn't overlook (Source: Internet)2. Test WiFi Network Speed with speedcheck.org
- Step 1: Visit the Speedcheck website.
- Step 2: Choose 'Start Test'.
- Step 3: Check the results.
The viewing process may take a few seconds or a few minutes depending on your network connection speed. Once this process is complete, you will see the results showing latency, download and upload speeds, along with other network information.
Speedcheck.org helps users quickly check all network connection metrics (Source: Internet)3. Measure Internet Access Speed with nperf.com
- Step 1: Visit the nperf.com website.
- Step 2: Click 'Start Test' and wait a few minutes for the results. On the software interface, blue corresponds to download speed, green corresponds to upload speed, and gray represents latency.
Measure internet access speed with nperf.com, users only need a few simple steps (Source: Internet)4. Test Internet Connection Speed with Fast Web
- Step 1: Visit the official Fast website.
- Step 2: On the software interface, the system will determine the internet speed being used and provide instant results. Then, you can click Reset to recheck or select Show more info to view additional metrics such as latency, upload speed, etc.
Fast will automatically check the connection speed and provide the most accurate results (Source: Internet)5. Check WiFi Signal with Command Prompt
Method 1: Open Command Prompt Window
- Step 1: Press the Search button and type “Command Prompt” in the search bar.
- Step 2: Choose Run as administrator to open the Command Prompt window.
- Step 3: To check the WiFi speed, simply copy the command line “netsh wlan show interface” and paste it into the Command Prompt window. The result will be a series of information related to the WiFi status on your computer. At this point, you need to observe the Signal line to see the WiFi signal strength measurement.
Method 2: Use Shortcut Keys to Launch Command Prompt
- Step 1: Press the Windows key + S combination and open Command Prompt.
- Step 2: Simply type or copy and paste the command line “netsh wlan show interfaces” into Command Prompt, then press Enter to execute. This command line will accurately show you the percentage of WiFi signal strength your computer will receive.
Command Prompt is usually available on users' computers, making it very convenient for you to check network speed (Source: Internet)6. Check WiFi Network Speed with PowerShell
- Step 1: Press the Windows key + X combination, then select Windows PowerShell.
- Step 2: Copy the following command line and paste it into Windows PowerShell: (netsh wlan show interfaces) -Match ‘^\s+Signal’ -Replace ‘^\s+Signal\s+:\s+’,”.
- Step 3: The result will display the WiFi signal speed your computer receives. The average level is usually around 75%.
For the most accurate results, it's advisable to check WiFi network speed with PowerShell multiple times (Source: Internet)How to Check Internet Speed on Your Phone
1. Speedtest App
Speedtest is the most widely used app for checking internet speed today. With its user-friendly interface and simple operation, you can quickly and accurately measure internet speed.
Advantages:
- Rapid network speed checks with high reliability.
- Track the history of past network speed activities.
- Easily share information and network speed results with others.
- Supports multiple platforms including iOS and Android.
- VPN connectivity support.
Disadvantages:
- Temporary lack of Vietnamese language support.
- VPN connection instability and a maximum usage limit of 2GB per month.
Users can utilize Speedtest to assess the quality of their internet connection (Source: Internet)2. Speed Test Light App
The Speed Test Light app helps users easily check their network speed on their phone. With a user-friendly interface, a simple tap is all it takes to accurately measure the network speed you are using.
Advantages:
- User-friendly interface.
- The app can automatically adjust to test users' connections, whether it's Wi-Fi or 3G/4G/5G for various mobile networks.
- Displays the history of past network speed tests within the app.
Disadvantages:
- Currently not available in Vietnamese.
- Only supported on devices running the Android operating system.
The Speed Test Light app features a minimalist interface, catering to Android enthusiasts for testing network speeds (Source: Internet)3. Internet Speed Test App
The Internet Speed Test app is designed to assess network speed and measure data transmission delays, providing basic information about internet connectivity issues such as IP address, device details, and network service provider.
Advantages:
- User-friendly interface.
- Displays the history of past network speed test activities within the app.
Disadvantages:
- Frequent advertisements.
- Currently does not support Vietnamese content.
When it comes to the Internet Speed Test app, users often cannot overlook the diverse network speed testing features available on this application (Source: Internet)4. Internet Speed Meter Lite App
Internet Speed Meter Lite is one of the apps that directly measure network speed on the status bar of users' mobile devices without the need to open the app.
Advantages:
- Supports various languages, including Vietnamese.
- Easily track internet speed directly on the phone's notification bar while using the internet.
- Displays the history of speed tests when using the network over each day.
Disadvantages:
- Cannot measure the overall network speed like Speedtest.
- Not supported on iOS devices.
Internet Speed Meter Lite focuses solely on the task of measuring internet transmission speed to the device (Source: Internet)5. Get the 5GMARK app
5GMARK will help you check network speed with just a tap. Additionally, this app also integrates a map feature for you to check your current location information.
Advantages:
- Easy to use.
- Integrated Google Map helps users identify their current location.
- Simple interface.
Disadvantages: Currently does not support Vietnamese.
The 5GMARK app functions similarly to other apps that help users check network speed on their phones (Source: Internet)6. Download FAST Speed Test App
FAST Speed Test app helps you check internet speed quickly and accurately while using the internet.
Advantages:
- Easy to use.
- Simple interface.
- Provides users with information about the IP address of the internet being used.
- Supports iOS devices.
Nhược điểm: Currently does not support Vietnamese.
FAST Speed Test is the go-to app for iOS users when they want to check network speed (Source: Internet)What should you do after checking network speed?
- After checking internet speed and finding it slower than what the network provider promised in the contract, you should contact the network hotline directly to resolve the issue quickly.
- If the network speed test result is correct but you still feel slower than usual, it may be due to network problems with the provider.
- If you want to download movies or heavy files, you should choose off-peak hours like nighttime. At this time, the network connection will be stable, and the download speed will be faster.
- Usually, when too many people access the same wifi network, it will slow down the network speed. Therefore, you should change your wifi password regularly to avoid neighbors or people around you using your wifi without permission.
- If you have installed the wifi modem for a long time and have not replaced the router, this is also one of the reasons for the fluctuating network speed. You should clean, warranty, or replace the wifi router to fix this issue.
Here is Mytour's compilation of the most popular ways to check network speed on both mobile phones and computers. Hopefully, this article will help you refer to simple steps to take at home.
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