Ever logged onto your TV on a Friday night after buying some tasty snacks to watch the latest release series on Netflix or DEver logged onto your TV on a Friday night after buying some tasty snacks to watch the latest release series on Netflix or Disney and you get met with a spinning wheel of death because your internet is chugging?
The first thing I do is check my internet connection and the speed of that connection.
Iâll show you how in this short guide.
Before you run any of these tests, be sure to:
- Turn off any downloads or uploads you have going on your system. That includes streaming media or live video meetings, and app downloads. Rebooting the system is a good start.
- Log out of your VPN software for the duration of the test; it adds a lot of overhead to the connection.
- For real accuracy, plug your computer directly into the router via Ethernet. Youâll have a lot less network overhead than you would with a Wi-Fi connection.
- Skip testing at peak hours, like in the evening when everyone at home, or in the whole neighbourhood, is streaming music or movies.
Run the tests multiple times. The conditions on your internet connection can be very different at different times of day.
The more data you have, the better.
Testing Tools
What is considered fast đď¸ internet?
I think every time I need it and it loads in seconds that is the speed I need, great to have but realistically not always possible.
To help you decide the âbestâ speed is for your household, consider how many people and devices will be using the connection at once and how it will be used. One generally accepted rule of thumb is that anything above 100 Mbps is considered âfastâ internet because it can connect multiple devices at once. My home wi fi is ok for weekday and pretty dismal on weekends.

On the other hand, if several people in your house will be using a lot of bandwidth for activities like streaming movies, sending large files for work or gaming, youâll probably want an internet speed plan with 200 Mbps or more.Â
How many devices can 25 Mbps support?
This depends on what youâre using the devices for, but generally speaking, 25 Mbps supports up to 5 devices. If youâre a single-person household who only needs to browse the web and check email, you might be satisfied with 25 Mbps. When factoring your needs, remember to include any IOT devices like sprinklers or security systems, smart appliances, medical and fitness devices
Most internet providers will say 10 devices as a rule of thumb but really you want to be measuring how many devices are connected to your home wi fi before your download and upload speed are impacted.
What do my speed test results mean?
Just as thereâs no one-size-fits-all internet plan, thereâs also no one perfect internet speed to suit all Australians. The internet speed you experience will depend on the type of broadband connection you have and the plan you choose, but knowing the speed you should be achieving can help you determine if your plan is underperforming. This is where running an internet speed test can come in handy.

Simply click or press the âGoâ button above, and our in-page tool will perform an instant speed test on your internet connection. In a matter of seconds, youâll receive three key results: your download speed, your upload speed, and your ping (see below for what these terms mean and why theyâre important).
Your upload speed will always be slower than your download speed. This is the way things are when measuring internet speed.
Download speed: How fast your connection can retrieve information from the internet (for example, loading websites or streaming YouTube).
Upload speed: How fast your connection can send information to the internet (for example, posting on social media or making Zoom calls).
Megabits per second (Mbps): Units of measurement that indicate how much data can be transferred across a connection per second. The more megabits that can be sent, the faster your connection should be.
Typical evening speeds: The average download speeds experienced by customers during the busiest usage hours of between 7pm-11pm. With upload speeds being stable throughout the week.
Ping & latency: Latency refers to the response time of your connection, i.e. the time between you performing an action or sending information, and that information reaching its destination. This is measured in milliseconds, and is often referred to as âpingâ; ideally, your ping should be as low as possible.
Bandwidth: How much data your connection can send or receive per second.

What internet speed do I actually need?
The right internet speed for you will depend on several factors, including:
- How many people are in your household? Will they be using the internet at the same time?
- What do you typically use the internet for? Basic use â such as browsing web sites and sending emails â may be fine with a slower plan, but more intensive activities such as high-definition streaming or online gaming will require something faster.Â
- How many devices will you be connecting, and will they be used simultaneously? Alongside computers and laptops, you may need to connect smartphones, smart TVs, gaming consoles, tablets, security systems and more.Â
- What speeds are available on your NBN connection type? FTTP and some HFC connections can access all speeds, while FTTN, FTTB and FTTC may be limited to NBN 100 or NBN 50, and satellite and fixed wireless connections max out at around NBN 25 speeds (NBN 50 for fixed wireless plus).Â
- What is your budget? Plans are priced by speed, so you may need to compromise if you have a spending limit.Â
- What is considered fast internet? This depends on what part of the world you are in. The speed you need is rarely more than enough to stream a pixel-perfect 1080 version of House of Dragons on Netflix or your torrent site of choice.Â
So how many Mbps is fast internet, and what is considered good?
Between DSL, cable and fiber, fiber-optic internet speeds are the fastest available today, according to a June 2020 article from Broadband Now, an independent website that helps consumers find and compare internet services. Services like Fios 2 Gigabit Connection deliver blazing-fast, ultra-reliable internet speeds averaging between 1.5 Gbps and 2.3 Gbps for both upload and download. Unlike other providers who may offer gig plans using partial fiber or copper/fiber hybrid networks, Verizon Fios is powered by a 100% fiber-optic network.

What if my internet is slower than it should be?
Have a look at your internet plan and consider switching plans. Switching to a faster internet plan is easier than you think, If youâve tested your current connection, and your results just arenât as fast as the plan youâre paying for, consider shopping around for a better plan and provider.
I still think that my internet speed is cooked, even after trying to upgrade its still slow AF.
I hope this has been helpful. There is nothing worse than a sluggish internet. Please also consider that sometimes its the internet speed on average but there is also times when it may be your hardware that needs a look over as well.
Thanks for reading.