Which internet speed test should you use to test your connection at home?

Screenshot by Ry Crist/CNET

One of our favorites is the Ookla speed test, which has a strong reputation for consistency and for 링크모음 being one of the first speed tests on the web. Popularity aside, we like Ookla for having everything a basic user needs from a speed test: accuracy, the ability to view your speed test history (when you create an account), a wide array of servers to connect to, and even a handy app for speed testing from your Android or iOS device. 

Ookla’s also done a good job of keeping up with the times by adding new features and capabilities over the years. Just recently, the service released a video-specific speed test that measures your network’s ability to handle 4K video streams. It also has apps that you can run on Windows, and on an Apple TV.

All of that said, Ookla does display banner ads while you run basic speed tests. That’s not surprising, but it might make a slight impact on your results depending on the strength of your connection at the time of the test.

Screenshot by Ry Crist/CNET

Fast.com is another great broadband test, and the interface is about as simple and straightforward as it gets. However, one of its biggest advantages is that it’s owned by Netflix. That might seem odd at first, but it’s actually what makes it a great pick for online streamers, 링크모음 because the test is structured around checking to see if your connection is strong enough to stream Netflix in maximum resolution without buffering.

While Fast.com is a great tool for some, it won’t be the most helpful test for all users. The basic interface is easy to use, yes, but it also lacks some of the advanced settings and metrics you’ll find with other speed tests. Most notably, you can’t specify which server you’d like to connect with for your test.

Screenshot by Ry Crist/CNET

None of these speed tests are difficult to use, but the M-Lab Internet Speed Test is probably the easiest one to find. Short for Measurement Lab, the open-source M-Lab test was developed by a collection of computer scientists and academic researchers with Google’s backing — and it’s the test that pops up whenever you type “internet speed test” into the Google search bar. Just click the blue “RUN SPEED TEST” button to see your download speed, upload speed and latency within a matter of seconds.

That’s about as simple as it gets, because you won’t need to bookmark it or remember exactly what it’s called. There are no ads while you run the test, and the only data that gets shared with M-Lab is your IP address. Just know that the M-Lab test doesn’t let you pick which server you’ll use during the test, and it’s only designed for internet speeds of up to 700 Mbps. If you’re trying to speed test a gigabit connection, you’ll want to turn elsewhere.