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Originally Posted On: https://www.swoop.com.au/blog/diy-speed-test/

Feeling sluggish? Like you’re running at a reduced pace? Think there’s a problem with your internet connection that might cause speed times to slow down? There’s a simple diagnostic tool anyone can use to find if there’s a problem with their internet speed and what needs to be done to fix it.

Did you know there are many systems and devices involved in the delivery of your internet connection? Any of them may cause you to lose speed. There might be a fault with the infrastructure connected to your house, or a problem with your router.

Maybe your plan is no longer keeping up with the increased use by your family or the number of devices in your home.

Speed tests are a troubleshooting tool that helps us pinpoint the source of your slow speeds and work out the next steps. 

Step 1:

Turn off all devices that are using the internet. You want to make sure that the test results accurately show the speed of your service–not the speed when multiple devices are using the internet at once. Keep all your devices and appliances disconnected until the test is done. Make sure other people in your house get the memo too.

Step 2:

If you can, do the speed test using an ethernet cable. Remember, the goal is to measure the speed of the service that’s being delivered to your house, not the strength of the Wi-Fi. It may mean you use a device like a desktop or a laptop to do the test.

If it turns out that the internet speed is fine, the next step would be to test over Wi-Fi.

Step 3:

Visit speed.dcsi.net.au and click Go. Easy! And the test shouldn’t take more than a minute.

De-coding the results 

The numbers labelled Download and Upload measure how quickly information is being transmitted to and from you. The higher the number; the faster the connection.

The ‘right’ number will depend on things like your plan and your infrastructure. Check out your plan’s theoretical maximum speeds, which can usually be found on your invoice.

The number labelled Ping measures how quickly your connection receives a response, you generally want to see a low number. The Jitter figure measures how the ping times vary.

What do I do with the results? 

Sometimes speed tests are useful for our own peace of mind, telling us that our connection is running fine, it’s the website we’re visiting that’s slow.

If you report an issue with your service, speed tests help us determine the next steps – whether the problem needs to be logged with a wholesale provider, or if technicians are required to visit your home.

How often should I run speed tests? 

As often as you like! They are quick and easy and cost nothing but your time (and maybe the patience of other family members who are not happy about being booted off their devices whilst you run the test).

Whenever you do a test, remember to keep a record of the results. Data gathered over time can paint a really useful picture about your service and whether it is keeping up with the needs of your family.