Speedtest

Speedtest is a method and category of tools used to measure the performance of an internet connection. It is widely used by consumers, service providers, and researchers to quantify throughput, latency, and sometimes stability. The core metrics are download speed, the rate at which data is transferred from the internet to the user; upload speed, the rate at which data is sent from the user to the internet; and latency, or ping, the round-trip time between client and server. Some tests also report jitter and packet loss to indicate stability and reliability.

Operation typically involves a client app or web page that selects a test server, ideally nearby, and performs controlled data transfers. Throughput is estimated from the amount of data transferred over the test interval. Tests may use multiple parallel connections and different traffic patterns. Results depend on the network path, server capacity, local hardware, and whether the connection is wired or wireless.

Interpretation of results should consider the subscribed speed and the service provider’s advertised tier. For better accuracy, tests are often conducted over a wired connection, with other applications closed, and with a nearby server selected.

Variants and usage include consumer benchmarking, network troubleshooting, and research. Notable implementations include Ookla Speedtest, Netflix’s FAST.com, and Measurement Lab’s NDT.

Limitations include that speedtest provides a snapshot rather than a full assessment of network quality, and results can vary with time of day, routing, and local conditions. It does not capture all aspects of user experience, such as video streaming quality or gaming latency under real workloads.