Your internet connection is likely lagging if you’re stuck waiting for your YouTube video to load or your files to back up on cloud storage. It’s slow, and that’s not an enjoyable experience at all, is it?

The next step? You will probably run an internet speed test to assess why it’s slow. Though this process is pretty simple, as any testing platform does the job for you, there are a few common pitfalls to avoid to get the best results. Let’s take a look at what they are.

1. Using the wrong test tool

When you’re about to test your internet speed, the first consideration is the ideal tools. Certain internet service providers (ISPs) offer in-house testing tools, so if yours does as well, start from there. If not, you can try reputed online testing tools that are no-frills and instantly show you your current internet speed. Check if the tools show a detailed breakdown, including the upload and download bandwidth, as they’re key indicators of your internet connection speed.

2. Testing speeds just once

Getting an accurate picture of your internet speed means running the test more than once. If you’re in a hurry and need to check on the go, performing the test at least twice is still advisable.

Internet speeds are generally volatile; you can run the test twice in similar conditions and get varying results. So, run it at least three times, preferably over a few days, to determine an average speed. This will give you a clearer picture of your actual internet speed.

3. Not knowing what tests to run

Three core tests portray the connection speed when performing an internet speed test. Knowing these will ensure you perform a thorough test instead of leaving things to chance. These tests include:

• Download test: This checks how fast content is transferred from the internet servers to your device for activities like downloading files or live streaming videos.
• Ping test: This is mainly done to check network latency. Latency refers to the time a data packet takes to travel from one device to another through an internet network. This is one of the primary factors affecting an internet connection.
• Upload test: This checks the upload bandwidth, i.e., the time required to transfer data from your device to the internet. This affects activities like uploading content on social media.

4. Testing on a slow device

A significant and common mistake most people make is performing the internet speed tests on an old computer or one with an outdated network card. The same applies to older mobile phones; neither can utilize the full potential of the service provider‘s internet speed. The right approach here is to conduct the speed test on different devices and then calculate the average from all the results. This will give you an accurate estimate of your internet speed.

5. Testing during the wrong hours of the day

Another critical factor affecting speed tests is the number of users logged on at any given time. During ‘peak hours,’ such as a Sunday evening when most people are sitting down to watch movies or shows over the internet (OTT platforms), you will probably see slower internet speeds than usual. Hence, any result from running tests during these times will be incorrect or unreliable data.

Instead, run the test at peak and off-peak hours to compare results for a broader analysis. If you simply want to test your overall internet speed, stick to the off-peak hours.

6. Bandwidth-intensive apps running in the background

When running the speed test on a desktop, most users forget to check if any bandwidth-intensive apps are running in the background. These also affect the testing speeds and yield inaccurate results. Here’s how you can avoid this:

• Open the taskbar on your desktop.
• Go to the Processes tab.
• Choose the Network column to arrange the background apps based on network usage.
• Save the apps on top, as they are the most bandwidth-intensive.
• Right-click on them and choose ‘End Task’ to close them.
• Run the speed test next to get accurate results.

Running speed tests is simple, but you won’t get the results you wish to see if you’re making mistakes. Now that you know what these mistakes often are, steer clear of them, and you’re good to go!

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