Most of us now have broadband or some other form of high speed internet. We accept that it is "high speed", because our provider tells us that it is. However, exactly how fast it is, and why that matters, remains a mystery to many of us. This is why it is important for you to learn how to test your high speed internet. Not only will this tell you whether it conforms to your needs, but also whether you are actually getting what you are paying for.

How to Test Your High Speed Internet and Why:

Through a speed test, you will be able to find out whether you actually have a really fast connection. When you have fast internet, you can connect to others much more quickly, which is what we all want nowadays. As a result of this, internet providers now advertise mainly based on their speed, promising you the fastest around. However, unless you actually test your internet, you won't know whether you are getting what they promised you.

If you want or need to be online most of the time, you need to have a high speed connection. You simply can't use dial-up modems and wait to connect each time, particularly if you are running a business. The internet is now a way for conducting business, whether as home workers or huge corporations, to make money and communicate, and there can be no glitches in this.

The faster the internet connection is, the quicker and more accurate both your downloads and uploads are going to be. In many cases, internet providers promise you a certain speed, and then expect that you won't actually need those types of speeds. Usually, they are right in that. However, if they presume that for everybody in your street attached to the same exchange, you will collectively start to slow down. This is why, before you sign up to a provider, you have to find out what their actual speed is, and how that translates to what they promise you. The last thing you want, after all, is to be stuck for several years with a provider that doesn't meet expectations.

The Process of Testing the Speed of Your Internet:

So how to test your high speed internet? Online of course! There are countless online tests that you can access completely free. They will look at your connection and calculate both your upload and download speeds. Do make sure that you use multiple testers at different times during the day and with different parameters, such as how many machines are connected in your own home. This will give you a clearer picture of the average real speed. For instance, running a single mobile phone on a network at 3 am is obviously going to provide you with a much quicker Internet than running five connected devices at the same time at around 7 pm. The average, however, should be close to the speed that your provider has promised you. If it isn't, make your provider aware of this and look into what your consumer rights are in terms of cancelling your contract or receiving a discount.