Does your internet suddenly feel a bit slow? Or faster than ever? Be sure to check the actual speed. You can use the well-known Ookla Speedtest for this.
You have taken out a subscription with your provider for a certain internet speed. In general, these are the maximum achievable speeds, in practice it is usually just a bit lower. How much lower depends on all kinds of factors that are usually beyond your control. Also, your router may simply be too slow to handle, for example, a 600 Mbps connection. The latter is relatively easy to find out if you are in the fortunate possession of both a provider router (or modem) and your own router. If the internet speed directly behind the provider router (modem) is much higher than after your own router, it is clear who is to blame.
You can measure the internet speed with Ookla Speedtest. It costs nothing, so you don't have to worry about that. Ookla is also available in an (more mobile or not) app form, so that you can measure the connection of your mobile internet on the go, for example. Keep in mind that the test generates a lot of data traffic! In this example we are using the website, which works on any modern self-respecting browser. Visit the Speedtest page and let the fun begin.
Measuring is knowing
In principle, you will automatically be presented with a test server. All you have to do is click go click in the circle. You may now see an error message: not all servers are always available. In that case, click Change server and choose another. Preferably one as close as possible to keep the lines and overhead - literally - as short as possible. You can see the throughput speed live during the test. In fact you should get an almost flat line for both upload and download speed. If this is not the case, check whether someone else on the (home) network is, for example, downloading or performing other online activities. If the measured values deviate extremely from what you have been promised by your provider - and if you also measure those speeds directly on your provider router/modem - then it is time to contact the provider. Turning off your router(s)/modem and then turning it back on after a while also helps surprisingly well. By the way: in most cases the download speed is significantly higher than the upload speed, so that is normal.
Mbps and Kbps
By default, Ookla Speedtest measures in Mbps. However, many routers work with Kbps. For example, to set things like QoS (Quality of Service, a method to regulate network traffic). You must then enter the maximum throughput. In that case, select the measured value, possibly an average over a few days. If this number must be entered in Kbps, Ookla can also measure in that unit. Click on the top right of the page Institutions. Select the option behind speed kbps and then click on the circle (which has become somewhat smaller in the meantime) go. The speed is now neatly measured in Kbps. It is also possible to convert from Mpbs to Kbps afterwards, for example via this online calculator. But measuring directly in the desired size is of course a lot more practical.
