Checking your internet connection speed is not really on the list of the most important things to do on your computer, however it won’t kill you to check it out.

When somebody asks me how big the engine is in my car, I usually hold my arms about shoulder width apart and say “roughly this.” It’s usually not what they meant and you might have had one of these embarrassing moments yourself when somebody inquired how fast your Internet connection was. At the next wine tasting when somebody asks “What’s your download speed?” you should have a better answer than “Well, movies like 5 minutes but pictures only a few seconds.”

I’m not really sure why somebody would pry into these intimate details that should only be shared with your service provider but what they’re asking about is the rate at which data is sent from the Internet to your computer. The faster that the information comes from the ‘net, the faster it’ll appear on your screen. A number of factors go into determining your speed including your modem, service provider, and other users trying to access a particular file.

Checking Your Internet Connection Speed

When checking your Internet connection speed you can go to a number of sites like:

• speedtest.pk
• pingtest.net
• speedtest.net

And many more. These sites perform a ‘ping’ to your computer, which sends a file to be downloaded, and the results are then tested and displayed for you. It’s a good idea to check your Internet connection speed not only to fit in with the crowd at your next hors d’oeuvres sampling party but also to ensure you’re receiving the proper service as promised from your Internet provider.

What do the results mean when checking your Internet connection speed?

Lets not get technical here, but when I was testing my Internet connection my ISP and connection rated poorly. My connection received a 2.5 start rating and fell well under the ISP average. This means that I have a good provider but I am not getting a great connection like most other customers.

There are a few factors that might effect my Internet connection, one being that I live in a rural area, and the other being recent heavy rains. However there is no harm in performing a few more tests throughout the day and then ringing your ISP with the results. they can than test it from their end and see if there is a problem.

In the screen shot below I received an average of 3.35 Mb per second and my ISP average is 6.98 Mb/s.

Why is checking your Internet connection speed a good idea?

I think that checking on anything that you are paying for is a good idea. If you pay for a certain Internet connection speed then you should be getting it. By checking your Internet connection speed you can keep an eye on your service and make sure you are getting your money’s worth.