Knowing what speed your internet is can be very important. Even though your internet service provider (ISP) will tell you what speed you’re paying for, that doesn’t mean that is the actual speed you’re getting. To know what your internet speed really is, though, you need run the test on a server that will give you accurate results. One of the keys to telling if a speed test will give you accurate results is the number of server locations. Testing at multiple sites will help you ensure you are getting an accurate result.
Here are the three top internet speed test tools available.
Speedtest.net is by far the top internet speed test available. Speedtest.net has a very sharp, easy to use interface. This site boasts over 2,500 servers. Running a speed test at Speedtest.net is as simple as clicking “Begin Test” button in the middle of the screen. You will test your ping time, download speed, and upload speed, and you will have the ability to share your results. Speedtest.net offers options for a direct link, buttons to share directly to Facebook and Twitter, and HTML codes to share in forums or as an image.
Speedtest.net offers multiple options you can control, such as language, time zone, date format, distance, speed measurement, and preferred server, all without creating a profile. Speedtest.net automatically chooses the best server for you, but you also have the option to test with a server other than the one automatically selected. The only drawback to Speedtest.net is the number of advertisements you see on nearly every page of the site. Of course, those advertisements are what makes it possible for Speedtest.net to offer you such powerful testing servers at no cost to you.
Speedof.me will remind you a lot of Speedtest.net. The layout is similar, even down to the color scheme. Despite this, Speedof.me is very different from any other speed test out there.
Running a test at Speedof.me is simple, you only need to click ‘Start Test’ in the bottom left corner of the screen. You will see a series of waves appear on the graph screen as the test takes place. Your final results will appear in the bottom left corner. Speedof.me does not contain a lot of bells and whistles and only provides download and upload speeds, but Speedof.me is a very powerful testing server.
Speedof.me is different from a lot of other speed tests in that is is an HTML5 test. This means it does not require flash or java to run. It will work on smart phones as well as desktops and laptops. Speedof.me utilizes CDN (content delivery network). If you’re unfamiliar with this, you can
read more here. Rather than require a test server near you, Speedof.me tests your speed to several different servers, as well as downloading large contiguous sample files, mimicking internet normal internet activity.
MySpeed is not a user-friendly test, but it is a very powerful java-based testing server. Running the test is not a simple one-click operation. You’ll select your location, the option you want to use (Quality, Speed, VoIP, Route, IPTV, Video, and Firewall), then the city nearest you. On a new page, you’ll have to “click to start test”. You will see your actual results, as well as some other statistics that MySpeed provides. MySpeed provides multiple options to view your results, including a simple summary, an advanced summary, and an indepth report (this requires clicking on a link on the simple summary page).
One of the major drawbacks to MySpeed is that it has a limited number of servers available. If there is not a server near you, you will get inaccurate (slower) speed test results. MySpeed does offer a lot of testing options that you will not find anywhere else.
