You can run Internet speed tests to check the speed between your Internet service provider (ISP) and your modem, your router, and your client devices. The method that you should use to check your Internet speed depends on which part of your network you want to test.
- To see if you are getting the full Internet speed that you pay for from your ISP, test your Internet speed from your modem. If the test results are unsatisfactory, your ISP might have a service problem, or you might need to upgrade your modem.
- To see if your router is delivering the full speed of your Internet connection, test your Internet speed from your router with an Ethernet cable. If you get a significantly higher speed from your modem than you do from your router, you might need to upgrade your router, or your router might be throttling your speeds because of custom configuration.
- To see if your router’s WiFi is powerful enough for your home and your devices, test your wireless Internet speed from a mobile device with the Nighthawk or Orbi app, or use a computer with WiFi. Many factors can affect WiFi performance, but your WiFi speeds should be similar to or only slightly slower than your speeds over Ethernet when you are near your router. If your speeds are significantly slower over WiFi, your router or devices might not support the latest WiFi standards, or you might have interference problems.
WiFi speed test results might vary depending on factors like where your WiFi device is in relation to your router and how many connected devices are actively using bandwidth. For more information, see How accurate are WiFi speed tests?
To check the speed between your ISP and your modem:
- Using an Ethernet cable, connect a computer to the LAN port on your modem.
- Launch a web browser and visit http://www.speedtest.net/.
The website automatically selects a server near your location. If the server is far away, click Change Server and select a closer one. - Click Go to start the speed test.
The website tests your upload and download speeds. After about 30 seconds, the test results display.
To check the speed between your ISP and your router:
- Using an Ethernet cable, connect a computer to a LAN port on your router.
- Launch a web browser and visit http://www.speedtest.net/.
The website automatically selects a server near your location. If the server is far away, click Change Server and select a closer one. - Click Go to start the speed test.
The website tests your upload and download speeds. After about 30 seconds, the test results display.
To check your wireless Internet speed:
The easiest way to check your wireless Internet speed is with the Nighthawk or Orbi app. For more information:
To check your wireless Internet speed from a computer with WiFi:
- From a computer or mobile device that is connected to your wireless network, launch a web browser and visit http://www.speedtest.net/.
The website automatically selects a server near your location. If the server is far away, click or tap Change Server and select a closer one. - Click or tap Go to start the speed test.
The website tests your upload and download speeds. After about 30 seconds, the test results display.