How accurate is this speed test?
SpeedPulse measures your actual connection by downloading and uploading real data to test servers. Results are affected by WiFi signal strength, number of connected devices, and current network load. For the most accurate result, test on a wired connection or close to your router.
What is a good internet speed?
Most regulators define a "decent" broadband connection as at least 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload. For modern households, 30–100 Mbps is comfortable. Ultrafast full-fibre (100 Mbps+) is ideal for streaming, gaming and working from home.
Why is my speed lower than my broadband package?
Several factors reduce real-world speeds: WiFi interference and distance from router, older devices with slower network cards, other devices using your connection simultaneously, peak-time congestion, and home wiring quality. A wired ethernet connection gives the truest indication of your broadband speed.
What is ping and why does it matter?
Ping (latency) measures how long it takes data to travel to a server and back, in milliseconds (ms). Lower is better. Under 20ms is excellent for gaming. Under 50ms is fine for video calls. Over 100ms can cause noticeable lag in real-time applications like gaming or live calls.
What is download vs upload speed?
Download speed is how fast data comes to your device — important for streaming, browsing and downloading files. Upload speed is how fast your device sends data — important for video calls, cloud backups and working from home. Most home broadband connections have much faster download than upload speeds.
How can I improve my internet speed?
Move closer to your router or use a wired connection. Restart your router. Reduce connected devices. Update router firmware. Switch to a less congested 5GHz WiFi band. If speeds are consistently below your contracted rate, contact your ISP — you may be entitled to a free upgrade or to exit your contract.
What speeds should I expect from a fibre connection?
FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet) typically delivers 30–80 Mbps download, as the last section to your home is still copper. FTTP (Fibre to the Premises / Full Fibre) delivers 100 Mbps up to 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps) with symmetric or near-symmetric upload speeds. If you're on FTTP and seeing under 500 Mbps, try a wired ethernet connection directly to your router.
What is a leased line and how fast is it?
A leased line (also called Dedicated Internet Access or DIA) is a private, symmetric, dedicated connection between your premises and the internet — not shared with other users. Speeds range from 100 Mbps to 10 Gbps. Unlike consumer broadband, leased lines come with SLA guarantees on uptime, latency, and bandwidth. They are used by businesses, offices, data centres, and organisations where reliability and upload speed are critical. SpeedPulse can accurately measure leased line speeds up to 1 Gbps+.
Why does my Gigabit connection show less than 1,000 Mbps?
Several factors prevent hitting the full 1 Gbps: WiFi overhead (WiFi 6 typically maxes at 600–800 Mbps real-world), your device's network card, CPU bottlenecks processing the test, browser limitations, and TCP overhead. For accurate gigabit testing, use a wired ethernet connection on a modern device. SpeedPulse uses parallel multi-stream testing to get as close as possible to your true available bandwidth.