How fast is your Wi-Fi, actually?
Measure your download, upload and latency in about twenty seconds. We pair the numbers with a plain-English read on what they mean for streaming, calls and working from home.
§ Speed test
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We measure latency, download and upload by pulling and pushing payloads to a Cloudflare edge server. The whole test takes about 20 to 25 seconds so the connection has time to ramp up to full speed.
Close other tabs and pause any downloads for a more honest reading. Run it from the same room as your router first, then move around to check coverage.
§ 03
What the numbers actually mean
Speed numbers in context.
Download
How fast you can pull data in
- 10 Mbps: Ofcom's decent-broadband floor. Enough for one HD stream.
- 25 Mbps: Comfortable 4K Netflix in one room.
- 80 Mbps: UK average fixed-line download.
- 150+ Mbps: Full-fibre territory. Should never feel slow at home.
Upload
How fast you can push data out
- 1.5 Mbps: Minimum for one HD video call.
- 5 Mbps: Comfortable video calls and shared screen.
- 16 Mbps: UK average upload, fine for most homes.
- 50+ Mbps: Symmetric fibre. Cloud backup, large file uploads feel instant.
Latency
How quick the line responds
- Under 30 ms: Snappy. Good for calls, games, fast browsing.
- 30 to 60 ms: Decent for most uses. Calls fine.
- Over 60 ms: Noticeable. Games and calls may lag. Worth checking your Wi-Fi vs. the line itself.
§ 04
How to tell if it is your Wi-Fi or your line
A two-minute trick we use on every visit.
- 1. Run this test from a chair next to your router
Same room, ideally within a metre or two. Note the number.
- 2. Run it again from the room with the worst Wi-Fi
Usually the back bedroom, the kitchen, or the conservatory.
- 3. Compare the two numbers
If the second is similar, your line is the bottleneck. Talk to your ISP, or consider an upgrade. If the second is dramatically lower, your Wi-Fi is the bottleneck. That is something we usually fix in a single visit.
For a more accurate line speed, plug a laptop directly into the router with an Ethernet cable and run the test again. That removes Wi-Fi from the equation entirely. The number you get is what your line is actually delivering.
§ Useful next
- Wi-Fi and networking help
Dead zones, dropping signal, slow Wi-Fi sorted across Kent.
- Check a password for breaches
See if a password you use has appeared in a known data leak.
- All free tools
The full set of free utilities, no sign-up.
§ 05 · Get in touch
Wi-Fi not what you pay for?
Most poor results across Kent are router placement, an old router, or a mesh kit set up badly. A quick survey usually finds the cause in fifteen minutes. We can help.