broadband speed test

Broadband speeds are not all the same. In most cases, the actual speed experienced by the consumer does not match the speed claimed by the Internet Service Provider. Actually, the speed stated on the brochure defines how fast you can go. Most of the time, consumers cannot experience this bandwidth (speed). This is because the actual internet speed a consumer has is largely determined by a number of factors.

These factors include your distance from the internet tower sending the signal (the closer you are, the faster your speed) and saturation (the more users there are, the slower your speed). If you’re curious about your actual bandwidth, you can check out some sites that offer speed tests for DSL and cable Internet. Some of them are paid, but many are free.

Running the test is very simple and does not require any downloads. Most of the speed test portals have an easy to understand graphical interface and taking the test basically starts by simply clicking on a button which is usually located under the image of the speedometer. The speed test can be completed in less than a minute and a results window will appear immediately telling you your actual bandwidth.

The most common problem that consumers encounter when using the service comes with the high restrictions set with the firewall. When the block option is set to a very high level, the speed test site is usually blocked by the firewall. When this happens, you can reset your firewall to allow the particular site.