Internet Speed Test

The Internet Speed Test shows you the quality of your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

The Internet speed test on Fing Mobile, Fing Mobile controlled unit, and Fing Desktop measures the bandwidth and latency of an Internet connection against a server. The data rate is evaluated in both directions: upload and download. Internet speed has a direct impact on the quality of any Internet-based service.

You can run a speed test and view results on Fing Desktop, Fing Mobile, and Fing Mobile Controlled Monitoring Unit or Agent.   On Fing Web App, you can only view the result of the last test run on these platforms.   You cannot run a test on Fing Web App.

The speed test tool shows your ISP, city and country, and network as well as how your result compares to other users in the same city.  

For information on finding the best Internet provider in your area, see Finding the best Internet provider in your area.

Internet Speed Test Results

Here are examples of Internet Speed test Results on Fing Desktop and Fing Mobile, respectively.

The Internet Speed Test results windows gives you this information. 

• Download Speed: How fast your network downloads content from the Internet.  Downloading is simulated by the MLAB server that sends data to our NDT client on one or multiple connections.
• Upload Speed: How fast your network uploads content to the Internet. Upload: When you send data from a remote system, typically a server. Uploading is simulated by our NDT client that sends data to the MLAB server on a single connection.
• Latency: The delay before the transfer of data begins. Latency is the time delay of how long it takes data to travel between the sender and the receiver. Latency is measured using the ICMP Ping tool from the local phone to the MLAB server.
• Recent: A history of your download and upload speeds.
• ISP Scoreboard: A leaderboard that shows where your ISP ranks against the other ISPs in your city or country.
• Compare Providers: Compare your ISP provider with other ISP providers.
• Scheduled: Schedule automatic speed tests up to six times per day to track your ISP speed.
• Performance Graph: A graph that shows how your ISP speed has been performing.
• Report: Receive an email that will detail your overall Internet performance for the current or last month.

Run an Internet Speed Test on Fing Desktop

From Overview, click the Internet tab in the left sidebar and click the Test speed button

Run an Internet Test on Fing Mobile App or Fing Mobile App Controlled Agent or Monitoring Unit

Click Tools in the bottom toolbar, click Run speed test and select Test speed from this device

Schedule Internet Speed Tests

Automated Internet speed tests are set as default for all Fingbox users. See the following for how to remove automated Internet speed tests or change their schedule.

Schedule Speed Test on Fing Desktop

The speed test tool on Fing Desktop is the same as the Speed test on the Fing Mobile App with  optimized tools.

1. Click Internet in the left sidebar
2. Scroll down and click the Edit schedule button
3. Click the Schedule hours you want an automatic speed test to run at and click Save. You can run up to 6 automatic tests per day.
4. To remove all the automated speed tests, click Clear. To deselect certain automated speed tests, deselect the schedule hours you want to remove.

The graph in the Internet tab titled Average Performance of last 7 days will show the results of your scheduled Internet speed tests over the past week. It will also show your average Internet speed for the past week.

Note: You cannot select exact times to run a speed test because Fingbox needs to randomize the execution during that hour. This ensures the M-Lab servers are not overloaded by too many concurrent requests.

Schedule Speed Test on Fing Mobile, or Fing Mobile App Controlled Agent for Monitoring Unit,  and Fingbox

To select whether you want to run speed tests on mobile or Fingbox:

1. Open the Fing Mobile App.
2. Click Overview on the bottom toolbar.
3. Click the circular icon with three dots at the top right of the page.
4. To schedule speed tests on your phone, select Current Wi-Fi. To schedule speed tests on your Fingbox, select the option with the Fingbox icon beside it.

Once you have selected mobile or Fingbox:

1. From Overview, click the Internet widget. This is the third tab from the top of the page labelled with the name of your ISP. For example, Eir. Alternatively, from Overview, click the Online devices widget and click the Internet tab.
2. Scroll down to Average performance of last 7 days and click on the button with the calendar icon
3. Click on the testing hours you want an automatic speed test to run at and click Ok. You can run up to 6 automatic tests per day.
4. To remove automated speed tests, deselect the testing hours.

Export your Internet Speed Test results from Fing App Controlled Agent or Monitoring Unit

The reports option allow you to export all the data on your Internet performance for the current or last month. You can refer to the email reports if you report a problem to your ISP.

Create a Report of Test Results Using Fing Desktop

1. From Overview, click Internet in the left sidebar.
2. Scroll down and select Report.

Create a Report of Test Results using Fing Mobile App

1. Click Overview in the bottom toolbar
2. Click the Online devices widget
3. Click the Internet tab
4. Scroll down to the graph. Under the graph, click the Report button with the page icon.
5. Choose to get a report for This Month or Last Month

You will then receive a breakdown of how your Internet performed over the last month. The breakdown will include: daily, weekly and average download, upload, latency and Internet outage results.

What type of Internet speed should I expect?

Usually, an Internet download speed of 100 Mbps or higher is considered fast because it means the Wi-Fi can deal with multiple online activities for multiple users at the same time without major disruptions in the service.

Usually, an Internet upload speed of 10 Mbps or higher is considered fast because this speed can handle the activities of an average user without difficulty.

Below is the minimum download speed required for common activities made by BroadbandNow:

• 1-5 Mbps minimum for checking emails and browsing 
• 15-25 Mbps minimum for streaming HD content
• 40-100 Mbps minimum for streaming 4K content and playing online games
• 200+ Mbps minimum for streaming, play online games and downloading very large files

How are the Internet Speed Tests measured?

The Internet Speed Test infrastructure is provided by our partner Measurement Lab (M-Lab)

M-Lab is a trusted independent lab for network measurement. M-Lab is backed by academic institutions and used by large Internet companies such as Google.

M-Lab provides an API through which you can ask the best server to perform the test. The criteria is geographical proximity and lowest latency. When you use M-Lab’s measurement services, your device is connected to servers closest to you geographically. You can view all of our current server locations on our Infrastructure Status Page.

M-Lab host servers in Tier 1 data centres where ISPs pair with other networks.

Note: M-labs do not have servers in Switzerland. The servers in Italy are the closest for any discrepancy in speed tests for Switzerland.

M-labs placement of servers is different than other speed testing platforms such as Ookla. M-lab hosts servers in Tier 1 data centers where ISPs peer with other networks, instead of inside the 'last mile' networks that provide you direct service.

The Science Behind the Fingbox Internet Speed Test

The Fingbox Internet Speed Test is also provided by our partner Measurement Lab.

The Fingbox Internet Speed Test gives you a measurement of a realistic speed achievable with real Internet services, rather than a formal speed sustainable within the “last mile“. M-Lab servers are located in the most important exchange nodes of the global Internet. See the test locations here.

The test takes approximately 30 seconds. The test gauges your Internet speed by measuring how much data can move through your connection in that time, in download and in upload. The test uses different amounts of data depending on how fast your connection is and where you do the test. For example, a typical test in the U.S. can use up to 20MB of data.

Note: Because of the different locations of M-Lab's test servers, M-Lab test results may differ from other commercial services.

Variations in Speed Test Results

Your test results can change in a short time and differ from other internet speed test results. Results can vary for multiple reasons, such as changes in network conditions or changes in testing servers' location.

For more information on why M-Lab speed test results may differ from others, see the M-Lab FAQ

Note: Fingbox can operate up to 1 Gigabit speed. However, the link speed can be less. Ensure to connect your Fingbox to a Gigabit router/switch port and use the provided LAN cable.

The Science Behind ISP ratings

The Fing analytics provide ISP scoreboards by automatically ranking Fing and Fingbox speed and quality measurements.

To calculate speed scores, we compute the minimum, maximum, average and standard deviation metrics for each provider,  and use them in a Z-score algorithm, which assumes a population following a normal distribution. Country and city populations of providers are then grouped, with each provider weighted by the contribution of different test sources. We then determine the score of each provider and your network as the estimated percentiles are combined for download and upload. Download makes up 80% of the percentiles and upload makes up the remaining 20%.

Internet speed tests and more: Video

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