Want to put your high speed Internet provider to the test? Visit one of these sites to get an Internet speed test and see what they are giving you:
Using Charter Cable locally here in Wisconsin? Visit http://speedtest.charter.com/
Speedtest.net is a good generic test, and they also have applications available for your iPhone / Android phone: http://speedtest.net/
Speakeasy’s speed test is another good generic test: http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/
Use Time Warner cable? If so, do a Google search for your home area and include Time Warner Cable speed test in your search. Time Warner offers location specific speed tests which lock out other users. This should offer a more reliable speed reading than both Speedtest.net and Speakeasy.net.
A speed test will measure how long data takes to travel to the company providing the test and back to your computer. Based on the size of the file they sent you, and the time from which it leaves their server to get to your computer, the test calculates your download speed. The size of the file and the time it takes to leave your computer and get back to their server determines your upload speed.
Usually your download speed is greater than your upload speed. Why? Because most people download a lot more than they upload. You go to YouTube to watch a video for instance…your computer uploads your action of clicking on a link to get to a particular video vs your computer now has to download said video to play it back for you.