The results tend to fluctuate depending on a number of factors: The speed test measures the flow of data at one moment in time. In that case, the information below would not apply, as the results would not change based on these factors. Note that another type of speed test, such as those offered by certain modem manufacturers, measures the speed from the network directly to the modem. In this case, you have to take a few things into consideration before you can determine if the test results are “good” or “bad” for your situation. Many internet speed tests out there, including the one we provide here, on the CenturyLink site, measure internet speed on a particular device. That’s because once the connection is divvied up by the devices in your home and sent over WiFi, some of that network speed is lost. From the router to your devices, then, the speed you see will typically be a bit lower. So, if your internet plan has an advertised bandwidth of up to 20 Mbps, this is the highest volume of information that can be sent over the network to your router. The speed, then, is how fast that water comes out of the tap when you turn it on. Think of bandwidth as the width of a water pipe, which determines the volume of water that can flow through the pipe at any given moment. There’s a plumbing metaphor that can help us understand these two concepts. Speed is the rate at which information or content reaches your device (tablet, laptop, smartphone, etc.) from the internet.Bandwidth is the maximum volume of data that can be transmitted over an internet connection, measured in Megabits per second (Mbps).You may hear “bandwidth” and “speed” used interchangeably, but they do refer to slightly different aspects of internet service. What’s the difference between speed and bandwidth? To really answer that question, you must understand a bit more about internet speed, WiFi speed, and network connections. You may have run a speed test, or you may have no idea what your internet speed is.Įither way, if you’re like a lot of people, you simply want to know: “Is my connection fast enough?” On the other hand, a wired (Ethernet) connection from the device straight to the modem will be about the same as the network speed to your home or building.Chances are good you’ve spent at least a moment or two thinking about your internet speed - especially if you’ve experienced a slow or spotty connection. Over a WiFi connection, speed to your device may vary greatly depending on how close your device is to your WiFi point, as well as any obstructions or distance in between. Speed to your device may vary greatly depending on whether you have a wired or WiFi connection. This speed is measured to and from the device you are using to run the test, which means the type of connection has a big impact on the result.
#Centurylink wireless internet speed test download
How quickly your internet can transfer that data from the network to your device and from your device back to the network determines your download and upload speed. Next, the speed test downloads and uploads a packet of data over that connection. The amount of time it takes for that information to make the trip is your ping. You will see the name in the lower right-hand corner of the testing window.Ī "packet" of information is sent from your device to the server and back. The internet speed test starts by identifying the network server that is closest to you.