Wi‑Fi Test Guide – Improve Your Home Network

Start with your main connection.

Run a free Internet speed test on testspeed.run. Check download speed, upload speed, ping, jitter and connection stability. Test more than once and compare results at different times of day.

Test your main connection first

If possible, connect a computer directly to your router with an Ethernet cable. A wired connection gives you a baseline without Wi-Fi distance, walls or wireless interference.

If the wired connection is also slow, the issue may involve your Internet provider, modem, router, cable, subscription speed or temporary congestion. If wired is good but Wi-Fi is slow, focus on wireless coverage, interference or the device.

If you cannot connect at all, unplug the modem and router, wait about 30 seconds, reconnect them, and run the test again.

Check performance in important rooms

Use the same laptop, phone or tablet in the living room, bedroom, home office, kitchen, basement, upstairs rooms, garage or outdoor areas where you normally use the Internet. Close unnecessary apps, pause downloads and avoid streaming while testing.

Try different devices

Repeat the same tests with another phone, tablet or computer. If one device is slow everywhere, check its Wi-Fi hardware, software, background applications, VPN and support for newer Wi-Fi standards. If several devices are slow in the same room, you have likely found a Wi-Fi weak spot.

Focus on the areas where results drop.

If Wi-Fi is slow throughout your home, restart your modem and router first. If the result remains low near the router, the problem may be your Internet service or network equipment.

Check your router location

Place the router near the center of your home, in an open and elevated position. Avoid the floor, corners, thick walls, metal objects, enclosed cabinets, microwaves and other electronics. Moving it a few meters can improve coverage; test again after repositioning it.

Look for interference and obstacles

Concrete or brick walls, multiple floors, metal furniture, large mirrors, appliances, thick shelves, closed doors, baby monitors, Bluetooth devices and nearby wireless networks can weaken signals. Remove obstacles where possible, move the router or device, and test after each change.

Manage connected devices

Phones, laptops, TVs, consoles, cameras, speakers, tablets and smart appliances share network capacity. Large downloads, cloud backups, 4K streaming and game updates can affect everyone. Review your router app, disconnect unused devices and use Quality of Service, guest networks, bandwidth monitoring or automatic channel selection when available.

Improve coverage carefully.

You do not have a Wi-Fi extender

If tests show a weak signal in a distant room, an extender may help. Before buying, check compatibility, Wi-Fi standard, expected coverage and maximum throughput. Place it between the router and the weak area, where it can still receive a strong signal.

Your Wi-Fi extender is underperforming

Test with the extender turned on, turn it off, connect directly to the main router and test again in the same location. Compare download, upload, ping and stability. If performance improves without it, the extender may be too far away, overloaded, outdated or incompatible.

You may need a Mesh Wi-Fi system

Mesh Wi-Fi can be better for multiple floors, thick walls, several permanent weak spots or inconsistent extender performance. If you already use Mesh, test each room and check the placement of the node serving that area.

Test again after making changes

After moving the router, disconnecting unused devices, changing Wi-Fi settings or installing an extender, run another test on testspeed.run. Compare your new results with the original measurements and look for higher speeds, lower ping, steadier performance and better coverage.

Frequently asked questions