Internet speed explained – download, upload and ping | IPv6 Speedtest
What is internet speed?
Internet speed is a measure of how quickly data flows over your connection. There are three key numbers that together give a complete picture of your connection:
- Download speed – how quickly data travels from the internet to your device (Mbps).
- Upload speed – how quickly data travels from your device to the internet (Mbps).
- Ping (latency) – the delay between your device and the server, measured in milliseconds (ms).
What does Mbps mean?
Mbps stands for megabits per second. Note: 1 megabyte (MB) equals 8 megabits (Mb). So a 100 Mbps connection can theoretically download 100 ÷ 8 = 12.5 megabytes per second. Some providers advertise in MB/s (megabytes per second); make sure you know which unit is being used.
What is a good download speed?
| Use case | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Web browsing / email | 5 Mbps | 25 Mbps |
| HD streaming (1080p) | 10 Mbps | 25 Mbps |
| 4K streaming (UHD) | 25 Mbps | 50 Mbps |
| Online gaming | 10 Mbps | 50 Mbps |
| Video calling (HD) | 5 Mbps | 15 Mbps |
| Working from home (cloud apps) | 25 Mbps | 50 Mbps |
| Multiple users simultaneously | 50 Mbps | 200+ Mbps |
What is a good upload speed?
Upload speed is just as important as download, especially if you:
- Regularly meet via Teams, Zoom or Google Meet;
- Upload files to the cloud (OneDrive, Google Drive);
- Create and upload content to YouTube or social media;
- Use a NAS or home server that needs to be accessible remotely.
For comfortable remote working, at least 10 Mbps upload is recommended; for live video streaming, you need at least 5–20 Mbps (depending on quality).
What is a good ping?
Ping – also known as latency – indicates how long it takes for a signal to travel from your device to a server and back. Lower is always better.
| Ping | Quality | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| < 20 ms | Excellent | Competitive gaming, live trading |
| 20 – 50 ms | Good | Casual gaming, video calling |
| 50 – 100 ms | Acceptable | Streaming, browsing |
| 100 – 200 ms | Poor | Not ideal for gaming |
| > 200 ms | Bad | Noticeable delay in every application |
Jitter and packet loss
Jitter is the variation in ping values. A stable connection has low jitter (< 10 ms). High jitter causes stuttering during video calls and gaming, even if the average ping is low.
Packet loss occurs when data packets are lost in transit. Even 1% packet loss can cause noticeable problems. Our speed test measures this as well.
What affects your speed?
- Connection type: fibre > cable > VDSL > ADSL > 4G/5G.
- Wi-Fi vs. cable: a wired (Ethernet) connection is always faster and more stable than Wi-Fi.
- Router: an outdated router limits speed, even with a fast connection.
- Network congestion: evening peak hours (7–10 pm) sometimes lead to lower speeds.
- Distance to server: the further the test server, the higher the ping.
- IPv4 vs. IPv6: IPv6 can sometimes be faster than IPv4 due to more efficient routing.
Test your speed now
Use the speed test on the homepage to measure your current download and upload speed. Test both over Wi-Fi and via a direct Ethernet connection to see the difference.