How to Test Your Internet Speeds
Testing your internet or WiFi speeds is just a button click away, but before you do there are a few steps to keep in mind to ensure you get the best possible results.
Use a Wired Connection
A wired connection will always provide the fastest speed and best Internet experience. When performing the speed test be sure to connect your computer to your modem using an Ethernet cable:
Test your Internet connection. Check your network speed, latency, and jitter with our Internet speed test. Powered by Cloudflare's global edge network. © 2018, CenturyLink. All Rights Reserved.
- Connect the Ethernet cable from the back of the modem to the open Ethernet port on your computer.
- Connect the power cord from the back of the modem to an electrical outlet.
- Check the modem and router lights to confirm they have power, and are connected to the network and your computer.
Remember that every Ethernet cable has a speed limit. Some cables only support speeds up to 10 Mbps, which is slower than most RCN Internet speed packages. Make sure your Ethernet cable can support the speed you’ve signed up for. If not, you’ll need one that will.
The broadband speed test on this site is the Ookla (speedtest.net) speed test which is one of the most popular online speed testers (but without all the advertisements that slow your connection).There are a number of other speed tests that you can use to double check your speed readings. The test is backed by Ookla and measures the ping (latency), download speed and upload speed between your device and a test server. Please note that it doesn’t measure the speed we deliver to your modem because there are many other factors affect the speed in your home.
Turn off Unused Connected Devices
Be sure to turn off unused devices including laptops, tablets, phones, gaming systems, or other smart home devices. Multiple devices connected to your home network may result in slower internet and WiFi speeds. This is because devices divide bandwidth like a pie, with each device taking the portion it needs at the time of use resulting in slower speeds.
Close all Applications and Programs
Applications or programs running in the background, even when not in use, may be using your internet connection. It is recommended that these programs be closed until after the speed test is completed.
Is your internet fast enough? Test internet speeds at your location with a single click.
There was an error initializing the test. Please reload the page and try again.
Initializing Upload Test...
-- Upload
Testing Your Upload Speed...
Initializing Download Test...
--
-- Download
Testing Your Download Speed...
Spectrum Internet
We like the simplicity of selecting an Internet plan with Spectrum—there are just three plans, and all of them are fast.
The three plans Spectrum offers are Spectrum Internet®, up to 100 Mpbs (wireless speeds may vary) for $49.99 per month for 12 months. Spectrum Internet Ultra with speeds up to 400 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) for $69.99 per month for 12 months. And Spectrum Internet Gig with speeds up to 940 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) for $109.99 a month for 12 months.
Actual speeds vary by location. For example, in Carlsbad, California, the average download speed is 82 Mbps, but in Helena, Montana, it’s 32.71 Mbps.
Top advertised download speed:
Up to
940 Mbps
(wireless speeds may vary)
Spectrum average Internet speed test results:
Internet Speed Test Ookla Free Speed
Average download speed: 79.68 Mbps
Average latency: 9.36 ms
Total speed tests: 1,295,166
Fastest cities for Spectrum Internet service
| City | Top advertised download speed | Average download speed* |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Castroville, CA | 940 Mbps | 169 Mbps |
| 2. Copperas Cove, TX | 940 Mbps | 157 Mbps |
| 3. House Springs, MO | 940 Mbps | 156 Mbps |
| 4. Leeds, AL | 940 Mbps | 155 Mbps |
| 5. Cleburne, TX | 940 Mbps | 147 Mbps |
Spectrum doesn’t play around with “bargain” slow speed plans that are sure to disappoint anyone living in the twenty-first century. The slowest plan offered by Spectrum whizzes along at speeds up to 100 Mbps, which is ample speed for a household of three to four people to stream video on multiple devices. Hopping up to even faster speeds up to 100 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) for $49.99 per month for 12 months, Spectrum gives you more bandwidth for gaming and faster file uploads and downloads.
In some areas of the country, Spectrum offers speeds up to 940 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) for $109.99 a month for 12 months. In other places, up to 100 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) for $49.99 a month for 12 months is the fastest available. That’s because Spectrum uses cable infrastructure originally installed by three different telecommunications companies to deliver cable internet to 41 states.
Spectrum’s parent company—Charter Communications—bought out two other telecommunications companies (Bright House Networks and Time Warner Cable) and combined them to create the third-largest telecommunications company in the US—Spectrum. In some areas, the infrastructure is built to enable faster connection speeds, which is why there are different Spectrum speeds available across the country.
Spectrum Mobile broadband
Spectrum Mobile utilizes the most reliable 4G LTE network, which we assume is Verizon. Connection speeds for 4G data vary based on network congestion and your proximity to cell phone towers. Verizon’s 4G LTE data averages speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps, with upload speeds topping out around 5 Mbps. That’s usually fast enough to watch YouTube videos and browse the web while you’re sitting on the train during your morning commute. (Just keep those earbuds handy.)
Plus, if you’re a Spectrum Mobile customer, you’ll also have access to Spectrum Internet’s network of WiFi hotspots, since Spectrum Mobile is only available to current Internet customers. You can use these WiFi hotspots around the city to keep data usage low on your phone.
With Spectrum Mobile, you can pay for data by the Gig ($14/GB) or pay for an unlimited data plan ($45 per line). By-the-Gig data can be shared with other phones you have on your plan.
As far as data speeds go, keep in mind that if you opt for the Unlimited plan, you will experience reduced data speed after the monthly 20 GB threshold.
Enter your zip to get speeds and providers available for your area.
AT&T vs. Spectrum
AT&T has a wider range of plans (from 5 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps), but Spectrum’s pricing on midrange plans (around 100 Mbps) is a little lower than AT&T’s.
Xfinity vs. Spectrum
Although a little pricey, Xfinity has a better WiFi network and the fastest available speeds. Spectrum has unlimited data, which comes in handy if you like streaming video.
CenturyLink vs. Spectrum
Both CenturyLink and Spectrum Internet are no contract, although prices do go up for Spectrum after the first year. But Spectrum gets better ratings for customer service.
Internet Speed Recommendations
The speed you need depends on what you like to do online and how many people use your connection. The more folks in your household, the more bandwidth you’ll need.
These recommendations give you a quick reference on what to shoot for. For a more personalized speed recommendation, use our How Much Speed Do I Need? tool.
Most Accurate Speed Test Site
1-3 People:
5 Mbps
4 - 6 People:
10 Mbps
1-3 People:
5 Mbps
4 - 6 People:
25 Mbps
1-3 People:
25 Mbps
4 - 6 People:
100 Mbps
1-3 People:
SD Video: 10 Mbps
HD Video: 50 Mbps
4 - 6 People:
SD Video: 50 Mbps
HD Video: 100+ Mbps
About our Spectrum Internet speed test
Our Spectrum Internet speed test will show you how fast your Internet is actually clipping along—which might be different from the advertised speeds. By connecting to servers near you, our speed test gives you the most accurate results possible.
Internet speeds vary throughout the day, so make sure you try the speed test during peak and off-peak hours to get a good idea of how well your Internet is performing. You can also test your WiFi from different rooms in your house to determine where you have the strongest signal. If you have dead zones, adjusting the location of your router/modem can help.
How does the Spectrum Internet speed test work?
An Internet speed test will show your actual connection speed in megabits per second (Mbps).
The Spectrum Internet speed test will prompt your browser to attempt to download a test (or dummy) file. The speed test will keep track of how long it takes for your computer to download this file. Don’t worry—the file is harmless. This size of the file is then divided by the download time to calculate your download speed in megabits per second (Mbps).
Next, the speed test switches things around to upload the same file, calculating how long it takes. The file size is then divided by the upload time to calculate your upload speed.
Your latency is measured in the test as well. Latency is also known as lag time, and a high number is a bad thing here, folks. To test for latency, a signal known as a ping is sent from your computer to your internet server, which then boomerangs back to your computer. The faster data can travel, the lower your latency. The longer it takes for a ping to travel this distance, the higher your latency score is. Low latency scores of 20 ms to 40 ms (milliseconds) is fantastic. A high latency (over 70 ms) can give you noticeable delays when you’re doing things like playing games online.
Keep in mind that advertised speeds are listed as “up to” and are not a promise of actual speed. Still, you should be getting close to the speed you’re paying for most of the time. If not, contact Spectrum and let them know.
For the best results, we recommend using a wired connection to your internet (with an Ethernet cable). Then try it on your WiFi. If there’s a big difference, you might have problems with your router/modem.
If you aren’t getting the speed you need, try resetting your modem. If that doesn’t work, you can contact Spectrum about it. And if you still can’t get the speeds you need, it’s easy to cancel Spectrum and switch to another provider since Spectrum doesn’t have contracts. But keep in mind that a new provider will probably charge an installation fee, though, and may require a contract. Indesign 2014 for mac.
Spectrum Internet speed FAQ
How fast are Spectrum Internet speeds?
Spectrum Internet speed packages vary based on your location. In some cities, there are three plans, up to 100 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) for $49.99 a month for 12 months, up to 400 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) for $69.99 a month for 12 months and 940 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) for $109.99 a month for 12 months.
According to our data, three of the five cities with the fastest Spectrum Internet connections are located in the DFW (Dallas–Fort Worth) area in Texas, with two others located in Southern California and Long Island, New York.
The slowest Spectrum Internet service is in Montana, Idaho, Nebraska, western New York, and Lexington, South Carolina. The slowest Spectrum speed we’ve seen come through our test is about 36 Mbps, while the fastest hit 82 Mbps. That’s not to say Spectrum can’t get faster than that—we just haven’t had any Spectrum Gig customers use our test yet.
Does Spectrum offer cable TV with no contract?
Yes, Spectrum offers no contract cable TV service. Spectrum TV packages range in price from $44.99 to $104.99 per month. Spectrum offers Double and Triple Play bundles with Internet, mobile phone plans, and home phone (landline) service.
Spectrum also offers a streaming TV service called TV Essentials for $14.99 per month. Rather than delivering content through cable boxes, TV Essentials streams live TV content to your Internet-connected device. Since there’s no setup fee, it’s easy to cancel or add service anytime.
TV Essentials has over 60 basic channels like A&E, Comedy Central, Discovery, Animal Planet, BBC America, Hallmark, and more. You can’t get premium channels like HBO® or STARZ®, but it’s a great bargain package for Spectrum Internet customers who want a little live TV to go along with their Netflix or Hulu account.