Check broadband speed

Checking broadband speed properly means controlling the boring bits: same device where possible, quiet network, honest timing, and notes. Pulse on the homepage is the button press; this page is the checklist so your numbers mean something when you complain, switch, or simply reassure yourself.

Exact steps to check broadband speed properly

1. Pause heavy downloads, streams, and cloud sync on every device you can.
2. Connect a laptop or PC with Ethernet to the router for one baseline run.
3. Open the homepage and run Pulse three times back-to-back; jot Mbps, latency, and jitter.
4. Disconnect Ethernet and repeat from the room where you actually work or watch TV.
5. Repeat the pair on another evening if you suspect peak-time issues.

What to pause or switch off before testing

Game launchers, Dropbox, iCloud Photos, and smart-TV background updates all steal airtime. A quick check before a call can ignore some of that; an evidence pack cannot.

Where to stand or connect from

For Wi-Fi, test where life happens—not next to the router unless that is your only desk. In Newcastle a renter ran one wired test in the hall cupboard and one Wi-Fi test in the attic office—only then did the complaint make sense.

Why to retest at different times

Patterns beat bragging rights. If evenings are always softer than mornings, say so with dates.

What result patterns matter

Stable latency with modest Mbps can beat high Mbps with wild jitter for calls. Look at all three numbers Pulse shows.

When to contact your provider

When wired, repeated tests sit below your stated minimum or range and you have reference numbers from chats or faults. Rights overview: slow broadband rights in the UK.

Run Pulse

Check broadband speed with the live Pulse test.

FAQ

Related guides

• How to run an accurate broadband speed test
• Why is my speed test slower than my package?
• Slow broadband rights in the UK
• UK broadband speed test (live tool)