How to check the quality of your network and Internet connection in Microsoft Windows

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How to check the quality of your network and Internet connection in Microsoft Windows
How to check the quality of your network and Internet connection in Microsoft Windows
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Long site loading or page refresh in the browser annoys most users. This latency is characterized by latency, that is, the amount of time during which the data packet travels from the source (web server) to the destination (computer). Using the steps outlined above, you can use online services and computer programs to determine the cause of the connection delay.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Online Services

Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 1
Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 1

Step 1. Select an online service

There are many services on the web that test your internet connection. Most likely, you will find a similar utility on the website of your internet service provider. Some of the more popular online services are Speakeasy and DSLReports. This section describes the utilities that can be found on the DSLreports site; these utilities will allow you to fully test your internet connection.

  • Go to www.dslreports.com.
  • On the menu bar (top), click Tools.
Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 2
Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 2

Step 2. Ask users connected to your local network to disconnect from it

If other users are connected to your local network, this will negatively affect the process of checking the speed of the network connection.

  • Ask other users of your local network to disconnect from it for the time during which you test the quality of the network connection.
  • If you are having problems accessing the Internet, connect your computer directly to a modem (using a network cable) rather than a wireless network to immediately rule out a possible source of malfunction.
Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 3
Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 3

Step 3. Test your internet connection speed

As a result of speed testing, you will receive data on the download and upload speed between the computer and the tested site; Compare the obtained speed values with those specified in the contract with your Internet provider.

  • Click on the "Start" button to start the process of checking the speed of your Internet connection. This button is located on the right side of the Test Speed section.
  • On the page that opens, click on the button with the name of the type of Internet connection - "Gigabit / Fiber" (Fiber), "Cable", "DSL", "Satellite", "WISP" and so on.
  • Run your connection speed test. The download and upload speed and latency will be checked.
Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 4
Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 4

Step 4. Ping the connection to the server

This testing will determine the time it takes to send a data packet to a remote server and receive that packet on a computer; in this case, the data packet is sent to several servers, that is, the average speed of the Internet connection is calculated. The delay in the case of connecting to the Internet via a cable modem is 5–40 ms, in the case of a DSL connection - 10–70 ms, in the case of dial-up access - 100–220 ms, in the case of a cellular network connection - 200–600 ms. Please note that the further the server is from your location, the longer the waiting time. On average, the latency increases by 1 second with an increase in the distance to the server by 100 km.

  • Start ping. In the "Ping Test (Real Time)" section, click on the "Start" button. A page will open indicating that the listed servers will be pinged twice a second, and every thirty seconds a report on the computer's connection to the server will be displayed on the screen.
  • Click Start again. The screen will display a radar graph and a list of servers with their IP addresses and latency values, which will change in real time.
  • Review the report that assesses the quality of your Internet connection. This report is displayed in the left pane and is refreshed every 30 seconds. After completing the test, you can run it again or share the results with other users.
Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 5
Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 5

Step 5. Determine your IP address

Although the What is my IP address utility does not test your Internet connection, it can detect your public IP address, which is different from your actual IP address due to the proxy servers used by the router. Also, this utility will help you find out the IP addresses of your network components, which will be useful for determining the network source and latency using the utilities built into Windows.

  • In the “What is my IP address” section, click “Start”. The page that opens will display your IP address, as well as other IP addresses related to your computer.
  • Make a note of the IP address. It will come in handy for additional checking the quality of the Internet connection. It is also a good idea to write down any other IP addresses displayed on the page.

Method 2 of 3: Command Prompt (Windows)

Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 6
Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 6

Step 1. Open Command Prompt

Here you can enter commands to test network connectivity and to determine the timeout.

  • Click "Start" - "Run".

  • Enter cmd and click OK. This will open a command prompt window where you can enter the appropriate commands. You can also type in the Start menu search bar cmd.exe.

    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 7
    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 7

    Step 2. Ping the local host

    Such testing will identify problems with computer components that negatively affect the quality of the network connection and the waiting time.

    • Enter the command Ping 127.0.0.1 -n 20.

      The specified IP address is standard for the vast majority of private IP addresses; parameter - n 20 will send 20 data packets. If you forgot to enter a parameter - n 20, stop testing by pressing Ctrl + C.

    • Review the report. The time it takes for a data packet to reach the local host should not exceed 5ms, and the packet loss rate should be zero.
    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 8
    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 8

    Step 3. Ping the connection to the server

    After confirming that the local host is functioning properly, ping the connection to the remote server to determine the timeout. The standard latency value for an Internet connection via a cable modem is 5–40 ms, for a DSL connection - 10–70 ms, for dial-up access - 100–220 ms, for a cellular network connection - 200–600 ms. Please note that the further the server is from your location, the longer the waiting time. On average, the latency increases by 1 second with an increase in the distance to the server by 100 km.

    • Enter ping, and then enter the IP address or site address you want to test the connection to and press Enter. First, enter the website address of your ISP, and then test the connection to the sites you visit frequently.
    • Review the report. The test results will be displayed on the screen. In the "time =" (time) lines, you will find the time-out value (in milliseconds) required for the data packet to pass to the remote server and back to the computer. Remember that if you forgot to enter the parameter - n 20, stop testing by pressing Ctrl + C.
    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 9
    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 9

    Step 4. Start tracing the route

    This test will determine the route of the data packet from the computer to the remote server, and also identify the reasons for the packet delays. Such a test is useful in determining the source of the network or the reasons for the data packet delays.

    • Enter tracert, and then enter the IP address or site address you want to route to and press Enter.
    • Review the report. The screen will display the test results, namely the IP addresses through which the packet passes, the time required to reach each subsequent address, and confirmation of the passage of the next transition (transit section). Keep in mind that the more such transitions, the higher the latency.

    Method 3 of 3: Network Utility (Mac OS)

    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 10
    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 10

    Step 1. Open the "Network Utility" program

    With this program, you can test network connectivity and determine latency.

    • Open Finder and click Applications.
    • Open the Utilities folder.
    • Find and click on the "Network Utility" icon.
    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 11
    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 11

    Step 2. Select a network connection

    The Network Utility program will test wired connection (Ethernet option), wireless connection (Airport option), firewall connection (Firewall option) and Bluetooth connection (Bluetooth option).

    • On the "Information" tab in the corresponding menu, select the desired network connection.
    • Select an active connection. If the connection is active, the screen will display the hardware address, IP address and connection speed, and the “Connection Status” line will show “Active”. If the connection is not active, only the hardware address will be displayed on the screen, and the “Connection Status” line will show “Inactive”.
    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 12
    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 12

    Step 3. Ping the connection to the server

    To do this, you must enter the address of the site, the connection to which you want to test, and the number of data packets sent. The standard latency value for an Internet connection via a cable modem is 5–40 ms, for a DSL connection - 10–70 ms, for dial-up access - 100–220 ms, for a cellular network connection - 200–600 ms. Please note that the further the server (from your location), the longer the waiting time; on average, the latency increases by 1 second with an increase in the distance to the server by 100 km.

    • In the Network Utility window, go to the Ping tab.
    • Enter the IP address or site address you want to test the connection to. First, enter the website address of your ISP, and then test the connection to the sites you visit frequently.
    • Enter the number of data packets to send (by default, it is 10).
    • Click "Ping".
    • Review the report. Test results will be displayed on the screen; in the "time =" (time) lines, you will find the time-out value (in milliseconds) required for the data packet to pass to the remote server and back to the computer.
    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 13
    Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag) in Microsoft Windows Step 13

    Step 4. Start tracing the route

    This test will determine the route of the data packet from the computer to the remote server, and also identify the reasons for the packet delays. Such a test is useful in determining the source of the network or the reasons for the data packet delays.

    • In the Network Utility window, go to the Tracing tab.
    • Enter the IP address or site address you want to route to.
    • Click Trace.
    • Review the report. The screen will display the test results, namely the IP addresses through which the packet passes, the time required to reach each subsequent address, and confirmation of the passage of the next transition (transit section). Keep in mind that the more such transitions, the higher the latency.

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