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Spectrum Internet Speed Test

Spectrum is one of the top internet providers in the country, with a long history and a long-lasting customer base. Yet if you are using them currently, are the download speeds they advertised matching what you're actually getting? Please use this speed test to check your connection and then compare it to what you should have, what else you could have, and what other people are getting as well, which we'll have the data for down below.

To best use this speed test, we recommend using an ethernet cable connection and that you don't have too many internet-intensive processes running on your device or on your network to get an accurate reading. Also, try to take multiple tests at different times during the day, to better see consistency.

Understanding Your Results

Download Speed

This is likely the first number you'll look at and the most important one for most people (unless there's a significant problem in another area). Your download speed determines how fast you can download files or stream media, and have a network that can easily handle multiple users. ISPs usually advertise their speeds by this metric.

Upload Speed

Conversely, your upload speed is the speed at which devices can send files or information somewhere else using your connection. This is often much slower than the download speed, as most people do not need nearly the amount of upload speed as download speed. This is to be expected on most Spectrum plans.

Ping Rate/Latency

This number is how long (in milliseconds) it takes for a packet to be sent from your computer to another location or server and then receive a response. An ideal ping rate is lower than 30ms or less, although the average person can make do fine with 100ms or less.

Cities that Have the Fastest AT&T Internet Connections

We have found that these major cities and metro areas have the fastest connections and plans offered by Spectrum, reaching speeds of up to 940 Mbps. We consider Spectrum to be an excellent choice in these locations:

Cities with Best Spectrum Internet Speeds

Spectrum's Advertised Speeds Versus Actual Speeds

You can use the chart to see, based on FCC data, whether Spectrum generally provides the speeds they are promising. Broken down by plan, if your speed is much lower, you may wish to investigate the matter further or consider switching providers. However, Spectrum is good about this, with many plans on average performing better than advertised.

Spectrum Advertised Speeds vs. Actual Speeds

If you're curious as to what the best Spectrum customers are getting, this graph showcases the average download speed of the fastest 10 percent of those who used a speed test.

AT&T Internet Fastest Download Speeds

You can use this graph to get a better idea of the average download speeds for Spectrum across all users across the country. Naturally, based on your plan and location, your speed will vary from this.

AT&T Internet Average Download Speeds

FAQs

How Fast Should Your Internet Be?

In general, your internet speed should be at least 80 percent of the advertised speed, and anything consistently less warrants a closer look.

How Fast Can You Expect WiFi Speeds to Be?

It will vary based on interference in the signal, the equipment (routers, receivers, etc.) you are using, and some other factors, but ultimately, you should have a 30-50 percent speed of your plan's advertised speed.

How Much Speed Does My Household Need?

The exact amount will vary by household, but at least 25 Mbps is recommended for most common functions, and at least 5-10Mbps is needed to work on a basic level. We recommend that you err on the side of having extra bandwidth in your plan here, even if you know you can upgrade later, as the internet is highly unlikely to change in a way that's going to require less bandwidth to use everything properly.

Conclusion

We hope that this speed test has helped you better understand whether your Spectrum internet service is working for you, and shown you that there may be alternatives out there if you aren't getting what you were promised. Please take note of your results and resolve to take additional steps as you feel necessary, as we would hate for the improvement of your home internet to stop here.