As a slow Internet connection can be a nightmare for everyone, knowing what to do in those situations is crucial. If your Internet lags and it is slow, it’s probably got something to do with the ping, and you will most probably need to perform a speed test.
If this sounds scary and if you wonder what does ping mean on a speed test, worry not. In this article, we will equip you with all the essential knowledge regarding this topic so that you can enjoy your online experience just like you used to.
What Does Ping Mean on a Speed Test?
Ping is one of the most commonly used words among gamers and people whose professions depend on the speed of the Internet and a good Internet connection. That’s why this term still represents a mystery to many people that are average Internet and computer users.
But, as this term can save you lots of money you would spend on IT professionals, we decided to dedicate this article and explain what does ping mean on a speed test and how you can take advantage of knowing this information.
Definition of the ping
Namely, the term “ping”, also known as latency, represents the reaction time of your connection. In other words, ping represents how quickly your device gets an answer or a suitable response after you have sent a particular request. A more responsive connection is represented as a fast ping, and a less responsive connection as a slow ping.
Moreover, to rephrase, ping lets you know the time that the data packet needs to travel from your computer to a designated server and then back again. Basically, it is referred to as the latency between the computer and the server.
The connection’s speed, or the ping, is measured in milliseconds (ms).
Definition of the latency
The latency can be best described as the measurement in milliseconds of the entire round trip of the signal that travels back to the computer. This term refers to the quality rather than the speed of your overall network connection.
To make it clearer, the network connection consists of two elements – the bandwidth, which is the amount of data that can be transferred in a specific period of time, and the latency, which represents the actual time for that given amount of data to travel.
Low Ping and High Ping on a Speed Test
There is a certain range of what ping can be on a speed test. For example, for most broadband connections, ping amounts of about 100 milliseconds are considered below average. In comparison, for gaming conditions, any amounts of ping below 20 milliseconds, which is considered a low ping, are exceptional.
The ping amounts ranging between 50 milliseconds and 100 milliseconds are considered anywhere from good to average, while a ping amount of 150 milliseconds or even more is considered a high ping and is the least desirable.
Read more: How to Fix No Internet Connection
What Is a Good Ping on a Speed Test?
Although these measurements can vary, the usual value is almost always the same.
- Under 20 milliseconds – this amount is considered exceptional, and it is characterized by a crisp and clean visual with quick reaction times
- 20-50 milliseconds – this amount is considered very good for responsive and smooth reactions and information and data flow
- 50-100 milliseconds – this amount is considered fair, with an occasional dip and lag in the performance
- 100-300 milliseconds – this amount is considered poor and is characterized by pixelation in graphics and regular lags
- Over 300 milliseconds – with stuttering in graphics, lag, and delayed response, this amount of ping is considered bad
The Connection Between Lag, Download Speed, Ping, and Upload Speed
One of the most common mistakes people make is using these four terms for the same thing. Therefore, we wanted to clarify what each of these terms means and, more importantly, how you can use the information these terms provide to read the results from the speed test correctly.
As you could have already read above, a ping is actually the speed of the answer you get from your Internet connection after you have sent a request. The download speed represents the speed with which the data is pulled from the server. And the upload speed refers to the speed of the data you send to others.
On the other hand, when it comes to the term lag, we felt a need to explain this term as well because we have seen many people confuse lag with ping and vice versa. So, lag refers to the decreased or delayed speed that is most of the time caused by high latency or high ping. That being said, as high latency can cause lag, this further causes stuttering or freezing, slowing down the performance and even crashing programs and games.
Three Main Reasons That Might Show High Ping on a Speed Test
Internet connection speed
The speed of the Internet connection might many times have a direct impact on the ping on the speed test. If your Internet connection has a higher speed, you can send and receive data faster, meaning you will have a lower ping. On the contrary, a slow Internet connection will slow down the sending and receiving of the data, resulting in a higher ping.
That being said, you must be aware that only fiber and cable provide low latency, while satellite, fiber, and cable connections can offer high speeds.
Firewall configuration
Although a firewall serves to protect your computer from malware and viruses, it can also significantly slow it down and lead to high latency as it needs to check every data packet your computer receives.
Therefore, if you are looking for a way to reduce latency for a shorter time, turning off the firewall that directly monitors your web traffic might be one of the options.
Internet service provider quality
The quality of your Internet equipment might directly impact the speed, so you must ensure that you use high-quality, updated equipment that meets your Internet usage requirements.
Also read: What Equipment Is Needed for Fiber Optic Internet?
Conclusion
We hope that with the help of this article, you were finally able to find out what exactly ping is and what does ping mean on a speed test. Moreover, we have included every bit of essential information you need to know regarding this term, as well as the three most common reasons why speed tests show high ping.
From now on, whenever you find yourself in this situation, you will immediately know what it all is about without needing IT experts!