The Internet is one of the most powerful and useful tools we have at our disposal on a daily basis, yet we often take it for granted. Until it starts working or stops working completely, that is.
When this happens, the first and best diagnostic tool to run is an internet speed test. Normally, this might mean going to a web page and running a test, but if you have internet problems, this can be more difficult than it first seems.
Fortunately, there are a wide variety of different Chrome extensions that allow you to test them quickly and easily from your browser. Here are five of the best.
First on this list is Speedtest by Ookla. If you’re familiar with internet speed tests, there’s a good chance you’ve come across Speedtest by Ookla in the past.
This speed test is one of the most popular online tests, and for good reason. Ookla provides a no-nonsense test that’s fast and accurate without much in the way of feature bloat.
This extension is also very easy to use. All you need to do is install the extensions from the Chrome Web Store and then go to the extension bar in your browser. From there, it’s just a click and you’re off.
This will open Speedtest by Ookla for you. All you have to do is press the big pulsation button Go button and the extension will start doing the work for you.
The test is pretty quick, all things considered, and shows the basic data you want to see like ping, download speed, and upload speed.
Once you have your results, you can share them either using a link or directly on Facebook and Twitter, and even create an account to save your test history. This can be a great way to determine if your internet quality is decreasing or even improving.
Next up, we have Speedtest Pro. If you’re looking for something a little deeper and a little more than some of the other entries on this list, Speedtest Pro is a great place to dip your toe. If you want to use Speedtest Pro, all you have to do is install the extension from the Chrome Web Store and then access it from the extension bar.
Testing may be a bit slower than some of the other options on this list, but the upside is that you can be more confident in the end result. The more time you spend testing your internet connection, the more accurate the result will be.
Once the speed test is complete, it will show you your ping, upload speed, and upload speed, but where Speedtest Pro really shines is the additional information you can get from it.
For example, when you visit a page, Speedtest Pro shows you how long it took to load that page and how many network requests were sent for it. This can be the first step in figuring out how to increase your internet speed.
This is also adjustable in the Speedtest Pro settings, so if you’re looking for a bit of customization, you can get that here too.
If you’re a little less computer savvy, or just looking for something that can give you a little more insight into what those numbers actually mean, Simple SpeedTest is a great place to start.
Simple SpeedTest behaves as you would expect from an internet speed test extension for chrome. You install it in the Chrome Web Store and access it like any other extension.
When you open it for the first time, you will be given the option to test your internet speed, which Simple SpeedTest can do quite quickly and reliably.
Where Simple SpeedTest really starts to shine is helping you understand exactly what those numbers mean. For example, if your internet connection is good, Simple SpeedTest will glow green, indicating that your internet connection is good for surfing the web.
At the bottom of the extension, there’s even a section that explains what your internet connection can support, listing various commonly used features like video conferencing, voice conferencing, web browsing, and file sharing.
There are some good options to log in, such as the ability to automatically test new connections, detect internet outages, and run daily internet speed tests. Your internet test history is also included in the extension.
Next up is our simply named Speed Test. If you’re looking for something simple and no gimmicks, then Speed Test is a great little add-on to quickly check your internet speed and then move on.
Running a Speed Test is very easy. All you need to do is install and open it as usual, then press the start button. This will start an automatic test that will go through your download speed, download speed, ping and jitter metrics, which can be a great way to figure out if your Wi-Fi speed is dropping and how to fix it.
The results come pretty quickly with the Speed Test and with a decent level of reliability. There’s not much else to this extension, no bells or whistles really, but if you’re looking for something to get the job done, this might be a good thing.
Finally, we have Speed Test Internet. If you’re looking for something a little more transparent in testing, Speed Test Internet is great.
As with the other entries on this list, Speed Test Internet is very easy to install and then run. Once you do, you’ll see a pretty familiar-looking layout of dials and numbers. The tests run automatically, so all you have to do is wait.
What sets Speed Test Internet apart from its competitors is that it tells you what it does and how it does it. For example, many internet speed tests test your speed using different sizes of uploads and downloads, but Speed Test Internet will tell you exactly what size is currently being tested and the result.
Checking your internet speed is not difficult
As you can see, there are many different internet speed testers available to test within your browser. You no longer need to go to an external site to check your internet.