Speed test by FIREPROBE ®

Measuring internet connection speed can be affected by many factors. We will be most interested in the "dry" result, which we will achieve by testing a completely unloaded network. Therefore, when starting the FIREPROBE ® service, we must ensure that the computer can freely use the connection option offered by our provider.

First, make sure you are unlimited in your computer's speed:

• disable the VPN connection, if you use it, you can do it from the level of the program to securely connect to the network or anti-virus;

• disable applications using the Internet that work in the background (eg uTorrent), you will find them in the tab in the lower right corner of the screen, or in the "Task Manager" tool;

• turn off Wi-Fi and connect to the router with an Ethernet cable 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps);

• connect your laptop to a power source and put the power management profile into maximum performance mode.

In addition, you should check that no device connected to the same network is using the Internet. To be sure - turn off Wi-Fi on every smartphone, tablet and TV with Smart services. You can get the same effect by temporarily disabling Wi-Fi on the router.

If we notice a decrease in the performance of our computer while loading pages, movies and games, we should immediately perform a speed test. Thanks to this, we will find out whether our problem actually concerns the Internet connection or whether it is the result of overloading the given website or technical problems with our device.

FIREPROBE ® measures download and upload speeds between your computer and very efficient test servers. Therefore, if the test result is satisfactory, then the problem is not on the side of your computer or Internet provider, but on the side of a specific website, or e.g. a server for a computer game. FIREPROBE ® SPEED TEST also allows you to check whether the operator provides you with such a fast connection as declared in the signed contract.

FIREPROBE ® is a simple, convenient and free service that allows you to reliably check your internet connection speed. You can take a measurement from a web browser on systems from the Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS families 6 and in dedicated applications for mobile devices with Android and iOS.

There can be many reasons for the slow operation of the Internet. If the result displayed by FIREPROBE ® is low, then you should start searching for the source of the problem. One of the most common causes is too much load on our internet connection by the household members and a large number of devices using the network (laptops, smartphones, Smart TVs, network drives). If you use the network alone and the problem persists, then you need to look further.

A very common cause of internet problems is a malfunctioning router. Most often, in this case, the problems go away after disconnecting the router from the power supply for a while and then turning it back on. If this does not help, it is recommended to restore the factory settings and default configuration. Appropriate guidelines on how to do this can be found in the user's manual or on the router manufacturer's website. At such times, you need a password to access the administrator panel of the router, which you get with the device. Remember that the router may hang in the same way as the computer and you will need to restart it from time to time.

Currently, most people use the Internet via a wireless network. It is worth ensuring the correct location of the Wi-Fi router in our home. Many people hide routers in closets or utility rooms, which worsens the range of the network. The second problem may be interference from other routers, which are troublesome mainly for networks operating at 2.4 GHz. Therefore, if you want to get the best speed test results, you should use a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network. Ideally, the router and Wi-Fi should use the 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) standard.

For wired connections, the most common connection is an Ethernet cable. In theory, the cable connection offers a much lower failure rate. In practice, even this connection can be damaged and slow down the Internet. If the speed test on the Ethernet connection does not show you the full data speed, check that:

• the cable is not damaged;

• the network card works in full duplex mode;

• interface speed is 1 Gbps.

In the event of damage to the cable, network interface card or router, devices may automatically negotiate a lower transmission speed. If you have already checked all possible causes of slow Internet operation and this did not solve your problem, you have to check the last element of this complicated system. It is your computer. An improperly configured and virus-infected operating system may cause FIREPROBE ® results to be underestimated. Slower network performance can also be caused by a lack of updates that fix bugs in the software. In some cases, the decrease in performance is due to the excessive load generated by the antivirus or firewall. Therefore, it is recommended to disable this type of service during the speed test.

There are various irregularities in computer networks. This is why your internet may not work as it should and pages load for a long time. Various types of malfunctions can result in poor link quality or a complete lack of internet connectivity. The network is a kind of chain in which there are many elements and each of them can at some point fail. A problem with the operation of the network can be both related to a physical failure, as well as to software or bad configuration. It also happens that the fault occurs on the supplier's side. If you have a connection problem at home, first make sure that the site you want to start is working. You can check this using your mobile phone (using the LTE network) or ask a friend. You can also enter a different web address. Websites may also crash. However, if no pages load you, it must mean that your internet is down.

The most common types of failures associated with the lack or slowdown of the Internet are router faults or the cabling connected to it. If you cannot open any website, it means that there may be a connection problem on both the router and your computer. In this case, check whether the Internet works on other devices (e.g. a smartphone connected to the same Wi-Fi network). If the problem is visible on all devices using the network, we recommend restarting the router. All you have to do is disconnect it from the power supply for less than a minute and plug it back in again. If this does not work, we should contact the operator's technical support.

If the restart of the router did not solve the problem, then there may be a failure on the router-computer line. For cable connections, first check that the Ethernet cable is undamaged and not pressed anywhere. Then perform the test using FIREPROBE when connecting the computer to the router with a different Ethernet cable. If your computer connects to the router using Wi-Fi, then check to see if the problem is improved by improving the network coverage. It will be best if you measure the speed of the Internet at a distance of 1 to 3 meters between the router and the computer.

Before you call the service, you can check what happened to your network connection yourself. First, check the connection between the computer and the network. It is important at the moment whether you connect via cable or via WiFi. Check that the cable is connected correctly and that your router is lit. In the next step you need to check the network connection in the system. It is possible that error messages will appear immediately. Most often, the system displays them in the taskbar, under the Network Connection icon. Many of them indicate the reason for the failure (address retrieval problem, no network connection). In some cases, disconnecting the computer from the network or turning the router off and on may help. The equipment can then download the necessary configuration again. If this does not help, you need to check the settings yourself (e.g. whether the computer has the correct address). You are interested in addressing from the local network that allows you to connect to your router. You can check it in Network Connection Settings. If the settings are incorrect, you can enter the correct ones manually. However, if this configuration does not work, you will need to check the settings on the router and correct the configuration to correct.

A slightly less common problem is a server failure to convert IP addresses to a name that the user understands. Virtually always this problem appears from the side of our supplier. However, we can solve it on our own very quickly. This happens when our servers have DNS servers or the gateway does not provide us with their addresses. We must then set the address manually. We can use the addresses provided in the network. Let's not be afraid of entering the primary DNS address, e.g. Google. It will work just as well and maybe even better than the one from the supplier. Most manually entered DNS will solve the problem. WE DO NOT USE private DNS addresses. These only work within the network for which they were designed.

The technology you use to connect to the network has a direct impact on many internet connection parameters. The basic one is the maximum data download speed. However, the quality of modern services also depends on the delays of the nearest servers and the speed of sending data. What can you expect from a given technology?

4G LTE technology has popularized access to the Internet via cellular networks. The easiest way to use mobile Internet is to share the connection via Wi-Fi on your phone (so-called tethering). However, the LTE router with a dedicated SIM card offers much better connection quality and higher performance. If it is possible, it is worth connecting an external antenna to the router. This will increase download and upload speeds. In places where it is not possible to connect a fixed-line internet, LTE will also work. However, you must remember that the speed of the network depends on the load of the nearby base station. Therefore, LTE Internet can slow down in the evenings. When deciding on LTE internet, it is worth checking the coverage map in our area so as to select the best provider.

LTE performance problems will be solved by 5G networks. Many experts believe that the fifth generation of cellular networks will compete with fiber optic Internet in terms of performance. Some operators are already testing 5G mmWave solutions that offer speeds not lower than 1 Gbit / s. However, it will take some time before such an offer appears on the Polish market.

The FTTH technique boils down to the fact that the optical fiber is led to the subscriber's apartment itself. Older solutions required the installation of a subscriber socket in which the optical-electric converter was located. In turn, modern routers are connected directly to the optical fiber. Thanks to this home, users can enjoy a symmetrical connection with a speed of up to 10 Gbit / s. Fiber optics also offer minimal delays, and link performance does not depend on the time of day. It is one of the most popular solutions that is gaining recognition among professionals, players and developers who need the most efficient networks.

Most internet providers have been on the market for many years. Companies that have invested in the construction of large cable networks do not decide to supply optical fiber directly to the clients' apartments. Instead, they leave a coaxial cable on the last section of the network. In turn, the network infrastructure itself is modernized and changed to optical fiber. Modern HFC (Hybrid fiber-coaxial) networks offer connections with rates from 600 Mbit / s to 900 Mbit / s, and even 1.2 Gbit / s.

The first telecommunications networks, which were used to provide a permanent Internet access service, were based on copper connections. At the very beginning, this infrastructure was created for telephone services. A little later it was adapted for the needs of fast data transfer. Currently, VDSL2 technology allows you to download data at speeds up to 300 Mbit / s on copper links up to 300 meters long. In some cases, operators decide to use copper lines to build hybrid fiber optic networks. This is possible thanks to the G.fast technique, which involves connecting the optical fiber to a residential building and using good-quality copper installations at a distance of up to 100 meters. In this case, it is possible to achieve the maximum download speed of between 900 Mbit / s and 1 Gbit / s.

Construction of wired infrastructure is a very expensive undertaking. Therefore, in many places where the density of population is low, a somewhat exotic solution in the field of wireless communication is used. The service of providing Internet access using radio technology quite often comes down to building an external Wi-Fi network in star topology. Because the base station to which access devices installed on clients connect is shared, operators limit the maximum download speeds well below the capabilities of Wi-Fi technology. In order to maintain the high quality of the service provided, the speeds offered are 20 to 50 Mbit / s. This type of network should be used if we are doomed - there is no good LTE coverage or fiber optic infrastructure.