Speedtest measures the speed between your device and one test server, over your connection. Change the server, the device, the browser or the network and the number moves.
Which server it uses
By default Speedtest picks a nearby server with a fast ping, to show the most your connection can do. Servers are run by ISPs and mobile carriers, and Ookla encourages testing to several.
On speedtest.net, the start page shows the current server's host and city with a Change Server button under them. Click it before you press Go and pick another.
Two reasons to pick a different one:
- Many sites and streaming services host their content far from you, so a distant server can give slower speed and ping, closer to what those services feel like.
- A server run by a provider doesn't show what you'd get from that provider. Every test measures your current ISP or carrier.
Changing the server only changes who you talk to during the test. Your other traffic still goes to other servers, over routes your ISP controls.
When the server list is short
Ookla's answer to an empty or short server list is a firewall or proxy blocking port 8080. It also says it may not have a host in your area yet.
Three ping numbers
Ping is the reaction time of your connection, in milliseconds. Speedtest takes it at three stages.
| Stage | When | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Idle | Start of the test | Response as if the network isn't in use |
| Download | During the download test | The effect of download activity, such as someone installing a large game |
| Upload | During the upload test | The effect of upload activity, such as a phone uploading a video to the cloud |
Why a phone and a PC disagree
Wi-Fi and cellular radios differ a lot between devices, and some can't measure a full-speed plan. Your router may not support the full speed either. Tests taken minutes apart can vary with congestion. Check that both devices are on the same connection and testing to the same server. Browsers differ too, and Ookla says its apps usually give more reliable results than the website, particularly on fast connections.
Other speed-test sites use different servers, so their numbers won't match Speedtest's. Ookla says that's not uncommon.
Sources
- Ookla — Adjusting servers (checked Nov 9, 2026)
- Ookla — Assessing accuracy (checked Nov 9, 2026)
- Ookla — Assessing test results (checked Nov 9, 2026)
- Ookla — Getting started (checked Nov 9, 2026)