When we talk about ping test we refer to a test useful for evaluating the Ping, or the Paket Internet Grouper. Ping essentially consists of a program that is used to measure the data transmission delay of internet connections from a fixed location. In other words, we can speak of ping as the time necessary to transmit small data to the destination and this time is expressed in ms.
Understanding what ping is in the speed test allows us to evaluate the quality of an internet connection also because the data transmission delay is considered one of the indicators of internet access envisaged by resolution no. 244/08/CSP of AGCOM. Through this provision, AGCOM intends to compare the quality of services guaranteed by providers with regard to ADSL offers. Now let's see what the Ping test is, how to do it and how to read the results in order to maximize the performance of your internet connection.
Ping meaning speed test: what to know
Ping should be considered together with other indicators to evaluate the quality of internet access from a fixed location. The other indicators are the data transmission rate, the data transmission failure rate and the packet loss rate.
But how exactly does the ping speed test work? If we want to exactly measure the transmission delay then we will have to send a data packet of predefined size using the ICMP command (Echo Request/Reply) by running a ping test . Transmission delay in a single direction is defined as half the time between sending an ICMP message and receiving it.
When you hear about ICMP, you refer to the Internet Control Message Protocol, which is a service protocol for packet networks that is used to transmit information about any malfunctions.
Ping test: how to read the results
After running a Ping test how do we read the results to get some indications on the speed of our internet connection? In case of low Ping value we will be able to rest assured as it will mean that our network is perfectly capable of responding to user requests.
Internet providers will also have to guarantee a maximum transmission delay value, exactly as established by AGCOM. A ping test gives us excellent results when the ping has a value between 0 and 30 ms and very good if it is between 30 and 50 ms. A ping between 50 and 60 ms is considered good, while between 60 and 80 ms is sufficient.
If the ping test should give us a value between 60-100 ms then we will have to consider the ping as insufficient and we will have to think about what to do to run for cover. To make optimal use of our internet connection we will also have to make sure that the Ping is always stable and that there are no differences between the minimum and maximum value.
Ping test and high values? Here's what to do
If after running a Ping test we realize that the values are too high, we must not resign ourselves to using a non-optimal connection. In fact, there are a number of practices with which we can lower the ping so as to improve the performance of the connection.
The ping value could also be affected by the performance of the DNS servers used by the internet provider. What we can do following ping tests with high values is to change DNS to the PC or router. But it doesn't end there, we must bear in mind that even security software such as firewalls and antiviruses could influence our ping by slowing down the traffic of data packets.
In these cases it will be necessary to carefully evaluate what to do as loosening the antivirus settings could improve the results of the ping test and therefore the performance of the connection but, on the other hand, also expose us to greater risks of computer piracy and data theft . The first thing to do after a ping test to lower it is to check the settings of your network equipment such as modems and routers. The purpose of the check is to understand if the latency problem can be caused by a badly configured device.
How to run a ping test
We have several methods for testing the ping level and in all cases the result of the analysis is an instant report which contains data on the status of the parameters determining the quality of the internet connection. You can proceed either manually using the Windows Command Prompt or using the Cohere Network Utility application for the MacOS system.
Then there are specific completely free online tools with which to start a ping test at any time and obtain the actual download and upload speeds of the connection and the latency including jitter, i.e. the continuous variation of the transmission/reception time. When we talk about latency we refer to the time it takes for one or more data packets to reach another computer or server on the network.
