Why is my speed test lower than my plan?
A speed test measures one device at one moment, not the line into your home. Five checks tell you whether the gap is your device, your Wi-Fi or your provider.
Most low results come from the device or the Wi-Fi, not the provider. Run the test in your provider's app, then on a computer plugged into the router with an Ethernet cable. If both are close to your plan, your connection is fine and the fix is in your home. If both are well below it at different times of day, contact your provider.
Why am I only getting 300 Mbps when I pay for 1,000?
Because the speed test runs on your device, and the device is usually the slowest link. Many phones and laptops connect with Wi-Fi 5, which typically reaches 300–600 Mbps close to the router and less from another room. An older laptop with a 100 Mbps Ethernet port can never test above about 95 Mbps, whatever plan you pay for.
The table shows roughly what each connection can reach in a real home. If your result sits near the limit for your device, the device is the cap.
Find the cause in 5 steps
- 1Run your provider's own testMost provider apps (Xfinity, Spectrum, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) can test speed at the gateway. This measures what reaches your home, before Wi-Fi or your devices slow it down. If it matches your plan, the connection is fine.
- 2Test on a wired computerPlug a laptop or desktop into the router with an Ethernet cable and run our speed test, Speedtest by Ookla or Fast.com. Close other apps first. Wired results within about 10% of your plan are normal.
- 3Check the deviceLook up the device's Wi-Fi standard and Ethernet port speed. A Wi-Fi 5 phone or a 100 Mbps port will cap the result whatever your plan is.
- 4Try two test serversA busy or distant server can make a fast line look slow. Run two or three tests on different services, a few minutes apart, and compare.
- 5Test at different timesCable and 5G home internet can slow down in the evening when the neighborhood is online. A test at 8 pm and another at 8 am show whether congestion is the cause.
If the problem is your Wi-Fi
Move the router out of cabinets and closets, up off the floor and toward the middle of your home. Connect to the 5 GHz or 6 GHz band rather than 2.4 GHz when you're nearby. If the router is more than four or five years old, it may not support the speed you're paying for: see what router speed you need. For rooms far from the router, mesh Wi-Fi works better than an extender. More fixes are in how to boost your Wi-Fi.
If the problem is your provider
If wired tests and the provider's own test are well below your plan at several times of day, restart the modem and check for an outage. Check the modem too: an older DOCSIS 3.0 modem often can't deliver plans above about 300–500 Mbps (see approved modems by provider). Then contact the provider with screenshots of your results. Its Broadband Facts label lists the typical speed it promises for your plan, which helps when you ask for a fix or a credit.
If you keep getting far less than you pay for, a cheaper plan may be the honest fix, or a different provider. See what else is available at your address.
Not sure which test to trust? See the best internet speed tests, compared. Using a provider test? Our guides cover the Xfinity, Spectrum and AT&T speed tests.
Questions
Why am I only getting 300 Mbps when I pay for 1,000?
Usually because you're testing over Wi-Fi on a phone or laptop that can't go faster. Many Wi-Fi 5 devices top out around 300–600 Mbps. Test on a computer plugged into the router with an Ethernet cable to see what your connection actually delivers.
Why does my gigabit plan test at about 940 Mbps?
That's normal. A gigabit Ethernet port can carry about 940 Mbps of actual data once network overhead is taken out. To see more than that, you need a plan above 1 Gig and a device and router with 2.5 Gbps ports.
Which speed test is most accurate?
Your provider's own test, run from the gateway in its app, is the best check of what reaches your home. Speedtest by Ookla and Fast.com are good for testing a device. Run two or three tests and compare.
Is Wi-Fi always slower than Ethernet?
Almost always. Walls, distance and other networks reduce Wi-Fi speed. A wired connection shows your plan's real speed, which is why providers ask for a wired test before they troubleshoot.
When is a slow speed test my provider's fault?
When a wired test from a capable computer, or the test in your provider's app, is well below your plan at several times of day. Restart the modem first, then contact the provider with your results.
- Speed test help pages from Xfinity, Spectrum, Frontier, Kinetic, Optimum and Quantum Fiber, checked Oct 2026
- FCC Broadband Facts label requirements
Real-world speeds vary by device, router and home. How we research
Still slow after all this? Work through 9 fixes for slow internet, or check what speed you actually need before paying for more.
Jean founded ShopHighSpeed after trying to find one straight answer about business internet in his own town. He has been a Comcast and Verizon Fios customer, and builds the site’s rankings from the availability data providers file with the FCC rather than from provider marketing.
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