Broadband diagnostic tools

Find out how fast your broadband connection really is – and how to get the most from it – with these essential tools.

For the most part these days, broadband just works. There’s little to do by way of configuration beyond setting up a router or securing wireless devices.

But how do you know it’s working to the best of its ability, or if you’re maximising the bandwidth you’ve paid for? You certainly can’t rely on the advertised rate – often expressed as “up to” 8Mb/s.

The clever money heads for specialist broadband diagnostic and testing tools. Assuming you’ve switched off all other devices, connected to the network and hooked up the router using a good-quality CAT-5 cable, you can take your pick of multiple testing sites.

This Group Test appeared in the May, 2008 issue of PC & Tech Authority Magazine