There are three core tests you can perform to measure the overall health and speed of your internet connection. Those three tests are download, upload, and ping.
Ping tests are related to network latency. Latency is the amount of time it takes for a packet of data to travel from one computer to another over the network.
This is related to upload and download tests anyway, so isn’t necessary for most users to perform ping tests. However, for gamers, where latency can lead to significant lag in network gaming, ping test are very important.
Download tests show you how quickly your computer can transfer content from the internet to your computer. This includes time it’ll take to stream content from video streaming services to your computer or downloading files.
Upload tests will let you know how long it’ll take to transfer files or other content from your computer to the internet. For example, uploading files from your computer to your Google Drive or other cloud storage account.
All speed test tools will provide you with download and upload speeds in megabits per second (Mbps) and sometimes also ping time in milliseconds (ms).
If Mbps doesn’t make any sense to you, make sure to read my guide on understanding network transfer speeds first.