This topic

Varying speed test results

DWDKHN — Fri, 29 May 2026 12:22:29 GMT

Hi - just had Full Fibre 900 installed today. The engineer told me it could take 10 days for service to stabilise and for the speed also to stabilise.

In any case, I thought I'd test. Using Ookla, I get 90mbps download; using the BT speed checker (browser), I get the same. And in the BT app, I get 795mbps download.

I'm not sure which one to believe, should there be such a variance between speed checkers? If 90mbps is my download speed, then on day one, should it be higher than that - could it increase so dramatically in the next 10 days?

Many thanks.

Re: Varying speed test results

Kimberlin — Fri, 29 May 2026 12:28:04 GMT

The only reliable way you will know what speeds you are attaining, is to plug your phone or laptop or desktop PC (adapters are readily available from Amazon etc) via an ethernet cable directly into your router. There's no point relying on the speeds via WiFi. I'm assuming that you are using WiFi? I also assume here that you are now FTTP?

In any case, try using fast.com as the speed checker.

Also, when I had both my 500mbps broadband through FTTP connected both to BT and then Plusnet, I got 500mbps download and 75mbps upload from day one. There was no 'settling in' period.

Re: Varying speed test results

DWDKHN — Fri, 29 May 2026 12:34:32 GMT

Hi - yes FTTP and I already tried connecting my MacBook to the SH2 and disabled Wi-Fi on the computer. Connection speed was also about 90mbps.

The BT checker here: https://www.bt.com/broadband/check-your-broadband-speed - does use Fast.

Maybe I'll leave it a few days and see what happens - thank you.

Re: Varying speed test results

iniltous — Fri, 29 May 2026 12:41:45 GMT

There isn’t a settling in period , that’s just wrong , what device are you using to measure speed (laptop , desktop , tablet ? ) and is it using a wired Ethernet connection or WiFi ?

If it’s a desktop / laptop and wired , I’d check / replace the Ethernet cable first for a Cat 5e or better , and if the device is getting on a bit , check its Gb capable as it may not be , and it’s configured correctly. if you are using WiFi ,that’s not something your provider can guarantee, the BT checker is speed to the hub , hence the expected speed as it’s not hub to device which clearly is beyond the control of your provider.

Finally , 90 MB , 90 Mb , 90 mb are not the same thing , 90 MB is 720Mb , but that’s still low for a 900 Mb connection if using a capable device on a wired connection.

Re: Varying speed test results

Kimberlin — Fri, 29 May 2026 12:37:32 GMT

On my system, my Ethernet cables are nothing less than Cat6. I'd highly recommend ditching the Cat5e cables for Cat6 but some may say otherwise.

Re: Varying speed test results

gg30340 — Fri, 29 May 2026 12:41:56 GMT

The speed you are paying for should be delivered on day one. FTTP does not take time to settle in.

When you measure the speed you should use the BT speed tester as given in the BT App as it measures the speed to the BT hub which is the speed that BT use to give your Stay Fast Guarantee.

The other speed testers only give the speed to your device which can vary depending on whether it is being done by wireless or Ethernet as well as the capability of your devices network cards but having said that there should not be a such a massive difference that you are showing.

Openreach use Fast.com to check the speed when it is first installed so try using that and post the results.

Re: Varying speed test results

Kodikid — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:32:16 GMT

When the Openreach installer says it needs time to settle that's just the code for "you're done and I'm off"

Bit confused though if you had it installed today why you weren't given the new smart hub 3.

I won't go into anymore detail as this topic has literally been covered hundreds of times.

Just type your query in the "ask here" box and you'll discover a really well covered subject

Re: Varying speed test results

DWDKHN — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:34:26 GMT

Thanks - I am using wired ethernet into the SH2. Using a MacBook Air (new this year) with a Cat5e cable. Fast.com is saying: 91mbps download and 90mbps upload. I have tried two different Cat5e cables, same results. Same when I use my phone with the ethernet cable.

Bizarrely when I connect to Fast.com on my iPhone over wifi, I get 300mbps. And the BT checker in the MyBT app over wifi says 820mbps.

It's surely not normal that a wired connection should be slower than a wifi connection?

Re: Varying speed test results

Kimberlin — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:37:24 GMT

@Kodikid I admire your cynicism, you're almost as bad as me.

As for the SH2, I suspect the customer already had the SH2? Can't see BT just handing out brand new SH3's if they've perhaps still got thousands of SH2's lurking around in BT vans still waiting to be palmed off onto customers.

Re: Varying speed test results

gg30340 — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:52:04 GMT

@DWDKHN

As I already explained. The BT App gives you the speed to the hub. This is not the speed over wifi even although you are using wifi in order to initiate the test.

I don't have a MacBook so I can not advise how to do this but you should check that its network drivers are up to date.

I would also try a factory reset of your BT hub if it has not been done since your FTTP installation.

Re: Varying speed test results

Kodikid — Fri, 29 May 2026 14:00:54 GMT

You know what if as Kimberlin has suggested you're still using your FTTC smart hub 2 then get on the phone and request a smart hub 3.

Re: Varying speed test results

gg30340 — Fri, 29 May 2026 14:11:51 GMT

I should also have said that if you were not on FTTP before you should make sure that you have disconnected the connection from the hub to your phone socket.

Re: Varying speed test results

iniltous — Fri, 29 May 2026 14:42:49 GMT

MacBook Air , like many devices have cases that are far too slim to have an Ethernet port , so you can’t plug the device directly into the router LAN socket directly , it requires an adapter often USB-C to Ethernet, so the USB plug can fit into a port on the device case, and the cable from the router connects to Ethernet socket side of the adapter, presumably you are using such an adapter if you are measuring speed with a wired connection , was it supplied by Apple ? , or some ‘Chinese’ Amazon special ? , perhaps you need to source another one just to eliminate that as the potential bottleneck .

Re: Varying speed test results

DWDKHN — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:16:44 GMT

Thanks, used a Belkin one.

Strangely my wired connection is still at 90mbps, despite my WiFi connection having improved over the afternoon, now hitting around 600mbps.

Re: Varying speed test results

TimCurtis — Sat, 30 May 2026 08:03:56 GMT

@DWDKHN

It really looks like your adaptor is not giving you gigabit speeds rather being limited to 100mbps. It could be that you've the wrong adaptor or that 1 pin in the ethernet port is damaged.

Re: Varying speed test results

DWDKHN — Sat, 30 May 2026 11:38:09 GMT

Thank you. I will pop out today and get a new adapter. Maybe it is indeed damaged.

For information, the adapter that I’m currently using is a Belkin F2CU040btBLK USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter.