How to use this tool
- Use the same phone or laptop, browser and Wi-Fi network throughout the comparison. Pause downloads and keep any VPN setting unchanged.
- Choose Reference near router, name the position and run a complete measurement. A wired reference is also useful if your device supports Ethernet.
- Move to a room you actually use, choose Room measurement, enter its name and run again. Wait for the device to reconnect normally before starting.
- Compare several runs taken close together. Room names and completed results stay in this tab’s session storage; Clear Room History removes them.
Compare the connection you actually use
A broadband connection can be fast at the router while a room has a weaker practical connection. Walls, distance, router placement, interference and the device’s wireless capabilities can affect the path. This tool helps you record the end-to-end internet performance you experience in several positions.
Each manual run measures download, upload, idle HTTP latency and any available loaded-latency samples to Cloudflare. It does not read Wi-Fi signal strength, scan channels, identify your network name or create a radio heatmap. A result reflects the whole path to the test endpoint, so room differences are clues to investigate rather than a diagnosis of wireless hardware.
Start with a repeatable reference
Pick a reference position near the router and label it clearly, such as Near router, same floor. An Ethernet measurement can provide extra context when the device supports it. Keep the same device and browser: comparing two different phones can mix room effects with hardware differences.
Room measurements are compared with the most recent reference available when that run starts. The table shows the signed change in download Mbps from that specific reference. A later reference does not silently rewrite earlier comparisons. If no reference exists, the comparison stays unavailable while the actual measured values remain visible.
Reduce avoidable differences between rooms
Take measurements within a reasonably short time window and avoid changing several settings at once. Pause backups, game updates and streaming elsewhere in the home when you want a quiet comparison. Then repeat at a normal busy time if that is when the problem appears.
Let the device settle after moving, keep it in a similar orientation and record whether it is connected through a mesh point or extender in your room label if you already know. This page cannot verify that connection itself. Repeat a room before drawing a conclusion from a single unusually high or low result.
Use the comparison to choose a next step
If one room repeatedly differs from the near-router reference while other conditions stay similar, try a practical change and test again. Ofcom recommends placing a router centrally and off the floor; an Ethernet cable can help a stationary device. Follow your router or mesh manufacturer’s placement guidance before buying extra equipment.
If every room is similar but the connection slows when busy, use the loaded-latency comparison. For a home office, use the video-call capacity check from the same desk. Read how our measurements work before comparing these numbers with another provider’s test.
Room history and privacy
The tool stores up to 12 complete named runs in this browser tab’s session storage, and ignores previously stored runs older than six hours when the page is opened. If storage is unavailable, the comparison works in page memory until you leave. It does not ask for GPS or upload room names and comparison history to our server. Use Clear Room History when finished; browser session restoration can affect how long a tab’s session storage survives.
The test itself sends measurement traffic to Cloudflare, which receives the connection information needed to serve those requests. Each run can consume a substantial amount of data, so read the note above before repeating measurements on a metered connection.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a Wi-Fi signal-strength meter or heatmap?
No. Browsers do not provide this tool with a verified room position, Wi-Fi RSSI or channel scan. It compares completed internet measurements that you label manually.
Can I compare rooms using different phones?
You can measure them, but the results then include differences between device radios, software and capabilities. Use the same device for a more controlled room comparison.
Are my room labels sent to the website?
The tool keeps room labels and comparison rows in this tab’s session storage or page memory and does not upload them. The actual bandwidth test still communicates with Cloudflare measurement endpoints.
Primary sources and further reading
Explore all connection tools · Read our test methodology · Run the main speed test