Actual internet speed — What do you really get? Complete guide
Short answer: The speeds that providers advertise as „up to” or „maximum” are never equal to what you actually get on your computer, phone, or smart TV. The difference can be 20–50% – and it's completely legal, if you know what to look for.
In this guide, you'll learn everything about why your internet is slower than the number in your contract, how to measure it correctly, and what you can do both legally and technically.
Why doesn't the promised speed match the actual speed?
The secret of the „up to” (hasta) asterisk
When a provider advertises speeds like „up to 1 Gbps” or „up to 500 Mbps,” it represents a theoretical maximum – not a guarantee. In the contract (usually in the terms or product information sheet), it's written in small print: „The available speed may vary depending on network load, devices, and internal network.”
This is not fraud, but an industry standard. Providers operate shared access networks (shared access): in a given region, hundreds or even thousands of subscribers share the same backbone capacity. If everyone downloads a 4K movie at the same time, the speed decreases for everyone.
What do Hungarian providers actually promise?
The NMHH (National Media and Infocommunications Authority) requires providers to publish the likely achievable speed as well, not just the maximum. In practice, this looks like:
| Advertised package | Typical „likely” speed (per NMHH) | Actual average (independent measurements) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 Mbps | 70–90 Mbps | 60–85 Mbps |
| 300 Mbps | 200–270 Mbps | 180–250 Mbps |
| 500 Mbps | 350–450 Mbps | 300–420 Mbps |
| 1 Gbps | 600–900 Mbps | 500–850 Mbps |
Source: NMHH annual reports, Ookla Speedtest Intelligence data 2023–2024, and consumer complaint statistics.
Important: The table above applies to wired (Ethernet) connections On Wi-Fi, the numbers are significantly worse – see later.
What affects actual internet speed?
Speed is not a single number, but a system property. Here are the most important factors, ranked by their impact:
Internal network (Wi-Fi vs. cable) – Biggest impact
This is the #1 reason for slow internet complaints in 80% of cases.
- Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac): Theoretical max 866 Mbps, actual 200–400 Mbps (1 room), 50–150 Mbps (through multiple walls).
- Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax): Theoretical max 1.2–2.4 Gbps, actual 400–800 Mbps (nearby), 150–300 Mbps (far away).
- Wi-Fi 6E / 7 (6 GHz band): Least interference, but short range – only reaches peak in the same room.
- Ethernet (Cat5e/Cat6/Cat6a): 1 Gbps / 2.5 Gbps / 10 Gbps stable, interference-free, low latency.
Tip: If you have a 500 Mbps or 1 Gbps package, always measure with a cable as well. If the speed is there on cable but not on Wi-Fi – the fault is the router/settings, not the provider.
Device limitations
- Older laptops (pre-2018): often only have a 100 Mbps or 300 Mbps card.
- Phones: even the latest ones only support 1–2 antenna MIMO, compared to a router with 4×4 MIMO.
- USB-Ethernet adapters: cheap ones (USB 2.0) cap the speed at 480 Mbps.
Network congestion
- Peak hours: Between 18:00–23:00 the speed is worst (streaming, gaming, home office).
- Local network: If your neighbor also uses the same ISP and downloads their Steam library, you will feel it.
- CGNAT / Carrier-Grade NAT: Many providers (Digi, Yettel, etc.) put subscribers behind CGNAT – this does not slow downloads, but can increase ping and may interfere with P2P / server hosting.
ISP-side traffic shaping / QoS
Some ISPs:
- Throttle (slow down) P2P, torrent, or specific streaming servers.
- Prioritize certain traffic (e.g., their own TV service vs. Netflix).
- Fair Use Policy (FUP): „Even ”unlimited" plans have a hidden limit (e.g., 1–2 TB/month), after which they slow you down.
DNS and routing
- Slow DNS server (the provider's) → 50–200 ms extra latency on every page request.
- Bad routing path → the packet „goes around” via the USA instead of Europe.
Quick fix: Set it in the router or device: 1.1.1 (Cloudflare) or 8.8.8 (Google) as DNS.
VPN, proxy, security software
- VPN: 10–40% speed loss (encryption + remote server).
- Antivirus „web protection”: checks every packet → CPU bottleneck.
- Firewall / parental control: similar effect.
How to correctly measure your actual internet speed?
Most people get this wrong. Here is the professional method:
✅ Correct measurement protocol
- Wired connection (Ethernet) – mandatory! Wi-Fi measurement no is not indicative of provider performance.
- Only one device should be active on the network (everything else: off, flight mode, router Wi-Fi disabled).
- No background traffic: Windows Update, Steam, Dropbox, OneDrive, torrent – all paused / off.
- Restart the router before measuring (fresh DHCP, cleared NAT table).
- Measure three times at different times (morning, afternoon, evening) – the average matters.
- With two different servers: a local (Budapest/Budapest area) and a remote (e.g., Frankfurt, Amsterdam) server.
❌ What NOT to do
- Measuring over Wi-Fi and complaining to the provider.
- Running it in a browser (Chrome/Firefox extensions, cache, protocol overhead interfere).
- Measuring only once during peak hours.
- Using nothing but speedtest.net (bias: ISPs also host Ookla servers).
🛠 Recommended tools
| Tool | Advantages | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| speedtest.net (Ookla) | Most widespread, nice graphs | Basic measurement, but don't rely on it alone |
| fast.com (Netflix) | Real video streaming load, no ads | Check: whether they throttle streaming |
| librespeed.org | Open source, can be run on your own server | Most accurate if you host it on your own VPS |
| nPerf | Clearly shows jitter and packet loss | Gaming/VoIP diagnostics |
| iPerf3 | Professional, TCP/UDP, parallel threads | If you have your own server (VPS) |
| speedtest365.hu | Hungarian servers, NMHH-like metrics | Local reality |
Pro tip: Run iPerf3it on a cheap Hetzner/Contabo VPS (Frankfurt/Nuremberg) – that shows the real international bandwidth, not just the „last mile” speed.
What do the results mean?
| Metric | Good | Medium | Poor | What does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Download | ≥ 80% of the promised speed | 50–80% | < 50% | Download speed |
| Upload | ≥ 70% of the promised speed | 40–70% | < 40% | Upload speed (important: backup, video calls, cloud) |
| Ping (latency) | < 15 ms (local) | 15–40 ms | > 40 ms | Response time – gaming, VoIP, trading |
| Jitter | < 5 ms | 5–15 ms | > 15 ms | Ping fluctuation – disruptive for video calls |
| Packet loss | 0% | 0.1–1% | > 1% | Lost packets – TCP retransmission = slowdown |
Legal background: What does consumer protection say?
NMHH regulation (Hungary)
A Government Decree 101/2013. (VI. 27.) and the NMHH Resolution 3/2014. (III. 12.) stipulates:
- Information obligation: The service provider is required to provide in the contract:
- Maximum speed („actually”)
- Normally available speed (typically 70–90% of the max)
- Minimum guaranteed speed (if any – rarely provided)
- Measurement method: NMHH checks service providers using its own measurement methodology (Ookla-based, but with a stricter protocol).
- Consumer rights if the speed is not reached:
- Report to the service provider → They must resolve / justify within 30 days.
- Complaint to NMHH → if the service provider does not respond / it is not true.
- Termination of contract without valid reason → if the service provider does not comply with the contractual parameters (Bgb. § 6:93, consumer protection law).
EU level: BEREC guidelines
The EU Regulation 2015/2120 (open internet / net neutrality) and the BEREC guidelines supplement:
- No traffic shaping / throttling / blocking – exception: network integrity, legal obligation.
- „Specialized services” (e.g., IPTV, VoIP) do not count as internet, but they must not reduce internet speed.
What can you do practically?
- Document: Measurement results with screenshots, date, time, wired connection.
- Written complaint to the service provider (customer portal, email, postal) – with a 30-day deadline.
- If they do not help: Online complaint on NMHH consumer protection portal (https://fogyasztoi.nmhh.hu).
- Termination of contract: If the service provider cannot resolve it, you are not bound – even if there is a loyalty period. The consumer protection law (Act CLXV of 2013) overrides the penalty fee in the contract.
Important: The word „approximately” is legally exploited by service providers. But if the normally available speed (which they must provide on the product information sheet) is systematically not reached, that is a breach of contract.
Tips for achieving realistic speed – what you can do today
Hardware upgrade (biggest impact / cost)
| Problem | Solution | Cost | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old router (Wi-Fi 4/5) | Wi-Fi 6/6E/7 router (e.g., ASUS, TP-Link, AVM Fritz!Box, Ubiquiti) | 25–100k HUF | 2–4× Wi-Fi speed |
| No wired network | Cat6a cable installation / Powerline (if cable is not possible) | 10–50k HUF | Stable 1 Gbps+ |
| Older laptop/PC | USB-C 2.5G/10G Ethernet adapter / PCIe card | 5–15k HUF | Unlocks the 1 Gbps limit |
| Weak Wi-Fi coverage | Mesh system (2–3 nodes) / Access Point | 40–150k HUF | Whole-home coverage |
Router settings (free, 10 minutes)
- Channel switching: 4 GHz → 1, 6, or 11 (not automatic!). 5 GHz → 36, 40, 44, 48 (lower channels = better penetration).
- Bandwidth: At 5 GHz 80 MHz (or 160 MHz if the device supports it).
- Enable QoS / Smart Queue (SQM): If the router supports it (OpenWrt, ASUS, Fritz!Box, Ubiquiti) – this prevents bufferbloat (ping spikes during downloads).
- DNS modification: 1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1 (Cloudflare) or 9.9.9.9 (Quad9 – more secure).
- Enable IPv6: If the ISP supports it – less NAT, better routing.
Software optimization
- Windows: „Turn off ”Delivery Optimization" / limit bandwidth (Settings → Update & Security → Advanced options).
- Steam / Epic / GOG: Limit download speed (don't hog the entire bandwidth).
- Cloud sync (OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive): „Pause sync” during work hours, or set a bandwidth limit.
- Browser: uBlock Origin (blocks tracking scripts → less data, faster pages).
If you've tried everything and it doesn't improve
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Slow on cable too | ISP-side congestion / fault | Complaint, NMHH, cancellation |
| Slow only in the evening | Peak-hour load | QoS in router, or accept it |
| Slow only on certain sites | Routing / peering issue | VPN / Cloudflare WARP test |
| Ping spikes during downloads | Bufferbloat | Enabling SQM/QoS on the router |
| Wi-Fi stable, but slow | Old router / interference | New router, 5/6 GHz band |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between „download” and „upload” speed?
Download: Data flows from the internet to your device (watching videos, loading websites, downloading files). Upload: Data flows from your device to the internet (video calls, cloud backups, streaming, email attachments). Most home packages asymmetric: e.g., 500/50 Mbps (500 down, 50 up). Symmetrical (e.g., 500/500) is common only with direct fiber connections (GPON/XGS-PON) or business packages.
Why is Wi-Fi slower than cable?
Wi-Fi is a shared medium: radio waves travel through the air, through walls, battling interference (microwave, neighbor Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee). Cable (Ethernet) is a dedicated, shielded wire – no interference, no signal loss, full-duplex. This is physics, not a fault.
How much speed do I actually need?
| Usage | Recommended minimum (for a family / household) |
|---|---|
| Browsing, email, social media | 10–20 Mbps |
| 1× 4K Netflix/YouTube | 25 Mbps |
| 2× 4K + home office (video calls) | 100 Mbps |
| Gamer + 4K stream + large file uploads | 300–500 Mbps |
| Professional content creator / home server / large family | 1 Gbps+ |
Golden rule: Buy 20–30% more, than you currently need – for future-proofing and peak-time buffering.
Is it true that the provider „throttles” Netflix / YouTube / torrents?
Netflix/YouTube: Large providers (Netflix, Google, Meta) place CDN servers within ISP networks (peering). This speeds them up , not slows them down. If it's slow, it's usually peering disputes or or insufficient capacity at interconnection points.
Torrent/P2P: Many ISPs throttle (slow down) P2P traffic, especially during peak hours. This is part of the Fair Use Policy. It can be bypassed with a VPN (but a VPN also slows things down by 10–30%).
What does „ping” mean and why is it important?
Ping (latency): The time it takes for a packet to travel to the server and back. Not speed, but response time.
- < 20 ms: excellent (gaming, trading, VoIP)
- 20–50 ms: good
- 50–100 ms: noticeable delay in video calls
- > 100 ms: disruptive
A jitter (ping jitter) is even more important: if the average is 20 ms but it jumps between 10–80 ms, audio/video will stutter.
How can I check if my provider is „cheating” me?
- Measure with cable, on a clean network, three times, at different times.
- Compare the on the product information sheet listed „normally available speed” – not the „really” number in the advertisement.
- If it is below → written complaint, 30-day deadline.
- If not resolved → NMHH complaint + contract termination without valid reason.
Is it worth getting business internet for home?
Yes, if:
- You have a home office / server / NAS / security camera uploading to the cloud.
- You need symmetrical speed (e.g., 300/300 Mbps).
- You need a static IP address.
- You need prioritized support, SLA (service level agreement).
No, if:
- Only Netflix, browsing, gaming.
- Business packages are 2–3× more expensive, often no TV/phone bundled, and you pay extra for the router.
What is „bufferbloat” and why does it bother you?
When you download something large (e.g., a Steam game), the router buffers accepts the packets. Small, important packets (ping, VoIP, gaming) get mixed into the queue → ping jumps from 20 ms to 300–800 ms.
Solution: In the router Enable SQM (Smart Queue Management) / Cake / fq_codel enable it. OpenWrt, ASUS (FreshTomato/Merlin), Ubiquiti, MikroTik, Fritz!Box (lab firmware) support it.
Which router should I buy in 2024/2025?
| Category | Recommendation (2024/2025) | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Wi-Fi 6 | TP-Link Archer AX50 / AX72 | ~15k HUF, good performance, OpenWrt support |
| Mid-range | ASUS RT-AX86U Pro / RT-AX88U Pro | ~35–50k HUF, strong CPU, SQM, gaming features |
| High-end / Pro | Ubiquiti Dream Router / Dream Machine SE | ~60–100k HUF, enterprise software, VLAN, IDS/IPS, SQM |
| Mesh (apartment) | ASUS ZenWiFi XT8 / XT9 / ET12 | ~80–150k HUF/2pcs, tri-band, dedicated backhaul |
| ISP router replacement | Any of the above – the ISP router (e.g., provided by Digi/Telekom/Vodafone) has weak Wi-Fi, no SQM, closed firmware |
Pro tip: If you have a bit of technical knowledge, Ubiquiti Dream Router + Unifi Network Application = best value for money, professional features, stability.
Summary: 5 steps to actual speed
- Measure correctly – with cable, on a clean network, three times, at different times.
- Compare with the „normally available speed” on the product information sheet.
- Improve the internal network – new router (Wi-Fi 6/7), wired network where possible, Mesh if the apartment is large.
- Enable SQM/QoS in the router against bufferbloat.
- If the provider does not comply with the contract – written complaint, NMHH, termination without valid legal reason.
Useful links and tools
- speedtest365.hu – Hungarian speed test, NMHH-like metrics
- librespeed.org – Open source, installable on your own server
- NMHH consumer protection portal – https://fogyasztoi.nmhh.hu
- BEREC net neutrality – https://berec.europa.eu
- Cloudflare WARP (free, fast VPN-like routing) – https://1.1.1.1
- Router SQM test – https://www.waveform.com/tools/bufferbloat
Article updated: July 2025 | Sources: NMHH reports 2023–2024, Ookla Speedtest Intelligence, BEREC guidelines, consumer protection law (Act CLXV of 2013), Government Decree 101/2013. (VI. 27.)
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