UniFi speed test: how to run it and what the results mean (2026)
UniFi gives you three kinds of speed test, and each one measures a different part of the path. The gateway test measures your internet connection at the UniFi gateway. A WiFiman test on a phone or laptop measures what that device gets, Wi-Fi included. A local WiFiman test measures the link from your phone to an access point or console, with no internet involved.
Run more than one and compare them. That tells you whether the problem is your ISP, your Wi-Fi or the device.
| Test | Runs from | Measures | Use it to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway speed test | Your UniFi gateway | The internet connection itself | What your ISP delivers |
| WiFiman speed test | A phone, tablet or computer | Internet speed on that device | What a user actually gets |
| WiFiman local test | A phone, to an access point or console | Only the local link, no internet | Whether Wi-Fi is the bottleneck |
The three UniFi speed tests
The gateway speed test runs on the gateway and tests each internet connection (WAN) directly. No Wi-Fi or client device is involved, so it's the cleanest number for what your ISP delivers.
WiFiman is Ubiquiti's free testing app for iOS, Android and desktop. It runs the test from the device in your hand, so the result includes the Wi-Fi link and the device itself. Its results also show up in the UniFi Network application.
WiFiman can also run a local test from your phone to a UniFi console or access point. That test stays inside your network, so it shows your local speed without the internet in the way.
How to run a speed test on your UniFi gateway
You need a UniFi gateway, such as a Cloud Gateway, Dream Machine or UXG. The older USG (UniFi Security Gateway) doesn't have it. Ubiquiti removed the speed test for USG setups in UniFi Network 7.4.156 (May 2023). Its results "were inaccurate due to hardware limitations", and Ubiquiti pointed users to WiFiman instead.
You can start it from the UniFi Network application or the UniFi mobile app:
- In the UniFi Network application, start it from the web interface. Ubiquiti's Help Center doesn't document the exact spot, and the layout has changed between versions.
- In the UniFi mobile app, the Dashboard has a Speed Test section. Ubiquiti's release notes say the Android app moved speed test history there in 2024, and the iOS app added speed test details to the Dashboard in 2025.
- In the mobile app you can choose which WAN to test. Android added this in November 2024 and iOS in May 2025.
If you have two internet connections, you can test each one. Ubiquiti added WAN2 testing in UniFi Network 7.5.176. Since version 10.4.57, the application warns about data usage before it runs a test over a 5G connection.
How to schedule automatic speed tests
Automatic speed tests build a history, which is what you need when you take a slow connection up with your ISP.
- Turn on Automatic Speed Tests in the Network application's settings. Ubiquiti added them to the web application in UniFi Network 7.2.91. Its 2023 release notes put them under Settings > Internet in the iOS app.
- You pick the hour. The test starts at a random minute within that hour.
- Since UniFi Network 10.6.101 (August 2026), you can choose which WAN interfaces the automatic tests use.
Leave a metered 5G or LTE backup out of the schedule, because every test uses data on that connection.
How to test from a device with WiFiman
Install WiFiman on the device you want to test. On a phone, open the Speed tab and run a test. The desktop app got its own Speed page in version 1.2.8 (December 2025).
On a network with a UniFi Cloud Gateway, WiFiman adds Wi-Fi details to the result, such as signal strength and channel width. The Android app also shows jitter and the Wi-Fi band.
For a local test, open the network topology in WiFiman and pick an access point or console. Ubiquiti added this to the iOS app in version 0.28.0 and to the Android app in 2.8.0. The Android app can also run an app-to-app test between two devices running WiFiman.
Your WiFiman results also appear in the UniFi Network application. Ubiquiti's 2025 release notes mention a Speed Tests tab on the Radios page.
What your UniFi speed test results mean
Start with the gateway test and compare it to your internet plan.
| What you see | What it points to |
|---|---|
| Gateway test well below your plan, at all hours | A problem with the line, the modem or the ISP |
| Gateway test drops only at busy times | Congestion at the ISP |
| Gateway test fine, WiFiman slow over Wi-Fi | The Wi-Fi link or the device |
| Local WiFiman test slow too | Signal, channel or band on that access point |
| Wired device fast, Wi-Fi device slow | The Wi-Fi link |
Download and upload are the two speeds in Mbps. Latency is the time a packet needs to go there and back. Jitter is how much that latency varies, which matters most for calls and video meetings.
A few things skew the numbers:
- Smart Queues. With Smart Queues on, Ubiquiti limits client devices to the upload and download values you entered, so a WiFiman test can't go above them. See our guide to UniFi Smart Queues.
- Gateway hardware. Ubiquiti has shipped several firmware fixes for the gateway speed test, from underestimated results in 2022 to stability in UniFi Gateways 5.0.12 (February 2026). On a fast connection, check the gateway result against a wired computer.
- One test is one moment. Run several at different times before you draw conclusions.
If the Wi-Fi is the bottleneck, our guides to channel width and setting Wi-Fi channels manually are the next step.
For several sites at once, Site Manager's ISP Viewer shows latency, packet loss and uptime per site. Our UniFi Site Manager guide covers it.
When the UniFi speed test isn't working
- You have a USG. The option was removed in 2023. Use WiFiman on a wired device instead.
- The automatic option is missing in the iOS app. Ubiquiti removed it for unsupported devices in UniFi iOS 10.17.0.
- History is missing on a PPPoE connection, the login-based connection type many DSL and fiber providers use. UniFi Network 8.6.9 fixed this.
- The app tests the wrong connection. UniFi iOS 10.37.0 (August 2026) fixed tests running on the wrong WAN.
- You self-host the Network application behind a firewall. Ubiquiti's ports reference lists inbound TCP 6789 for the UniFi mobile speed test.
Update the Network application, the gateway and the app first. Most of the fixes above arrived in updates.
Looking for TM Unifi, the Malaysian internet provider? That's a different company. This guide covers Ubiquiti's UniFi equipment.
Frequently asked questions
Can I run a UniFi speed test without a UniFi gateway?
Yes. Use WiFiman on a phone or computer. The gateway speed test itself needs a UniFi gateway.
Does the USG support the UniFi speed test?
No. Ubiquiti removed the speed test for USG setups in UniFi Network 7.4.156, because the USG's hardware gave inaccurate results.
Can UniFi run speed tests automatically?
Yes. Automatic speed tests run at an hour you choose, and since UniFi Network 10.6.101 you can pick which WAN they use.
Can I test the speed between two UniFi devices?
Yes. WiFiman runs a local test from your phone to an access point or console. The Android app also tests between two devices running WiFiman.
Final thoughts
Compare the gateway test with a WiFiman test before you call the ISP. If the gateway result matches your plan, look at the Wi-Fi and the device first.
Schedule automatic tests on every site you manage. When a client says the internet is slow, you'll have weeks of numbers to check instead of one test.