Bandwidth Requirements
The requirements shown below support expected test day activity. Keep these important points in mind:
Demands on the network vary as students progress through the test, with greater demands at the beginning and end. Optional: Learn how large Bluebook data transfers are.
Because each student starts their test when they enter a code, their start and stop times are never perfectly simultaneous, even if they hear the start code at the same time.
There could be delays if too many students try to install or update Bluebook at the same time.
| Minimum Bandwidth per Student Testing at the Same Time Over the Same Network | ||
| Test | Download | Upload |
| SAT Weekend, SAT School Day, and PSAT assessments | 0.2 Mbps | 0.2 Mbps |
| AP Exams | 1 Mbps | 0.2 Mbps |
How to Run a Speed Test
Run one of the network speed tests available on the internet to estimate the number of students who can take a test in your building at the same time.
First, make sure you understand what speed tests measure. Speed tests report the unused bandwidth available throughout your building as measured from your location at the moment they’re run. In other words, results vary depending on when and where you run the speed test.
For the most accurate results, run a speed test:
When other demands on the network are similar to those on test day.
In the same rooms used on test day.
On networks test takers will use.
To account for normal fluctuation, run the test several times in each room.
Avoid Test Day Delays
Bluebook is designed to minimize bandwidth needs, but if speed tests show you don’t have enough unused bandwidth to support all test takers, it’s especially important to implement best practices for strong, stable internet.