Measure Network Speed in Your Building

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.

How to Run a Speed Test

For the most accurate results, run a speed test:

• When competing network activity approximates 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.

Network Speed

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.
• 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. 

Avoiding Test Day Delays

If speed tests show you don’t have enough unused bandwidth to support all test takers, remember that Bluebook is designed to minimize bandwidth needs. But if you’re concerned about network speed, try these tactics. 

Minimize Competing Activity 

On test day, reduce the risk of delays by throttling or delaying scheduled backups.

Make Sure Bluebook Is Up to Date

Routine releases auto-update when students open Bluebook and that could cause delays, so ask students to open Bluebook themselves before test day. They don’t need to sign in.

Stagger Start Times Slightly

Ask proctors in some rooms to wait an extra 5 minutes before reading the script and sharing their start code.

Use Different Rooms 

If a room has unusually low bandwidth, run the speed test again in case your original result was an anomaly. If you need to, look for rooms with better wireless coverage.

Adjust Testing Plans 

For SAT School Day and PSAT-related assessments, advise the test coordinator to test different groups at different times or on different days.

If an SAT Weekend test center network can’t support the capacity entered in their renewal form, the test center coordinator should call us as soon as possible so we can limit registrations appropriately.