Understanding Single- Versus Multi-Thread

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Thread refers to the number of simultaneous connections between your personal device and the internet we use when running our speed tests.

Single-threaded means that we open a single connection and measure the speeds from that.

Multi-threaded means that we use multiple connections - usually anywhere from three to eight - at the same time and measure the total speed across them all.

Some connections cannot achieve full speed from a single-threaded connection, or have very unstable speeds, and a multi-threaded connection allows us to "fill" the available bandwidth more easily. This is particularly true on faster lines. Additionally, many modern applications don't use a single-threaded connection when transferring data, so it helps us produce a more "real world" result.