What a network health score checks

A network health check looks at how well your connection performs and how safe your home network is, then sums it up as a score. The performance side usually covers speed, delay, stability and Wi-Fi quality, and the security side covers things like encryption, open ports and unknown devices. The score is a quick summary; the individual findings tell you what to fix.

Why combine everything into one score?

Most people do not want to read ten separate numbers. A score gives you a fast answer to "is my network in good shape?" and lets you see whether a change helped. Fix something, run the check again, and see if the score moves.

The catch is that a single number hides detail. A network can score well overall and still have one serious problem, such as an open remote access port. So always read the findings, not only the headline.

What the performance side of a network health check looks at

Download and upload speed. How much data you can move, compared with what you would expect for your connection. Test more than once to get a fair reading.

Latency (ping). How long a round trip takes. Low and steady is good for calls and games.

Jitter. How much latency changes from moment to moment. High jitter causes choppy calls and stuttering games.

Packet loss. Whether any data goes missing. Ideally there is none.

Wi-Fi signal where you are. Your phone's received Wi-Fi strength, in dBm. Roughly speaking, around −50 dBm is strong, around −67 dBm is good enough for most uses, and much below −75 dBm tends to be unreliable.

Channel crowding. How many nearby networks share your Wi-Fi channel. A crowded channel slows everyone on it. See how to find the best Wi-Fi channel.

DNS response. How quickly names are turned into addresses. Slow DNS makes pages hesitate before they load.

What the security side looks at

Wi-Fi encryption. Whether your network uses WPA3 or WPA2 with AES, rather than an older or open setting.

Open ports. Whether devices or the router are listening for connections that could be reached by others. Our guide on what an open port is explains why this matters.

Unknown devices. Whether there are devices on your network you have not identified.

Risky services. Old, unencrypted services like Telnet on a camera or router.

Router basics. Things like whether WPS appears to be on, which can be a weak point.

Not every check can see everything. A phone app sees your network from the inside, as one device on it. It cannot read your router's firmware version or admin password unless the router reports them. That is normal, and it is why some findings are phrased as "check this" rather than "this is wrong".

How to read the score

1. Read the headline score. Treat it as a rough grade, not a precise measurement.
2. Read the findings in order of severity. Security problems that expose devices come first, then performance problems.
3. Separate "your side" from "provider's side". Weak Wi-Fi in one room is yours to fix. Slow speed even next to the router may be your provider.
4. Fix one thing at a time. Then run the check again, so you know what made the difference.
5. Run it at different times. Evening results may differ from morning ones because of congestion.

Common findings and what to do

• Weak Wi-Fi where you tested: move closer, reposition the router or add a mesh point.
• Crowded channel: switch to a quieter channel in the router settings.
• High jitter: check for other heavy use at home, and test on 5 GHz.
• Old encryption: switch to WPA2 (AES) or WPA3 in the router.
• Unexpected open port: find which device it belongs to and close it or turn off UPnP.
• Unknown device: identify it, and change your Wi-Fi password if you cannot.

For a full security clean-up, see our 10 steps to secure your home Wi-Fi. For speed problems, our step-by-step slow internet check is the next stop.

Can a health check fix my network?

No. A network health check measures and explains. The fixes are changes you make: moving the router, changing a setting, removing a device or calling your provider. Any app that claims to make your network healthier just by tapping a button is overselling.

How CellRadar helps

CellRadar has a Network Health Report that gives a score out of 100 with performance and security findings. If something is slow, the Network Doctor runs step-by-step checks and gives a plain-language verdict on why. Both measure and explain; the fixes are steps you take.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good network health score?

It depends on how the score is built, so read the findings rather than chasing a number. A good score with no security findings is a healthy sign.

Why did my score change when I moved rooms?

Part of the score is based on Wi-Fi signal where your phone is. A weaker signal in another room lowers the performance side.

Can a health check see my router's password?

No. A phone app sees the network from the inside as one device. It can spot some risks, like open ports or old encryption, but cannot read router settings it is not told.

How often should I run a network health check?

Run it when something feels wrong, after you change router settings, and every few months as a routine check.