MTU Test – Check Your Network MTU Online
An MTU test helps you understand the Maximum Transmission Unit used by a network connection. MTU is the largest packet size that can normally be transmitted over a network link without requiring fragmentation. A standard Ethernet network commonly uses an MTU of 1500 bytes, while some PPPoE, VPN, tunnel and other connections can use a lower value.
Use this free MTU Test to check common MTU values, understand packet-size compatibility and troubleshoot problems that may be related to an incorrect MTU configuration.
What Is MTU?
MTU stands for Maximum Transmission Unit. It represents the maximum size of an IP packet that can be transmitted over a network interface or path without fragmentation.
For many Ethernet connections, 1500 bytes is the standard MTU. PPPoE connections commonly use 1492 bytes because of protocol overhead. VPNs and tunnels can reduce the usable packet size even further.
Why Is MTU Important?
An incorrect MTU can sometimes cause unusual network problems. Small websites or simple connections may work normally while larger transfers, VPN connections, secure connections or specific applications experience delays or failures.
- Slow or unstable VPN connections
- Some websites loading incorrectly
- Large downloads failing or stalling
- Packet fragmentation
- Connection timeouts
- Problems with tunnels or PPPoE connections
Common MTU Values
| Connection Type |
Common MTU |
| Standard Ethernet |
1500 |
| PPPoE |
1492 |
| Some VPN connections |
Lower than 1500 |
| Jumbo Frames |
Usually around 9000 |
How Our MTU Test Works
This browser tool provides a practical MTU diagnostic and calculator. It compares common MTU values, calculates the corresponding IPv4 ping payload size and explains what each result means.
For an actual path-MTU measurement, packet-level testing must be performed by a system that can send packets with fragmentation control. Browsers do not expose raw ICMP or packet-fragmentation controls directly.
MTU and Ping Payload Size
For an IPv4 ICMP ping test, the commonly used calculation is:
MTU = ICMP payload + 28 bytes
The additional 28 bytes represent the IPv4 header and ICMP header. For example, an MTU of 1500 corresponds to an ICMP payload of 1472 bytes.
MTU Problems and Internet Troubleshooting
If your internet connection works for basic browsing but certain websites, VPN services, file transfers or applications fail, MTU can be one possible cause. However, MTU is only one part of network troubleshooting. DNS, packet loss, routing, firewall rules and server-side problems can produce similar symptoms.
MTU Test for VPN and PPPoE Connections
VPN tunnels and PPPoE connections may introduce additional overhead. This can reduce the effective packet size available to applications. If you are troubleshooting a VPN or PPPoE connection, compare the configured MTU with the MTU supported by the complete network path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use the MTU Test above to understand common MTU values and calculate the corresponding packet payload size.