How do I test my internet connection speed?
To test the speed of your internet connection we recommend using the independent speed test at www.speedtest.net
The computer you are using should be connected to your router by Ethernet cable rather than by WiFi as WiFi connected devices can show misleading speedtest results (a local WiFi connection is never as good as a local Ethernet connection).
Select a speed test server close to your location, (Dunedin or Auckland - 2Degrees, Christchurch - Sky Broadband servers are all good choices wherever you are) then click the GO button and the test will start.
Note the Ping, Upload Speed and Download Speed.
Because internet speeds vary from time to time on your connection repeat the test another two times noting the results.
The average of the three results combined is the speed that your internet connection is running at right now.
Repeat the process again later on and compare the differences to get a feel for how your overall internet speed is performing.
If you feel that your connection speed is slow restart your Netspeed supplied equipment by turning the power to it off for one minute and then back on again, once the equipment has reconnected (sometimes 3-5 minutes) run the speed test again
- for more info on restarting your Netspeed supplied equipment see My connection isn't working properly, what do I do?
- for more info in restarting your router see Why do we need to restart modems/routers?
Please Note that speedtest results can also vary depending on the computer being used to run the speedtest. If the computer you are using to test is generally running slowly, has an older network card or connected via Wi-Fi, instead of by ethernet cable, speedtests may report as slower than the true actual speed.
What does download speed mean?
The download speed is the speed that your computer is receiving data from the internet The download speed is the most important part of your internet speed because most of the data you use is downloaded from the internet to your computer.
What does upload speed mean?
The upload speed is the speed that your computer is sending data back to the internet, for most client connections this speed is less important because your outgoing data is much less speed critical than your incoming data.
What does ping mean?
This is the time that it takes for a small piece of data to get from your computer to the speedtest server. The smaller the ping is the the better your connection quality will be.
What speed can I expect from my Netspeed connection?
Speed can vary from time to time on any network. The busy times on most networks are typically on weekdays after school gets out and through until about 9 to 10 pm, during these times speeds can often be depreciated a bit.
Speeds can also vary depending on what type of Netspeed connection you are connecting through. Minimum average expected speeds for our various networks types are around 2.0 Mbps.
Maximum speeds can vary considerably from 3 to 50 Mbps on our Wireless broadband and Rural broadband networks (depending on your location in relation to our transmitter), from 25 to 1000 Mbps on our Fibre broadband network (depends mostly on the plan you have chosen).
If you feel your connection is too slow
If your average speed tests are consistently below the quoted minimum speed for your connection type please don't hesitate to contact us to request we investigate your connection quality with a view to improving the achieved speed. We will request information about how long it has been a problem, what is the nature of the problem (ie what is it that you cant do that you may expect to be able to do) and full speed test information (ping, download, upload, time and date) which can be supplied by copying the links from the speed test website and emailing them to us.