Internet Speed Test NZ: How To Get The Most Accurate Results

Are you getting the advertised internet speeds in your broadband plan? There’s only one way to find out: run an internet speed test! Aside from download and upload speeds, it also determines your latency and ping.

As great as it gets, there’s one big caveat to these tests: they are inaccurate most of the time. While they’re a reliable benchmark to diagnose your internet speed, a lot of people aren’t doing them right. In most cases, your broadband provider is giving you their advertised speeds, but the problem is on your end.

So, how exactly can you ensure that your internet speed test results are always accurate? Check out these few quick and easy tips.

Restart your device and router before testing

Tech devices can overheat and malfunction from continuous strenuous tasks that they run. To make sure the problem isn’t from your router or the device you’re using, restart them before doing an internet speed test. If you have additional modems, mesh routers, or Wi-Fi extenders at home, restart these devices too.

After unplugging these devices, wait for a minute or two before you turn them on again. This way, you give them time to reboot and cool down their machines. After restarting your routers and devices, you should see a noticeable performance improvement. You shouldn’t experience a sluggish and delayed response like before.

Of course, you also have to take into account the age of the device. If they’re already more than five years old, you should expect them to not be as responsive. Though, they should still be able to perform internet speed tests without worries. 

Close all performing tasks over the internet

Another golden rule when conducting an internet speed test is to not use your internet for anything else. This creates an undivided distribution of available bandwidth, resulting in more accurate results. Opening multiple tabs or listening to streaming services can consume much of your internet, which may severely impact your speed test.

Aside from rechecking browsers and third-party applications that use the internet, you should also check for services that run in the background such as a Windows Update, sync uploads, or smart devices that run in other parts of your home. Also, don’t forget your phones, tablets, and laptops that auto-connect to wifi.

It’s also a great idea to check whether some unknown devices are still connected to the internet. Open your router’s configuration page and disable them individually. Only retain the device where you’re conducting the internet speed test.

Free up space by clearing your browser’s cache 

Whenever you visit websites, your browser stores up caches so they load faster the next time. These are especially useful for web pages with plenty of photos or videos. These are harmless data, but they can cause your browser and apps to slow down when they take up too much of your available storage.

Before doing any tests, make sure to clear these caches. If you are to do subsequent tests, clear them before conducting the tests again. An internet speed test can also store caches, so it’s a good practice to re-clear them too. Simply go to your browser settings to clear them every time you conduct a test.

Do note that subsequent tests may decrease the numbers of your results, even when re-clearing the caches after every test. However, this should give you more accurate results, especially for not-so-conducive circumstances.

Use an HTML5-supported internet speed tester

It’s highly recommended to use an HTML-5 internet speed tester for more accurate results. While an Adobe Flash-based speed tester can still show an estimate of your true speeds, it makes adjustments by over 40%! This is because it involves a middleman — in this case, Adobe — which increases the possibility of errors.

HTML 5 is the fifth generation of HTML, which allows programmers to create better multimedia experiences without additional software. As it doesn’t have a middleman, it’s also responsible for more accurate speed test results. Fortunately, only a few Flash speed testers remain today, so you can prevent getting inaccurate results.

Some of the most recommended HTML5 based internet speed tests are SpeedOf.Me, Speedtest.net, and TestMy.net. Our speed tester, right here at CompareBear, is also HTML5-supported! Test all you want and have confidence about accurate results.

Select the correct server for your location

Depending on your internet speed tester, you can select a server. By default, the server is the closest geo-location relative to your IP address, but this may not be the case on some tests. To make sure you get accurate results, double-check that you choose the correct server, city, country, and name of your broadband provider. 

If you’re located rurally, this is a bit tricky. Especially in small towns and villages, your internet speed tester may not list your specific location. As a rule of thumb, choose the closest city or major town to your location. It may not be the most precise, but this is your second-best option to get accurate speed test results.

Usually, an HTML5-supported internet speed tester like the ones we have here at CompareBear support this feature. While you’re at it, switch to a better broadband deal! Simply scroll down and use our comparison tool.

One more thing: Speed test isn’t a measure of how great your broadband plan is

Just because your broadband plan only maxes out at about 24Mbps doesn’t mean it’s inferior to others. It’s all relative to what you need. What’s the use of a 100Mbps broadband plan if the only online activity you do is sending emails.

Your broadband speed is just one aspect of how great your internet is; it’s not the only measure. As long as you maximise your bandwidth and speeds, it’s the perfect broadband plan for you. To guarantee that you have the best plans, use our comparison tool, right here at CompareBear.

Compare, switch, and save today using our comparison tool.