Here is how to do an accurate speed test on your Lightwire internet connection.

Important things to know first:

• Make sure you do this test on a computer which is physically plugged in to the Lightwire router using a network cable. Doing a speed test over wifi will not give you an accurate measure of your internet connection.
  
  
• A speed test measures the attainable speed at a specific time for the connection between your house and the Lightwire core network, and it is only to be used as an indicator.  
  
  
• Specific speeds are not guaranteed on the Lightwire Rural network due to a number of different factors both technical and environmental. 
  
  
• What matters most is that your user experience is good. i.e. you can view your websites easily, YouTube streams well, Skype video calls work, music can be streamed etc. If all these things are ok, actual speeds become irrelevant.
  
  
• Many people have mistakenly thought their internet connection was slow when it turned out to be their computer instead. If this is the case, it may be time to get your IT person out.

Steps to do an accurate speed test:

1. In a web browser go to http://www.speedtest.net
2. Before clicking "Go!" please click the blue "change service" link, and select "Hamilton - Lightwire Limited" from the list that appears.
3. The speed test will then run and measure the 'ping' (the time it takes a packet of data to go from your address to a remote server and then back again). It will also measure the download and upload speeds. Download is data moving towards your house. Upload is data moving away from your house.

If you would like to share this speed test information with the customer care team at Lightwire, please follow these additional instructions:

1. Once the test has been completed, click 'SHARE THIS RESULT'
2. You can get a link to send in a reply by clicking the first icon, clicking the first box and pressing ctrl+c on your keyboard. Paste this into your reply email (ctrl+v) and send it to us, and we'll take a look.
3. To email the test to us directly click the icon showing a circle with three dots in a horizontal line, then the "email this result" option (a circle with an envelope). Your email program will open and create an email, simply send this to support@lightwire.co.nz
4. Send the email with any extra information you would like to include.