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is speedtest.net accurate?

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  • 19-08-2009 10:54pm
    #1
    flanree
    Registered Users Posts: 484 ✭✭


    Sometimes my BT connection is really slow but anytime I run a test on speedtest.net it always gives the same full speed result around 4mb give or take a few 100k. Is there something else here affecting my connection that doesn't show on the result such as contention ratio?


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    #2
    dangerousdavid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 219 ✭✭dangerousdavid


    No, it certainly is not. I am currently on BT 7.6mb and can get results anywhere from 4mb - 36mb on those 'tests'.


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    #3
    vibe666
    Registered Users Posts: 13,016 ✭✭✭✭vibe666


    there could be dozens of reasons for your speed issues, the only way to accurately test it is to download something via ftp from here: http://ftp.heanet.ie/ (grab a linux CD image or something) and see how quickly it downloads to measure i properly.

    to stop you having to look for one, try and download this and see how quickly you get it: http://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/ubuntu-releases/9.04/ubuntu-9.04-desktop-i386.iso


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    #4
    PCPhoto
    Registered Users Posts: 6,584 ✭✭✭PCPhoto


    ok...trying that I get 1.5MB/sec

    suppose to have a 24MB connection (I Think)


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    #5
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    PCPhoto wrote: »
    ok...trying that I get 1.5MB/sec

    suppose to have a 24MB connection (I Think)

    1.5MBps (that's megabytes) is 1.5*8 = 12Mbps (that's megabits). Your connection speed is measured in megabits, so you're getting about 50% of the max. No one gets 24Mbps on DSL, the speed falls off as you move further from the exchange, and with degrading line quality. 12-16Mbps would be very good.

    Speedtest.net, and the others, tend to use small files, and are more suited to slower connection speeds (up to 5Mbps), as they become less reliable at faster speeds.


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    #6
    vibe666
    Registered Users Posts: 13,016 ✭✭✭✭vibe666


    i have the upc 20mbps package and this is how I get an accurate reading as downloading 1 ISO doesn't seem to max out my connection for some reason (maybe heanet limit the speeds of individual downloads?)

    if you want to make sure you're squeezing as much out of your connection as possible, get firefox and download a plugin called DownThemAll! which will make the most of your connection.

    then take another look at my first link in my previous post (http://ftp.heanet.ie/) and open a tab for each of the 4 nodes there and download a different ISO fiile from each of those nodes at the same time and see what you get.


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    #7
    Ranicand
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,960 ✭✭✭Ranicand


    PCPhoto wrote: »
    ok...trying that I get 1.5MB/sec

    suppose to have a 24MB connection (I Think)

    MB and Mb are not the same.

    A 10 Mb or megabit connection will download and 1MB megabyte per second.

    A one MB connection should download are 100KB per second.


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    #8
    Shane O' Malley
    Registered Users Posts: 1,373 ✭✭✭Shane O' Malley


    I agree. Use heanet.ie

    I believe they are the main hub for internet traffic in ireland and you can see from http://ftp.heanet.ie/ the amount of bandwidth available.

    I usually download something from http://ftp.heanet.ie/pub/fosdem-video/2009/maintracks/ and i tend to average out at 1.8MB on my 24Mb BT line.

    Modem syncs at about 18Mb so seems very little overhead.

    Shane


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