Help me understand my speedtest

FiveFingers

I have my broadband with Permanet, 2MB down and 1MB up.

When I measure my speed in MB, I get this
http://www.speedtest.net/result/1333461683.png

My provider is telling me that these are the correct speeds for my service. How can that be right???

When I measure my speed in Mb, I get this


I was told I was getting 2 MegaBYTES down and 1 MegaBYTE up. Why, when I measure my speed in MB do I get that awful result?

Am I getting what I'm paying for???

Thanks,
FiveFingers

D1stant

Thats actually pretty good

Never expect it to do what it says on the tin

Depends on the client, but thoise figures could be only for data transfer excluding packet headers which depending on packet sizes can be a large %

Dont worry. This connection is in good shape

Big Lar

The wording on your contract should read up to 2 Meg down

Which you are getting pretty close to.

dogpile

For 2mb BB that result is bang on the money....speedtest results always fall a bit short


this 25m with UPC



perfect

FiveFingers

So, I should be measuring in Mb, not in MB. Huh, still don't understand that

Looks like I'll have to upgrade my package though because I don't have a landline and VOIP for conference calls across the Atlantic is very shaky. I wonder if their phone package would be any good.

thanks,
FiveFingers

Big Lar

FiveFingers wrote: »

Looks like I'll have to upgrade my package though because I don't have a landline and VOIP for conference calls across the Atlantic is very shaky.

Don't think a speed upgrade is going to do anything for your phone line quality, It could be your VOIP provider. Lots of folks round here are using Blueface and find it very good.

FiveFingers

I don't have a VOIP provider. I was using a softphone provided by my employer over the Permanet connection. I think the quality problems might be caused by the fact that I use an online meeting service that allows me to share my desktop and view other people's desktops. Maybe, my package just can't handle the data download and voice at the same time.

Ugh, it's all so confusing. I just want to be able to join conference calls, hear what's going on and for the other attendees to hear me, and without my broadband connection kicking me out every so often. I have resorted to using my mobile phone for these conference calls and the quality with that is far from perfect too.

cml387

FiveFingers wrote: »

So, I should be measuring in Mb, not in MB.

It's the same thing. 2Mb (2 Mega Bits) is 2000000 bits per second.
You are achieving just under that 1.84MB or 1840000 bits per second,which is about right for that connection.

jor el

FiveFingers wrote: »

When I measure my speed in MB, I get this
http://www.speedtest.net/result/1333461683.png

My provider is telling me that these are the correct speeds for my service. How can that be right???

When I measure my speed in Mb, I get this

I think you're getting very confused over nothing. Both of those test results show your speed in Mbps (bits per second), and are both about 1.85Mbps, which is spot on for a 2Mbps system.

Whether you measure in MBps or Mbps is irrelevant, you just have to know what you should be getting. In your case, 2Mbps (1.85Mbps measured) would be 0.23MBps. You just divide by 8 to get the result in Bytes.

VOIP doesn't need much speed to operate, so there's no issue there. If you have VOIP quality issues, then the problem lies elsewhere. A speed upgrade will not help.

roast

Those results are perfectly fine for your package.

What VoIP solution are you using?

coylemj

The OP says he was promised the quoted upload/download rates in megaBYTES (his emphasis) which is clearly wrong, all BB speeds are quoted in megabits/sec.

OP, what you are achieving vs. what they promised (in megabits) is about right, you will rarely if ever get to the actual number, it's like the 0-100 kph they quote for cars.

FiveFingers

OK, so my speed is fine, based on my package. Great!

I've just been given a static IP address, so hopefully that'll solve my VOIP issues. I'm about to test it now with a conference call. Fingers crossed.