internet - Is there a way to tell what the download speed is from a site/server
2014-07
Memor-X
i'm looking into which ISP i should go with at the place i'm moving into, one ISP which i have been told good things about has data limits (which when breached will drop your speed to dial-up speed) but multiple memberships which, apart from the cheapest membership, have the same data limits (the cheapest has a 10GB data limit)
in their fine print, they say that each different membership has different port speeds, one particular part jumps out at me
These speeds are the NBN (National Broadband Network) port speed and not the actual Internet data speed which will vary based on numerous factors including destination you are reaching, your network equipment, network congestion etc.
i plan to use the net to download DLC and patch updates for games (particular the insanely large update for the Wii U) and games from Steam (if i find any good one other than this one JRPG) and downloading development resources from free sites like Deposit Files and Mediafire
since one membership with a 1000GB data limit is $145 with the port speed being 12Mbps/1Mbps (cheapest) while another with the same limit is $190 with the port speed of 100Mbps/40Mbps (expensive) i am wondering how i can tell what the speed coming from site is since i don't want to be wasting money on speed that makes no difference (unlike memory which i rather have to spare)
NOTE: the speeds are for a fiber optic network which where my new place is can only connect via fixed wireless which i may not be able to get with this ISP but if i can get this network then good
NOTE 2: most of the resources i get from Deposit Files are always about 200 MB or less, if a resource pack is greater then it's split into multiple archives (like .7z.part) while Mediafire i have to see one bigger than 150MB
NOTE 3: one update patch for a PS3 game is close to 4 GB (Disgaea 4) which i need to get access to the DLC and on the weekend i downloaded 5 GB for the Final Fantasy XIV Open Beta for the PS3 which took almost 5 hours
Chris Thompson
This is a difficult question to answer as there are a number of things that can impact the download speeds between yourself and any given site on the internet.
My parents have fixed microwave wireless and it works but can be easily interrupted by weather. Be aware of that.
The speeds that they mention are the maximum speeds you can get. Those speeds caps are enforced at the ISP level. If a server were capable of sending faster, it doesn't matter as your ISP won't let you receive any faster.
All else being equal, the option with the higher speeds will be more likely to allow you download data faster as it won't artificially cap the speeds as soon. Also, servers like Steam can easily saturate even the fastest connections.
Get the 100mbps connection if you want your 5GB downloads to download quickly.
JimDel
Why am I not getting anywhere near 7Mbps download speeds? I'm paying for 7Mbps download speeds and yet the fastest I can get anything is around 360Kbps. It doesn't matter what time of day it is or who I'm downloading from. It doesn't matter which computer in the house I use. All my machines use gigabit network cards thru a gigabit router. They all use different versions of Windows and different Anti Virus software. Verizon says everything is working correctly but have no explanation. Is this typical of ISP's? Sell you the best they have and not provide it, or could something at my end be wrong.
Thanks
EvilChookie
Because your ISP doesn't sell you 7Mbps, they sell you 'up to 7Mbps'.
The speed of your connection also depends on how high a quality the line is from your house to the ISP. For DSL users, you'll be connected to a telephone exchange, or similar - if you're further from the exchange, you will see decreased performance. If the DSL line is not properly filtered or suffers from excessive line noise, you'll also have problems.
Cable is also subject to line noise issues - but they are harder to troubleshoot, you need to talk to the provider.
Other things to consider:
Can the server you're downloading from - and all the links in between - support a sustained 7Mbps?
Is your router actually rated to handle speeds up to 7Mbits? If it's older, it might not. Consider a firmware upgrade, or a replacement. And just because your router is a gigabit router doesn't mean that it's interface to the internet (WAN port) is capable of the 7Mbits you should be getting.
Got a software firewall? These can interfere, because each packet is usually examined. That takes time - making transfers slower.
Also note that 7mbps is a shade under 700kB/second - you should ideally be seing transfer rates of about 680-700kB/sec (roughly)
Robert Cartaino
First, connect your DSL modem directly to your computer to eliminate any problems you might be having with your router.
Then, try SpeedTest.net to verify your download/upload speeds. Select a server which is close to your location. This will eliminate any problems you might be having with individual web sites or other Internet routing problems.
You may not get 7 Mbps but you should get a reasonable percentage (right now, I am getting 6.67 Mbps over a 7 Mbps service). If you are not happy, call your Internet provider and have someone come out and test your signal strength and connection speed. There are lots of things they can do to improve your connection.