Good download speed?

[SMEE]

I was just wondering, what is considered a good download speed up here? I have been getting some excellent speeds (from my point of view). Today, i was getting 650ish kB/s which equates to downloading a movie in about 20 mins. I have also downloaded an album in about a minute and a half.

How does this stack up against the rest of you?

[Georgeios]

650Kbs is only just over half a Mb, Im getting 7.6Meg just now down loading about 4.5 Meg, about 5 times faster than you... How fast are you paying for?

I know if its 8MB thats a top end guess, but with 650 down loading Id guess that at best your getting about 1.5MB over all....

[Georgeios]

It wont let me edit, I was going to say were you ment to put 6500Kbs, that would be 6.5MB and that would be a good down load speed.

[SMEE]

Are you sure about your numbers Georgios? If you're correct...it means you could dl a movie in 4 mins and an album in 20 secs? Sounds a little unbelievable for up here.

I only get about 4Meg here...although, according to BT...i have over 6 Meg coming into the house...so where is the 2 meg going?

[Jay_7]

The important thing to understand here is that there's a big difference between a megabyte (MB) and a megabit (Mb).

Internet speeds are usually measured in bits to make them sound better - so remember there are 8 bits in a byte...

Edit to include a speed test result from work...

Note how the speed is measured...

At the above speed I can download a 5MB MP3 in 8 seconds, a 35MB video clip in 50 seconds and an 800MB movie in 19mins.

Edited September 21, 2009 by Jay_7

[Georgeios]

Nibbles back in the day lol. aye I think ive got them mixed up....

[Heilandee]

I only get about 4Meg here...although, according to BT...i have over 6 Meg coming into the house...so where is the 2 meg going?

Smee,i think from past discussions on here you stay fairly close in Cradlehall,i still only get 2 meg but at least it's fairly acceptable most of the time,although at peak times you tube still buffers and stutters.Neebors were also moaning about slow speeds.I thought BT were saying culloden exchange to here was max 3 meg?

[SMEE]

Yeah Dee....I am indeed in Cradlehall, in the Castlehill area. I think the exchange we run off is actually at the Cradlehall shops. Im pretty sure of that.

I just did a speedtest and got this result

As i say..i believe i actually have about 6 meg coming into the house, but somewhere, im loosing over 2 meg

[SMEE]

Oh....and Dee......when i checked my number against the BT broadband speed checker thing, it did say that the expected speed on that line was just under 6 Meg.

I think you need to be getting onto your ISP. Ive had to do it a few times to get the speed i now do. I too watch a lot of youtube clips and couldnt live with the stuttering. I think the 2 Meg your recieving isnt really acceptable in this day and age

[Jay_7]

Yeah Dee....I am indeed in Cradlehall, in the Castlehill area. I think the exchange we run off is actually at the Cradlehall shops. Im pretty sure of that.

I just did a speedtest and got this result

As i say..i believe i actually have about 6 meg coming into the house, but somewhere, im loosing over 2 meg

If you live in Cradlehall your exchange is the Culloden Exchange next to Harry Gow.

Secondly, what speed you are being serviced with and what download rates you get are two completely different kettles of fish. Check your Sync rate on your router for the speed delivered to your house.

[Heilandee]

Interesting Smee,thats lots quicker than i can get, yer right,i'll have to go and dig up ISP ...AGAIN!! are you happy with BT as ISP?

ps, I'm in the same estate,gie's a shout if ya see the black van wi ladders on the roof going about!

Jay7 how do ya check the sync rate on yer router?

Edited September 21, 2009 by Heilandee

[SMEE]

Im in Castlehill Drive Dee. I think i might have noticed your van before. Is your work something to do with communications? Im quite often at the Bus stop just on Caulfield Road North.

As far as BT goes.....i have to say....now that i know how to handle them, they are pretty good at sorting any issues out. I only went with them coz i wanted some new toys (the BT HUB and Phone and BT VIsion). Took a while to get to this position tho.

I get a consistant speed throught the day. I landed myself a good deal....as I am on option 3...the all singing all dancing service...which is supposed to be ?25 per month. But...because of the speed issues i had been suffering in the past, and the fact am a fly wee monkey...i negotiated a ?10 reduction in cost. It also helped that when i did it...my contract with them was due for renewal. So i tried the old...surley some money from me is better than none routine..(ie...threaten them to take your business elsewhere)..and it worked!

Also....i have this theory that because BT still own the exchanges, BT customers will get a preferential service.

[Jay_7]

Log in to your router using the IP Address (for example mine is 192.168.0.1) The first screen you see is usually a status screen. This screen should have your Sync rate (might be separated out into a Downstream and Upstream rate).

[Heilandee]

Aye. i,m just roond the corner Smee.Will have to consider changing to BT , hearing a few folk impressed with them for broadband and their Vision is getting positive feedback now after a slow start

Cheers Jay_7

[SMEE]

If I see ya Dee....al give ya a wee wave. I will probably be at the bus stop and most definitley be wearing a hat of some sort...most likely a baseball cap...just so you know!

Went into my hub...and it says:

Your broadband line is connected.

Broadband connection details:

Downstream 7,104 Kbps

Upstream 448 Kbps

So....what does that mean in relation to the actual speed im getting? Am i losing speed somewhere?

Edited September 21, 2009 by SMEE

[Jay_7]

If I see ya Dee....al give ya a wee wave. I will probably be at the bus stop and most definitley be wearing a hat of some sort...most likely a baseball cap...just so you know!

Went into my hub...and it says:

Your broadband line is connected.

Broadband connection details:

Downstream 7,104 Kbps

Upstream 448 Kbps

So....what does that mean in relation to the actual speed im getting? Am i losing speed somewhere?

So you're getting a 7.1Mbps service delivered to your door and getting as far as your router. That's pretty good really. I wouldn't say you're losing much speed. There will of course be latency issues on how you're connecting to your router but that's to be expected - especially if you are connecting via 802.11g Wi-Fi.

Edited September 21, 2009 by Jay_7

[SMEE]

If I see ya Dee....al give ya a wee wave. I will probably be at the bus stop and most definitley be wearing a hat of some sort...most likely a baseball cap...just so you know!

Went into my hub...and it says:

Your broadband line is connected.

Broadband connection details:

Downstream 7,104 Kbps

Upstream 448 Kbps

So....what does that mean in relation to the actual speed im getting? Am i losing speed somewhere?

So you're getting a 7.1Mbps service delivered to your door and getting as far as your router. That's pretty good really. I wouldn't say you're losing much speed. There will of course be latency issues on how you're connecting to your router but that's to be expected - especially if you are connecting via 802.11g Wi-Fi.

So....its quite acceptable to be getting 7.1 Mbps to your router, but only be recording speeds (from speedtester sites) of about 3.9 Mbps? its not far off half the speed coming in and to me...thats a fair drop

if it makes any difference, im using the white BT Home Hub. I also have the black one, lying unopened upstair.

Edited September 21, 2009 by SMEE

[SMEE]

Dont get me wrong....Im quite happy with 20 mins to dl a movie...and a 1.5 mins for an album, but obviously.....if it could be even better......ad be even happier Those speeds i mention are at the very top end of what I can acheive, the average dl time is normally quite a lot slower!

Edited September 21, 2009 by SMEE

[Jay_7]

So....its quite acceptable to be getting 7.1 Mbps to your router, but only be recording speeds (from speedtester sites) of about 3.9 Mbps? its not far off half the speed coming in and to me...thats a fair drop

if it makes any difference, im using the white BT Home Hub. I also have the black one, lying unopened upstair.

You will never ever get a download speed to match your Sync rate. Sorry but that's just the way it is until we're all on unthrottled Fibre connections.

There are way too many variables to consider. To get the fastest speed test result possible, try running it between midnight and 6am.

[SMEE]

To get the fastest speed test result possible, try running it between midnight and 6am.

Awh...thats the best part of the day. Am normally dreaming i can fly or have superhero powers at that time

[DornochCaley]

Always after midnight for the best. Mines was at at 800,000kb/s last night!

[Jay_7]

Always after midnight for the best. Mines was at at 800,000kb/s last night!

You had an 800Mbps download rate - in Dornoch?... Was that a typo or are you being serious, because I find that difficult to believe?

[DornochCaley]

Always after midnight for the best. Mines was at at 800,000kb/s last night!

You had an 800Mbps download rate - in Dornoch?... Was that a typo or are you being serious, because I find that difficult to believe?

You found it hard to belive? I almost fell off my chair! Most amazing thing to happen in Dornoch since my mate asked the woman in the chinese if he could "Eat her ***" :023: :015:

[Oz647]

"Log in to your router using the IP Address (for example mine is 192.168.0.1) The first screen you see is usually a status screen. This screen should have your Sync rate (might be separated out into a Downstream and Upstream rate). "

Can someone please explain how to log into the router for us less techy folk? I did the test and only got 3.8Mbs and pay for "up to 8MB" with Virgin and I get even slower during peak times.

Taa very much in anticipation.

[Jay_7]

"Log in to your router using the IP Address (for example mine is 192.168.0.1) The first screen you see is usually a status screen. This screen should have your Sync rate (might be separated out into a Downstream and Upstream rate). "

Can someone please explain how to log into the router for us less techy folk? I did the test and only got 3.8Mbs and pay for "up to 8MB" with Virgin and I get even slower during peak times.

Taa very much in anticipation.

What type of router do you have?