Quick Question? Expected Speeds

sam-1990 · 14-05-2008, 19:30

Hi,
after fixing my 20 mb broadband after years of only having half of what I was expected I have no become obsessed with speeds.

I must of run about 200 speed tests, which all average around 18mbps. Or so on, but after download some game demos and software from different websites i noticed i have actually never seen the download speed (even on small files mp3 etc.) go to such blazing speeds as 15.1mbps, it will barely reach 1mbps if im lucky.

Is this a problem, cos it seems to me like im loosing out on about 80% of the actual broadband im paying for!?

Sorry if this is a silly question, just im interested to find out the workings.

DjRalford · 14-05-2008, 19:35

your broadband speed is measured in Megabits per seconds, downloads are in Megabytes,
A 20 Megabit Broadband like yours will download at max around 2.5 Megabytes a second

so yours speed is mbps, downloads are MB/s

Go here
http://www.gamershell.com/download_25786.shtml

Download from UK server seriously #2 and let us know what your DL speed is

sam-1990 · 14-05-2008, 19:41

so with 20mb broadband and speed test showing that it is infact working correctly, i will only get direct downloads of about 2.5mb max? shouldn't it be 18-20mb max, or something?

DjRalford · 14-05-2008, 19:43

bits and bytes are different, there are 8bits to a byte, so 20Megabit broadband into bytes is 2.5Megabytes, which is the max download speed which 20Megabit broadband can achieve,

sam-1990 · 14-05-2008, 19:44

downloading a file from the link, 1.2mbps

DjRalford · 14-05-2008, 19:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by sam-1990

downloading a file from the link, 1.2MB/s

going on that your current speed is about 9.8Mbps, remember though you can only download as fast as a server can send it.

see the correction from your post, the downloads are MB/s, connection speed in mbps

sam-1990 · 14-05-2008, 19:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by DjRalford

bits and bytes are different, there are 8bits to a byte, so 20Megabit broadband into bytes is 2.5Megabytes, which is the max download speed which 20Megabit broadband can achieve,

right ok, very confusing, hehe. thanks for your help

DjRalford · 14-05-2008, 19:49

no problem

sam-1990 · 14-05-2008, 19:50

well yeah, virgin stm has kicked in, download about 5 GB, so they cut my 20 to 10

hehe

Noggo · 15-05-2008, 16:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by sam-1990

virgin stm has kicked in, download about 5 GB, so they cut my 20 to 10

The download speed on XL, once STM is activated is 5Mb/s (640KB/s) and not 10Mb/s.

_wtf_ · 15-05-2008, 18:27

I'm getting the same as sam-1990 so why the hell am I paying £37 per month when I'm only getting 5Mb/s

foreverwar · 15-05-2008, 21:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by _wtf_

I'm getting the same as sam-1990 so why the hell am I paying £37 per month when I'm only getting 5Mb/s

Read the threads on STM - they will explain it.

or

VirginMedia

whydoIneedatech · 15-05-2008, 22:51

My Speed is fine just checked it.

sam-1990 · 16-05-2008, 09:01

broadbandbug · 16-05-2008, 09:45

Speed Test Obsession - Should it be a medical condition

What ever happened to just doing what you need to do and if it happens as fast as you need it to being happy.

i.e. If you download something and by the time you have had your tea or been for a pee it is done.. Then why worry what the average speed across the download was?

Ok, if it is taking forever to get your music, video etc or your streaming is buffered to hell, then fair enough.. But this obsession with checking your speed is mental isn't it