Re: Accurate Broadband Speed Tests

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
Mike in Texas <lydoss@xxxxxxxxx> hath wroth:

Can anyone suggest a fairly accurate program or site for broadband speed testing.

Are you testing your broadband ISP connection speed, or your wireless
device speed? The methods are quite different. Assuming the ISP
speed, it really depends on where you are located and who is your ISP.
The best test is usually a speed test server co-located at your ISP's
server farm. You want the fewest number of hops between the gateway
server and the test server.

Try these indexes:
<http://www.t1shopper.com/tools/speedtest/>
<http://nitro.ucsc.edu> (list of servers near bottom of page)
<http://www.dslreports.com/stest>

I'm currently using MySpeed PC Lite from
http://myspeed.visualware.com

That's what many ISP's use. They also have a nifty VoIP tester.
However, there's no need to have a client running on your machine
reporting the speed. The application can be delivered via Java or
Flash, without needing much more than a web browser. Howver, if you
want your very own speed testing client, I use IPerf:
<http://dast.nlanr.net/Projects/Iperf/>
There are a few IPerf servers available on the internet, but they're
primarily for the use of the ISP's customers.

which works well, but the numbers differ from (show higher numbers than) web-based speed tests sites like cnet and such.

You will get variations no matter how you test or what tools you use.
The internet is a shared medium. In order to get repeatable results,
you'll need exclusive use of the bandwidth between your machine and
the speed test server. That's not going to happen once the packets
leave your ISP. It *MIGHT* happen if the test server is co-located at
your ISP's facilities.



Thanks for the great information!

Well, I was interested in ISP connection speed, but I would also like to test my wireless device speed. Don't know how to do that.

I've made some changes to my old connections in the last couple of weeks, including replacing a 25 ft. cable with a 6 ft. cable from jack to modem, replacing my 8+ year old modem with a Motorolla SB5101 SurfBoard, adding a Linksys WRT350N router and a Linksys WMP300N PCI card, and finally upgrading my service from 7Mbps to 10Mbps. My only weakness is, I'm concluding, though not directly network related, is my 500Mhz processor. But - my wireless has been running very smoothly.

I'm getting consistent numbers with each type of test I conduct, but the numbers vary with each test. Though I do get different speed results at various times of the day and night.

I have roadrunner service. Using MySpeed PC Lite, I've gotten results during different times of the day and evening between 2.8 and 9.1Mbps (4 in the morning) - with all network applications (that I know of) shut down) and Zone Alarm off. With web-based speed tests, cnet specifically, I usually get a steady 2.5 to maybe 5.0Mbps - not a great of spread as MySpeed.

I'll check out their site for bandwidth testing, as well as the other links you have suggested.

Thanks again -

Mike


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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Accurate Broadband Speed Tests
    ... Assuming the ISP ... The best test is usually a speed test server co-located at your ISP's ... There are a few IPerf servers available on the internet, ... The internet is a shared medium. ...
    (alt.internet.wireless)
  • Re: OT: Wednesday Where-in-the-heck-is-everybody?
    ... Or I will be when I finish replacing the hdd in my ... test server that died over the hols! ...
    (microsoft.public.cert.exam.mcse)