I ran some tests at Rob’s request. CNET has a Bandwidth Meter speed test to see exactly how fast (or slow) your internet connection is.
I’m running about 1130.5 Kbps, wired and running the Google Web Accelerator.
Wired and no Google Web Accelerator I’m running about 700 Kbps.
Just connecting on my wireless network, I get anywhere from in the 600’s to the 1200 Kbps. Pretty inconsistent. Don’t really see a correlation with using the Google Web Accelerator or not either.
This is pretty dangerous, posting on this subject. I really don’t know what I’m talking about. What do these numbers mean? I don’t have a clue. All I know is that dial-up is dead!! DSL forever!
As far as the Google Web Accelerator, I really don’t know that it affects the speed test or not, I don’t understand its operation well enough to make that judgement. Maybe I can get some input on that. I do like it though, I think it does speed up surfing.
I haven’t been very impressed with my wireless router, I would get a different one next time. I can’t even get a half-decent connection from across the room.
7 Responses
May 10th, 2005 at 4:06 pm
Google Web Accelerator would totally skew most speedtests. Most speedtests display a 1-5 MB image and measure how long it takes to load. Google Web Accelerator looks for links on the page (such as the link to the image) and starts downloading them ahead of time. If you finally click on the link to start the test and the image is already half loaded…
But, depending on how the test is set up (server-side timing, using a POST to start test, etc…) it might not affect it. It all depends on the specifics of the test.
56 Kbps = theoretical maximum of a modem
1000 Kbps = 1 Mbps (Megabit per second)
8 Mbps = 1 MBps (Megabyte per second)
My internet connection (Cable) is 6 Mbps downstream and 768 Kbps upstream.
May 10th, 2005 at 5:25 pm
Tom, dial-up is still alive and kicking (however feebly) when you don’t have any other options. Where I live, there’s no option to get dsl or any other high speed service.
May 10th, 2005 at 10:38 pm
Hans,
Your explanation on those speeds was well done. You have me beat on those results! My downstream is around 3 MBPS. I pay about 58.00 per month for my broadband through the local cable company here called “Comcast”. I pity Darin with no options but dialup. If we ever moved from here my new location would have to have broadband availablity or I wouldn’t move there!
Rob
May 10th, 2005 at 10:43 pm
One other thing Darin… I think my brother Ben mentioned that Randy Gilbert, who lives somewhere not too far from you, has DSL now. Perhaps it will become available for you soon.
Rob
May 10th, 2005 at 10:53 pm
Tom,
Sorry to hear of the poor performance of your wireless router. Allow me to make a recommendation. My wireless router is a Netgear “Super G” router which gives me a speed of 108MBPS which is double the regular “G” speed of 54MBPS. I have good signal strength pretty much all through the house. My router is located in the basement next to my cable modem. I am in bed with the laptop now and the signal strength shows “very good”.
Rob
May 11th, 2005 at 5:42 am
So you’re that Rob. I never realized.
Randy’s are in another county and are right on the edge of the service from what I understand.
December 27th, 2005 at 1:46 pm
you didn’t know that? im amazedger