Topic: Connection speed

[Clive]

I have suffered appalling connection speeds these past two days, not only on pc-pals, but on other websites I visit too.  I have btopenworld broadband and my speedtest tells me the following.

Download speed 58kbs (464 kbs)

(perfect -  running at full speed)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These results are only a snapshot of this particular moment. They are dependant
on any other Internet use on this computer and any delays on the Internet. To improve accuracy, run the test several times.
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Section 1: General Ping Results
A Ping test is the time taken for a server to reply to a request

Main Server:
   28ms - Normal - it's about right!

UK Server 1 (www.demon.net):
   25ms - Normal - it's about right!

UK Server 2 (www.bbc.co.uk):
   26ms - Normal - it's about right!

UK Server 3 (www.ic24.net):
   28ms - Normal - it's about right!

USA East Coast Server (www.yahoo.com):
   102ms - Fast - very fast response

USA West Coast Server (www.lycos.com):
   102ms - Fast - very fast response

European Server (www.marcopoly.com):
   30ms - Better than average - very quick response

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Section 2: Custom Server Ping Results
These results are to four user-definable servers.

Blueyonder Counter-Strike 1:
   32ms -

Blueyonder Team-Fortress Leage 1:
   32ms -

BarrysWorld Master Server (all games):
   0ms - *** PING timed out ***
Tracert to specified location:

Tracing route to 213.221.174.165 over a maximum of 20 hops
  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  192.168.1.1
  2    21 ms    21 ms    21 ms  217.32.69.72
  3    45 ms    25 ms    41 ms  217.32.69.33
  4    64 ms    89 ms    97 ms  217.32.69.106
  5    53 ms     *       55 ms  62.7.251.129
  6    56 ms    55 ms    58 ms  213.120.62.66
  7    61 ms    59 ms    62 ms  213.120.62.222
  8    40 ms    51 ms    66 ms  213.221.191.22
  9    78 ms   186 ms    77 ms  213.221.179.115
 10     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 11     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 12     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 13     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 14     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 15     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 16     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 17     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 18     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 19     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 20     *        *        *     Request timed out.
Trace complete.


Japanese Ping Server (VERY long distance!):
   0ms - *** PING timed out ***
Tracert to specified location:

Tracing route to 211.13.208.202 over a maximum of 20 hops
  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  192.168.1.1
  2    21 ms    21 ms    20 ms  217.32.69.72
  3    26 ms    35 ms    21 ms  217.32.69.1
  4    35 ms    40 ms    43 ms  217.32.69.106
  5    59 ms     *       28 ms  62.7.251.129
  6    60 ms    57 ms     *     213.120.62.214
  7    55 ms    54 ms     *     213.120.62.181
  8    65 ms    52 ms    60 ms  194.72.31.33
  9    59 ms    59 ms   186 ms  62.6.196.245
 10    55 ms    51 ms    59 ms  194.72.9.234
 11     *      160 ms     *     194.72.9.30
 12   154 ms   168 ms   154 ms  206.223.115.43
 13   140 ms   152 ms   152 ms  203.181.106.169
 14   228 ms     *      252 ms  203.181.106.157
 15   326 ms     *        *     210.132.91.97
 16   386 ms   340 ms   342 ms  203.181.96.246
 17   338 ms   327 ms   327 ms  202.239.171.142
 18   346 ms   337 ms   357 ms  210.155.131.91
 19     *      334 ms   331 ms  210.155.132.134
 20   341 ms   306 ms   320 ms  210.155.133.12
Trace complete.


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Section 3: Download Speed Results
Three downloads are tested; one from one of your ISPs servers, one through your Transparent Cache and one through an alterntive cache. This will give you an idea of how capable your connection is. Note: You should take the highest download speed into account.

BT Openworld - 512k service Server Download:
   0KB/s (0Kb/s) - **** SERVER ERROR: Unexpected error from Server****

Download through Transparent Cache:
   58KB/s (464Kb/s) - Perfect - running at full speed!

Download through alternative Cache (webcache.blueyonder.co.uk):
   0KB/s (0Kb/s) - **** SERVER ERROR: Unexpected error from Server****

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Section 4: Packet Loss
50 Ping Requests are sent to your server. The packet loss is measured by how many of the packets don't bounce back to the client. High packet loss may slow down your connection.

50 packets were sent, 50 bounced back; 0% loss (estimated)
   Fantastic - no packets dropped!
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Section 5: Transparent Cache Page Fetch Time
This test times how long your Transparent Cache takes to fetch a page from the Internet. Please note that this test is subject to many different parameters and sometimes may not be 100% accurate. This test can be used to show delays when trying to view Internet sites. The timing takes place from the moment the request for the file is sent to the moment the proxy server responds.

Average time taken to retrieve a page: 0ms - At least one of the pages requested failed to download. This may indicate problems with your Webcache. Run the test again to confirm this.

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Section 6: Network Connection Settings
The settings shown below are the settings that the system is currently using for connecting to the Internet

Receive Window: Default
Default TTL: Default

Windows IP Configuration
        Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . :
        Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
        Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
        IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
        WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
        Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Macronix MX98715-Based Ethernet Adapter (Generic)
        Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-50-BF-76-21-30
        Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
        Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . :
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . :
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
        DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . :
        DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . :

        Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 03 February 2003 07:55:37
        Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 06 February 2003 07:55:37


Your Webcache:

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Test Statistics:
Information on the test

Time and Date:    03/02/2003 21:46:59
Test duration:    139 secondsIP address:    
Username:    
Test Version:    2.81

Broadband Speed Test - www.vantage.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

So why it is so bleeding slow???

[Adept]

Section 5: Transparent Cache Page Fetch Time
This test times how long your Transparent Cache takes to fetch a page from the Internet. Please note that this test is subject to many different parameters and sometimes may not be 100% accurate. This test can be used to show delays when trying to view Internet sites. The timing takes place from the moment the request for the file is sent to the moment the proxy server responds.

Average time taken to retrieve a page: 0ms - At least one of the pages requested failed to download. This may indicate problems with your Webcache. Run the test again to confirm this.

Looks like there may be a problem with your "Temporary Internet Files" Clive.

Try clearing them out, posibly reduce the size of the cache if greater than about 100MB, run a scandisk, restart your PC and see what happens

[Clive]

I reduced my cache from 2335Mb to 1000 mb (oh at least I halved it!)    I used the Windows disk clean up to get rid of the temporary internet files and then used Nortons Utilities Scandisk as the one in XP is buried so deep within XP that even Microsoft have difficulty in finding it!  Anyway, it threw up a load of errors and Norton's fixed them all after a re-boot.  I don't think there is a great deal of improvement though.  

[Adept]

So, you have a 1GB web cache

How long do you think it takes to search the whole 1GB just to find out whether you have the latest version of a file?

You are on Broadband Clive. You really don't need a cache that large. Go on, Try reducing it to 100MB just for me

[Clive]

Gulp!  That looks so insignificant Adept.  A measly 100 Mb.  

Oh well I've done it just for you.    I'll keep you updated but I can't run that test again as te guy is moaning that I haven't made a donation and he's only a poor student.  I used to have a pay pals account but I lost it.  That's my story anyway!  

[bat69]

Clive, I thought I was being over generous giving myself 100Mb cache .... get that reduced  :damn:

[Simon]

My cache is set to 60Mb, and I've had no  problems.  

[Clive]

It hasn't made any difference at all.  The point is that I have always had it set very high and up until 2 days ago it had been working fine.  I am beginning to suspect that it's my ISP.

[Clive]

I've just proved that it's nothing to do with my computer because it's exactly the same on my wife's machine.  We are both connected to the same network so I presume that it has to be the ISP.

[Sandra]

Clive you mentioned recently that you had been downoading videos (not naughty ones if we are to believe you   ),have you by chance exceeded BTs miserly 1 gig daily limit ? I think they reduce your speed after you reach their limit  

There again it may be that BT isnt the fastest ADSL provider around,I have just seen this :

Januarys Top 10 Fastest ADSL ISPs

ADSLGuide reports that the fastest broadband ADSL ISPs for January came in as follows, with Nildram leading the pack:

1. Nildram 433Kbps (Downstream)
2. Eclipse Internet 429Kbps
3. Zen Internet 425Kbps
4. PIPEX Internet Limited 419Kbps
5. Freedom 2 Surf PLC 418Kbps
6. PlusNet 417Kbps
7. Tiscali 414Kbps
8. Boltblue broadband 414Kbps
9. Clara.net 414Kbps
10. AOL 411Kbps

Its not even made it into the top ten for speed last month  

[Clive]

What I meant was that I have been attempting to download videos as I haven't had many "bites" this past month.  For me, WinMX has become a joke.  I didn't realise that miserly BT restricted you to a 1 gig daily limit so thanks for enlightening me.  Anyway, lo and behold, 5 minutes after I began this current session my speed has returned to normal.  Blo*dy BTOpenWoe strikes again!  Now to bump my cache back up to millions of megs again.    Shhhhhh, don't tell Adept!   :heehee:

[Simon]

I don't really understand it myself, Clive, but where does your theory originate from that you need a huge webcache?   I'm only going on what I've read in many PC publications, but many of them recommend something like 30Mb.  I have mine set to 60Mb, which seems, by averages, fairly generous.

[Clive]

I've always worked on the premise "the bigger the better" so if I can have a cache of 3 billion then that must be good.    Oh, I've kept it at 100 Mb just in  case Adept calls in to do a spot check on me.