Anything I can do about really slow internet?

Cone Drone · 9 Jan 2013 at 03:34

Hey, so I got top download speed of about 250kb and it is not very stable so I was wondering if there is anything I can do about it. When I have contacted my ISP before they just tell me that it is my area and nothing they can do about it but I know people within 3 miles with much better connections. Anyone had a similar experience is this normal?

Tummy · 9 Jan 2013 at 03:50

What broadband deal do you have?

Bennie-Mac · 9 Jan 2013 at 04:34

Check on BTs website, if you enter your address on the "can I get bt infinity" section it will show you their speed estimates. I have found in my experience that they are pretty much bang on with their results. E.g my house can only get 3-4Mbps and they estimate 3.5Mbps, my parents house is 5Mbps and the estimate was the same. At least doing that will allow you to see roughly what you should be getting.

If you are talking about actual speeds downloading files, then my 3.5Mbps connection tops out at around 380kbps, its normal for your actual downloading speed to be lower than your actual speedtest results.

valkynaz · 9 Jan 2013 at 07:07

Bennie-Mac said:
If you are talking about actual speeds downloading files, then my 3.5Mbps connection tops out at around 380kbps, its normal for your actual downloading speed to be lower than your actual speedtest results.

That's because speedtest results and ISPs show download speeds in megaBITs per second, whereas the download speed you will see when downloading a file will be displayed in megaBYTEs per second. Quite a nasty advertising trick which will make lots of computer illiterate people believe they are buying for example, a 10MB/s connection when in reality it is 1.25MB/s

Divide your speedtest results by 8 and you will find out what your download speed should actually be.

Janesy B · 9 Jan 2013 at 07:23

Throughput is measured in bits, data is measured in bytes and it's annoying when people mix the two up. It's not a nasty advertising trick either, it's the way things are measured.

10Mbps is 1.25MBps and speed test results are in megabits so you don't have to divide by 8.

WarmPeas · 9 Jan 2013 at 10:48

Has it always been this slow? Who is your provider and what exchange?

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search

#Chri5# · 9 Jan 2013 at 11:02

Also post up the line stats from your router so we can see if there is anything obviously wrong.