Internet speeds when downloading and surfing

Associate
Joined
10 Sep 2022
Posts
1,394
Location
essex
Hi all,

So for my pc I'm using the built in WiFi 6 module. The mb is an Asus tuf gaming b650 plus WiFi .

The internet speeds is 35mbps.

Whenever I download from the following

Xbox game pass
Steam
Ea play

(Possibly others)

I only ever kdownkiad at a rate of 4.5mbps.

I'll pause the download, go on Ookla carry out speed test and it states 36mbps download speed.

Restart one of the above mentioned program downloads and still only getting a max of 4.5mbps.

However also at the same time I'm trying to work from home and the internet connection is so slow it's painful meaning my remote desktop access drops out and is really laggy.

Again pause the download I'm trying to complete and remote desktop works fine and dandy again.

I do have now TV broadband and their hub 2 which I know is frankly poor, but it's seems to be doing what it needs to.

I know a hard wired connection would be best but I've maxed out the router already and getting a cable to the office isn't really possible, only way I could do it is with the power line adaptors but tbh I've not really had much success with the adaptors in the past.

Is there some settings I need to change or is the whole setup just poor
 
4.5 megabytes = 36 megabits

If I am right in reading that remote access is poor whilst downloading then cap your downloads (all launchers I have used have this option). Something like 3 megabytes a second will probably be enough.
 
You're confusing megabits and megabytes. Your BB speed is in megabits. There are 8 bits in a byte. So your download speed in Megabytes is your speed divided by 8, so 4.3MB/s. Looks spot on to me.
 
Oh FFS.

What an absolute lemon.

Sorry gents. Thanks for your help

Can't wait till we get full fibre

It's an unsurprisingly very common mistake people make. I think most of the general public have grasped measurements of data storage - people were running out of GB/MB of space decades ago on phones/laptops etc. But not many realise that bandwidth is measured in bits not bytes, and as above a single bit is not the same size as a single byte.
 
As for the work from home, is this remote desktop from a home PC to control a PC at work? In some cases it could be limited by your work place's upload speeds.
 
To briefly address a couple of points not yet covered:

1) You say you 'maxed out' your router for wired connections. Just plug in a switch and move all the devices to that. One short cable between one of the router's LAN ports and the first/last port on the switch, and then you have 4/7/15/23/whatever ports spare for all your devices. Don't rely on powerline - as you said, they're poor at best. Can you not drill out and back in to your office to run a cable? Or up to the loft and drop back in?

2) Try a different router with QoS/SQM. Having real time apps like remote desktop and video/voice calling software dropping while you're downloading could be bufferbloat, a very slow (saturated) upstream not leaving space for TCP ACKs, or just a really rubbish router. What are your results after running THIS test?
 
To briefly address a couple of points not yet covered:

1) You say you 'maxed out' your router for wired connections. Just plug in a switch and move all the devices to that. One short cable between one of the router's LAN ports and the first/last port on the switch, and then you have 4/7/15/23/whatever ports spare for all your devices. Don't rely on powerline - as you said, they're poor at best. Can you not drill out and back in to your office to run a cable? Or up to the loft and drop back in?

2) Try a different router with QoS/SQM. Having real time apps like remote desktop and video/voice calling software dropping while you're downloading could be bufferbloat, a very slow (saturated) upstream not leaving space for TCP ACKs, or just a really rubbish router. What are your results after running THIS test?

Hi thanks for your reply.

I've got an ethernet switch plugged in already and that's maxed out to, could buy a bigger switch but essentially I can't be arsed, I've also not had much luck with the plug socket ethernet modules, I've found them mostly unreliable and awkward to setup and manufacturers seem to only support a model for 5 minutes before deciding they can't be bothered (devolo I'm looking at you)

When downloading it is downloading at the maximum speed available in my area which unfortunately is excasberated by the house also being one of the furthest away from the exchange in the centre of the village.

When downloading from steam etc all devices connected to the internet in the house slow down and are flaky when steam (or other download software) does it's downloading and rarely does it drop below 4mb/s.

However if the PC is off (or I'm just doing basic web surfing and remote desktop working) and other devices are in use they can all be connected no problem.

I'm guessing the download software sets itself as priority.
 
Last edited:
Are you sure there’s nothing faster available?

Forgot to add

Did look at 5g routers with 3 but they can't be certain of the signal, as we're on the edge of good so it might only work in sunny days...

Pain in the bum really, but the village was only connected to the main grid 50 years ago so can't expect to much.
 
Forgot to add

Did look at 5g routers with 3 but they can't be certain of the signal, as we're on the edge of good so it might only work in sunny days...

Pain in the bum really, but the village was only connected to the main grid 50 years ago so can't expect to much.
Similar issue here.

I remember the original plan was FTTP to 100% of premises by 2025, which got dropped to 85%. Not sure what the target is now.
 
Similar issue here.

I remember the original plan was FTTP to 100% of premises by 2025, which got dropped to 85%. Not sure what the target is now.

Probably like every other government target make a headline target with no intention of achieving it then just let it die down and quietly remove it.

It's all very well then putting targets in place but they need to have a plan to go with them, which they fail to have.

It's excasberated by the fact that they sold all the family silver and so are now reliant on private companies.

Had they kept hold of BT they could have better implemented the growth of fttp.

These are the top 10 countries that have the fastest internet

They have all invested in infrastructure.

What I'm not sure is if they are privately owned or nationally owned (china is nationally owned)

Qatar189.98
United Arab Emirates175.34
Macau (SAR)171.73
Kuwait139.03
Norway131.16
Denmark118.83
Bahrain115
South Korea110.59
China110.1
Netherlands109.13
 
Back
Top Bottom