How do they work out ADSL speed? [Archive]

bitingmidge

3rd February 2006, 05:34 PM

I've had a few interesting times of late, which have been resolved with the help of my friends at Telstra, who very kindly sent me a new modem, and a credit for my next three months internet costs.

After living on dial-up for a time, it became clear that logging on to this forum wasn't much slower at 96k as it is with my 512k ADSL connection, which I put down to the slowness of the server, traffic, and so on.

Then I got curous so logged on to http://www.ozspeedtest.com/tools_speed_bigpond_adsl.shtml to see what I could find out.

I've checked seven times in four days, and am yet to crack 256k.

Am I getting dudded??

Why don't I just downgrade to a 256k connection, or will that drop everything back to 96k?

Over to you, tech heads of the forum!

cheers,

P
:confused: :confused: :confused:

redwood

3rd February 2006, 05:43 PM

im on telstra adsl and it read

kbps: 1117
KB/s: 139.625
Mbps: 1.0908203125

Termite

3rd February 2006, 05:50 PM

I'm currently getting 425 on a 512 connection, between 420 and 440 is about right.

ptc

3rd February 2006, 05:51 PM

I'm two way satelite
and all i'm gettig is

kbps: 104.5
KB/s: 13.0625
Mbps: [b]0.10205078125
work that out ?

Groggy

3rd February 2006, 05:56 PM

I'm also on Telstra ADSL and it read

kbps: 1128.9
KB/s: 141.1125
Mbps: 1.10244140625

At http://www.bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/ I get:

<label class="infoLabel">Communications</label> <label class="infoValue">616.8 kilobits per second</label>
<label class="infoLabel">Storage</label> <label class="infoValue">75.3 kilobytes per second</label>
<label class="infoLabel">1MB file download</label> <label class="infoValue">13.6 seconds</label>
<label class="infoLabel">Subjective rating</label> <label class="infoValue">Not bad

</label>

woodbe

3rd February 2006, 06:14 PM

Adam ADSL2:

<acronym title="Kilobits per second">kbps</acronym>: 1109
<acronym title="Kilobytes per second">KB/s</acronym>: 138.625
<acronym title="Megabits per second">Mbps</acronym>: 1.0830078125

Redback

3rd February 2006, 06:16 PM

This sort of question is best posted at http://www.whirlpool.net.au/

all your questions and more will be answered here...

woodbe

3rd February 2006, 06:17 PM

And at Groggy's http://www.bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/ I get:

<label class="infoValue">934.7 kilobits per second</label>
<label class="infoLabel">Storage</label> <label class="infoValue">114.1 kilobytes per second</label>
<label class="infoLabel">1MB file download</label> <label class="infoValue">9 seconds</label>
<label class="infoLabel">Subjective rating</label> <label class="infoValue">Good</label>

Auld Bassoon

3rd February 2006, 06:18 PM

I'm on Bigpond cable, and my results were:
Your connection speed:

<ACRONYM title="Kilobits per second">kbps</ACRONYM>: 4374.2
<ACRONYM title="Kilobytes per second">KB/s</ACRONYM>: 546.775
<ACRONYM title="Megabits per second">Mbps</ACRONYM>: 4.2716796875

The bad news is that I believe Telstra are going to turn off the cable facility for DSL (leaving it only for payTV) within 12 ~ 18 months.

I don't have, and don't want, a PSTN service (with attendant line rentals) as I've moved exclusively to a mobile phone. So, if and when cable goes, I'll have the choice of Optus cable (who currently only sell their cable DSL service bundled with PSTN:mad: ), or hope that wireless is up to scratch and affordable by then.

Sending digital smoke signals :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

bitingmidge

3rd February 2006, 06:18 PM

Redback,

Thanks. (I knew that!!! :o ) but I like talking dirty with wood blokes.

P
:D :D :D

Dan

3rd February 2006, 06:41 PM

Bigpond 256/64

Test type: ADSL

Your connection speed:

kbps: 194
KB/s: 24.25
Mbps: 0.189453125

Skew ChiDAMN!!

3rd February 2006, 06:52 PM

AlexS

3rd February 2006, 07:08 PM

Sludgepond ADSL

213 kbps
26.1
1Mb file download 39.2 s

Rating mediocre.

markharrison

3rd February 2006, 07:49 PM

knucklehead

3rd February 2006, 08:15 PM

Grunt

3rd February 2006, 08:25 PM

<label class="infoLabel">I've got 1500/256

Communications</label> <label class="infoValue">883.7 kilobits per second</label>
<label class="infoLabel">Storage</label> <label class="infoValue">107.9 kilobytes per second</label>
<label class="infoLabel">1MB file download</label> <label class="infoValue">9.5 seconds</label>
<label class="infoLabel">Subjective rating</label> Good

I did some testing when I got my service and often had rates if 1200 kilobits per second, so it depends on what's happening around at the time.

I'm with Internode. I think iiNet and Internode are the best around. Or you can go with Telstra and pay more and get less.

martrix

3rd February 2006, 08:29 PM

yeah, well I beat you all!! 42kps

Man, I love dial-up:( !

ozwinner

3rd February 2006, 08:31 PM

yeah, well I beat you all!! 42kps

Man, I love dial-up:( !

Why are you on dial up??

Al :confused:

martrix

3rd February 2006, 08:37 PM

Good question:mad:

Moving house in a few month's and dont want to pay $100 for change of premises fee:eek:

Will get ADSL+2 as soon as a suitable humpy is located:D

Auld Bassoon

3rd February 2006, 09:14 PM

I'm two way satelite
and all i'm gettig is

kbps: 104.5
KB/s: 13.0625
Mbps: [b]0.10205078125
work that out ?

Satellite comms are very asymmetric: download speed can be quite impressive, but domestic links are generally hampered by the PSTS-linked upload speed, so depending on how overall speed (throughput) is measured, it can be quite low.

I must say, though, that the figures you quote don't seem to add upp :confused:
Cheers!

Auld Bassoon

3rd February 2006, 09:18 PM

Another on Bigpond cable:

Your connection speed:

kbps: 3558.2
KB/s: 444.775
Mbps: 3.4748046875

I certainly hope Steve isn't right about DSL being limited to PayTV in the next few years... with the amount of data I regularly xfer any slower rate will be a right royal PITA.

Without letting on who I work for (:eek: ), I believe it's in plan for the cessation of the cable DSL service within 18 months or less.

Not happy Sol! :mad:

Auld Bassoon

3rd February 2006, 09:31 PM

Here are my results:

Test run on 3/2/2006 @ 7:40 P.M.

Mirror: Bigpond
Test type: ADSL

Your connection speed:

kbps: 1122.7
KB/s: 140.3375
Mbps: 1.09638671875

I am connecting using iiNet. As far as I can tell, I am still connected using Telstra's wholesale network even though iiNet have recently activated their own DSLAM in Avalon.

In short, unless you have no alternatives, Telstra is not the best game in town.

Of course the downside is changing email addresses. I can only suggest registering your own domain and having email hosted. Possibly the cheapest option is at http://www.godaddy.com. Don't bother asking your own ISP. All the local ISP's charge like wounded bulls for even .com .org domains.

There's some truth and also a lot of B/S spoken about various ISPs speed offerings: essentially, even those ISPs with their own DSLAMs are, in the main, still connecting through Telstra's network.

Due in large part to, ahem, "positioning" in the market-place, Telstra's Wholesale division has been "prohibited" from reselling anything > 1.5MBps, regardless of the network's capacity or capability.

There was in train an initiative to offer, for resale to other ISPs, much higher speeds - but that has been cancelled - from on "high".

Nevertheless, there are some network limitations regarding conditioned pairs, pair-gain installations, mid-point injection, distances from the exchange, noise / attenuation issues etc - over what is really a pretty old copper N/W. So any ISP putting in new DSLAMS will, to some degree, be constrained by some or all of these issues. Ergo, we have new third party network builds happening - but typically only for high-value metro areas, and then there will be some consolidation because of the sheer capital investment required.

Telstra, I have to say, is, as an engineering organisation pretty well ahead of the game; it's just a pity that it's senior management are in a different game altogether.

I'd like to say more, but can't really.

Cheers!

Goes to collect "pink slip":eek:

Auld Bassoon

3rd February 2006, 09:36 PM

The bad news is that I believe Telstra are going to turn off the cable facility for DSL (leaving it only for payTV) within 12 ~ 18 months.

This is not true!
Cable has lower running and expansion costs that ADSL. It is also faster.
They are many political reasons why cable may infact become prefered to DSL is some cases. i.e the ACC cannot make Telstra wholesale it, as with most other services.

Knucklehead: I regret to say that it is true - I happen to be in a position to know. It's not a technical decision, but a "market positioning" one. That doesn't have to make me like it any more than anyone else, but - be prepared for it to happen - and watch the press over then next couple of weeks.

As to the ACCC, they are the ones who decide if a service is to be "designated" or "declared" - and if they determine that cable is a "declared service", then any cable provider will be obliged to make it available to any access seeker. One of the reasons why Bigpond cable is to be discontinued; if it isn't a current service, it can't be "declared"....

Shedhand

3rd February 2006, 10:10 PM

I have Bigpond ADSL 512/64
When my mobile contract is up I'm switching to TasTel's powerline service. Dumping my landline phone and going to mobile permanently.;)

<b>10:03 P.M.</b>

Mirror: <b>Bigpond</b>
Test type: <b>ADSL</b>

Your connection speed:

kbps: <b>380</b>
KB/s: <b>47.5</b>
Mbps: <b>0.37109375</b></tt>

<label class="infoLabel">Communications</label> <label class="infoValue">410.2 kilobits per second</label>
<label class="infoLabel">Storage</label> <label class="infoValue">50.1 kilobytes per second</label>
<label class="infoLabel">1MB file download</label> <label class="infoValue">20.4 seconds</label>
<label class="infoLabel">Subjective rating</label> <label class="infoValue">Not bad</label>

oges

3rd February 2006, 10:47 PM

Im with Optusnet, never could find anything on their site to see what speed you were running at, thanks for the link

<tt>Test run on <b>3/2/2006</b> @ <b>10:36 P.M.</b>

Mirror: <b>Bigpond</b>
Test type: <b>ADSL</b>

Your connection speed:

kbps: <b>1135.1</b>
KB/s: <b>141.8875</b>
Mbps: <b>1.10849609375</b></tt>

mudguts

3rd February 2006, 11:32 PM

thought I'd join in too

Your Results
Test run on 3/2/2006 @ 11:35 P.M.

Mirror: Bigpond
Test type: ADSL

Your connection speed:

<ACRONYM title="Kilobits per second">kbps</ACRONYM>: 568.9
<ACRONYM title="Kilobytes per second">KB/s</ACRONYM>: 71.1125
<ACRONYM title="Megabits per second">Mbps</ACRONYM>: 0.55556640625

that's the work one. I'll check the home one tommorrow It's cable.

Cheers

woodbe

4th February 2006, 12:21 AM

Hah! Turns out the lad was downloading something when I ran my test before.

Mirror: Bigpond
Test type: ADSL

Your connection speed:

<acronym title="Kilobits per second">kbps</acronym>: 4445.3
<acronym title="Kilobytes per second">KB/s</acronym>: 555.6625
<acronym title="Megabits per second">Mbps</acronym>: 4.34111328125

That's better... :)

ubeaut

4th February 2006, 12:24 AM

Whoah....... Looks like we have a winner. New Neighbourhood cable at home. Premium package. It actually seems to be running a little slow tonight. :D

<TT>Test run on 4/2/2006 @ 12:17 A.M.

Mirror: Neighborhood Cable
Test type: Cable

Your connection speed:

kbps: 21693.2
KB/s: 2711.65
Mbps: 21.184765625</TT>

Will test the one at the factory tomorrow.

Cheers - Neil :)
.

Shedhand

4th February 2006, 12:28 AM

Whoah....... Looks like we have a winner. New Neighbourhood cable at home. Premium package. It actually seems to be running a little slow tonight. :D

<tt>Test run on 4/2/2006 @ 12:17 A.M.

Mirror: Neighborhood Cable
Test type: Cable

Your connection speed:

kbps: 21693.2
KB/s: 2711.65
Mbps: 21.184765625</tt>

Will test the one at the factory tomorrow.

Cheers - Neil :)
.Who are they, what is neighbourhood cable, what does it cost and where do I get it??:)
Cheers Champ

maglite

4th February 2006, 12:41 AM

Westnet here 1.5G/512 ADSL
5G up/ 5G down - 59.95 per month

1 meg per second
1024 kb
123.3 kb per second
1mb download - 8.3 sec

Done on groggys link

I dont understand any of it....i turn it on.....it works

ubeaut

4th February 2006, 12:48 AM

http://www.ncable.net.au/_premium-broadband.asp
http://www.ncable.net.au/_broadband.asp

Here's a little Neighbourhood cable propoganda:

Premium+ Broadband: Seriously fast and reliable Broadband Internet with speeds of up to 30Mbps download and up to 2Mbps upload.
Free modem and instalation till Feb 28th. Packages start from only $39.95 a month for 1 gb download + 1 gb upload

normell

4th February 2006, 09:42 AM

Results from Bandwidthplace

Speed

374.8 kilobits per second
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Communications</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>374.8 kilobits per second</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Storage</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>45.8 kilobytes per second</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>1MB file download</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>22.4 seconds</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Subjective rating</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>Not bad</LABEL>

Explain results (http://www.bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/about/tech.php?a=results)

Info

<LABEL class=infoLabel>Date & time</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>Friday, February 3, 5:23PM*</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Test type</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>IDT4 Free</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Connection type</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>ADSL (http://www.bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/stats.php?a=type&t=ADSL&r=Australia)</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Region</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>Australia (http://www.bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/stats.php?a=type&t=ADSL&r=Australia)</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Data size</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>1024KB</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>IP address</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>203.87.32.254</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Provider</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue></LABEL>

* EST (-0500)

And from ozspeedtest
Your Results<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
Test run on 4/2/2006 @ 9:05 A.M.

Mirror: Bigpond
Test type: ADSL

Your connection speed:

<ACRONYM>kbps</ACRONYM>: 285.2
<ACRONYM>KB/s</ACRONYM>: 35.65
<ACRONYM>Mbps</ACRONYM>: 0.278515625<o:p></o:p>
Is this right:confused: 2 different results
I am on a <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width=300 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Speed:
</TD><TD>512/128 plan, are these
good figures
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Studley 2436

4th February 2006, 11:24 AM

I am on Adam ADSL2

Fair way from the exchange so others will get better results from their ADSL2

Communications 1.3 megabits per second
Storage 156.6 kilobytes per second
1MB file download 6.5 seconds
Subjective rating Good

Studley

outback

4th February 2006, 02:05 PM

Test run on 4/2/2006 @ 2:01 P.M.

Mirror: Bigpond
Test type: ADSL

Your connection speed:

kbps: 118.3
KB/s: 14.7875
Mbps: 0.11552734375

This test comes complete with carpet burns on the knees. :eek:

ubeaut

4th February 2006, 03:24 PM

<TT>Don't have a mirror for my provider but on Optus and Bigpond it ran around the same speed Optus was slightly slower at 1.26 something Mbps</TT>
<TT></TT>
<TT>This is on 1500/256 adsl with Chariot</TT>
<TT></TT>
<TT>Test run on 4/2/2006 @ 2:53 P.M.
Mirror: Bigpond
Test type: ADSL
Your connection speed:
kbps: 1304.8
KB/s: 163.1
Mbps: 1.27421875

Seems like a really big differenge between my cable and ADSL but really not all that noticable when both are in use. What is noticable is going back to 56k after the faster modes. Had to do it at kome for a number of months and just about gave up on using the internt at home for good,

Took me 7 hours to down some software on 56k that downloaded in 12 minutes on adsl and almost 4 on cable. I never want to go back there again I just don't have that many hours left in my day that I can waste them on a slow modem.

Cheers - Neil :) </TT>

Auld Bassoon

4th February 2006, 06:47 PM

Results from Bandwidthplace

Speed

374.8 kilobits per second
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Communications</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>374.8 kilobits per second</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Storage</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>45.8 kilobytes per second</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>1MB file download</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>22.4 seconds</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Subjective rating</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>Not bad</LABEL>

Explain results (http://www.bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/about/tech.php?a=results)

Info

<LABEL class=infoLabel>Date & time</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>Friday, February 3, 5:23PM*</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Test type</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>IDT4 Free</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Connection type</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>ADSL (http://www.bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/stats.php?a=type&t=ADSL&r=Australia)</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Region</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>Australia (http://www.bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/stats.php?a=type&t=ADSL&r=Australia)</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Data size</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>1024KB</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>IP address</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue>203.87.32.254</LABEL>
<LABEL class=infoLabel>Provider</LABEL> <LABEL class=infoValue></LABEL>

* EST (-0500)

And from ozspeedtest
Your Resultsffice:office" /><O:p></O:p>
Test run on 4/2/2006 @ 9:05 A.M.

Mirror: Bigpond
Test type: ADSL

Your connection speed:

<ACRONYM>kbps</ACRONYM>: 285.2
<ACRONYM>KB/s</ACRONYM>: 35.65
<ACRONYM>Mbps</ACRONYM>: 0.278515625<O:p></O:p>
Is this right:confused: 2 different results
I am on a <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width=300 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Speed:

</TD><TD>512/128 plan, are these
good figures

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Hi Normell,

285 ~ 375 kbps (ie with about 30%) is a quite acceptable variation - lots of factors come into play.

Note the 35.65 value is in kiloBYTES per second, whereas the kbps refers to KiloBITS per second, so at 8/bits per byte = 285 kbps

Harry72

4th February 2006, 09:32 PM

Bigpoo 512 adsl,

Test run on 4/2/2006 @ 8:54 P.M.

Mirror: Bigpond
Test type: ADSL

Your connection speed:

kbps: 366.5
KB/s: 45.8125
Mbps: 0.35791015625

MathewA

4th February 2006, 10:13 PM

What am I missing... Isn't kbps and KB/s the same thing - so why the very different numbers

Wood Butcher

4th February 2006, 10:35 PM

What am I missing... Isn't kbps and KB/s the same thing - so why the very different numbers kbps - kilobits per second
kB/s - kilbytes per second

Personally, it seems that this has turned into a pissing contest :rolleyes:

(and damn can ubeaut a long, long way :eek::D )

oges

4th February 2006, 11:09 PM

kbps: 21693.2

Showoff! :rolleyes:

knucklehead

5th February 2006, 05:12 PM

Personally, it seems that this has turned into a pissing contest :rolleyes:

Never one to miss a good pissing contest
Your Results
Test run on 5/2/2006 @ 4:12 P.M.

Mirror: Bigpond
Test type: Cable

Your connection speed:

<acronym title="Kilobits per second">kbps</acronym>: 5703
<acronym title="Kilobytes per second">KB/s</acronym>: 712.875
<acronym title="Megabits per second">Mbps</acronym>: 5.5693359375

Wood Butcher

5th February 2006, 05:28 PM

May as well take a leak too! :eek::p

Your Results
Test run on 5/2/2006 @ 4:25 P.M.

Mirror: Bigpond
Test type: ADSL

Your connection speed:

<acronym title="Kilobits per second">kbps</acronym>: 381
<acronym title="Kilobytes per second">KB/s</acronym>: 47.625
<acronym title="Megabits per second">Mbps</acronym>: 0.3720703125

I really don't care what the speed is, as long as it is a lot faster than dial-up and stays on. :cool: