6 Mbps = how many KBps?

[Tramp429]

My net connection is advertised as up to 6Mbps/512 Kbps. It runs at 385KBps. Does that sound right? It doesn't to me.

[YottaHertz]

No.... 6Mbps should be 6 x 1024 = 6144Kbps.... 6144Kbps / 8 (bits per byte) = 768KBps so it's half of what it's supposed to be.... Unless I messed something up....

[elroy]

My adsl is 1.5Mbps and it downloads at about 175Kbps
I would think you should get around 700Kbps. I assume you have cable? Does it always run at the same speed or does it vary considerably? I'll bet your account is set at 3.0Mbps.

[cableuser]

I have comcast cable for my internet and the advertised speeds are 6Mbps. I am lucky if I get 1.5-3Mbps avg. I actually called them up because I was kept getting consistant speeds of 1.5Mbps. They said I should get around 3-4Mbps but I don't so thats probably the same problem you are having. The ISP's are ripping you off big time.

[RobRich]

I would wager your TCP/IP configuration is far from optimal, especially if you are using the default settings. Use TCP Optimizer.

http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php

If you do not want to get into the low-level settings, click optimal settings, move the slider to your specified connection rate, then apply the automatically calculated changes. Reboot, and hopefully you will have a much faster connection.

[cableuser]

Heh, I might as well try that program out too. Thanks Rob.

[RobRich]

Heh, I might as well try that program out too.

Go for it. By default, the Windows TCP/IP stack is far from optimal for most anything beyond a basic 10/100 LAN.

[elroy]

Please post back and let everyone know if the TCP Optimizer helped.
I used similar programs back when I had dial-up and never did see any difference. Maybe it works better with broadband.

[cableuser]

Before I took the test I was getting 2Mps download speed with speakeasy. After I downloaded the program ran it and did all the registry changes I rebooted and ran the test again. I got 1600Mps for a download speed. So for me anyway it looks to be the ISP that is slow.

TCP options string = 020405b40103030201010402
MTU = 1500
MTU is fully optimized for broadband.
MSS = 1460
Maximum useful data in each packet = 1460, which equals MSS.
Default TCP Receive Window (RWIN) = 256960
RWIN Scaling (RFC1323) = 2 bits (scale factor of 4)
Unscaled TCP Receive Window = 64240

RWIN is a multiple of MSS
Other RWIN values that might work well with your current MTU/MSS:
513920 (MSS x 44 * scale factor of 8)
256960 (MSS x 44 * scale factor of 4) <-- current value
128480 (MSS x 44 * scale factor of 2)
64240 (MSS x 44)
bandwidth * delay product (Note this is not a speed test):

Your TCP Window limits you to: 10278.4 kbps (1284.8 KBytes/s) @ 200ms
Your TCP Window limits you to: 4111.36 kbps (513.92 KBytes/s) @ 500ms
MTU Discovery (RFC1191) = ON
Time to live left = 51 hops
TTL value is ok.
Timestamps (RFC1323) = OFF
Selective Acknowledgements (RFC2018) = ON
IP type of service field (RFC1349) = 00100000 (32)
Precedence (priority) = 001 (priority)
Delay = 0 (normal delay)
Throughput = 0 (normal throughput)
Reliability = 0 (normal reliability)
Cost = 0 (normal cost)
Check bit = 0 (correct, 8th checking bit must be zero)

DiffServ (RFC 2474) = CS1 001000 (8) - class 1 (RFC 2474). Similar forwarding behavior to the ToS Precedence field.

[Tramp429]

I did that a while back Rob.

I found the problem. When Bellsouth upgraded and changed their service and prices I got screwed. $49.95 for dsl xtreme @ 3Mbps. I just changed it to dsl xtreme 6.0 @ 6Mbps for $46.95.

[famosbrown]

I have Comcast, and I'm always over my 6mbps. I use testmy.net to test my download speed and it is sometimes at 8mbps, but never at or below 6mbps. Also when I am downloading something from a site, depending ont he alloted bandwidth allowed by that particular site, I download 900K and even over 1mb. I would have Comcast come and check your signal. Also it all depends on how many people in your LAN. If a lot of people are using Comcast, the bandwidth is shared. But for me, during peak hours, I'm still a little over 6mbps according to testmy.net.

Famos

[RobRich]

So for me anyway it looks to be the ISP that is slow.

You can try manually bump your receive window to higher scale factor, such as 513920.

Otherwise, it certainly does look like your connection has hit a peak limit. If you are paying for a 6Mbps connection, then I would suggest re-evaluating your ISP. The problem could also be your cable modem, but I doubt it if the modem is a brand name model.

Potential physical problem spots you can check include: poorly shielded coax, deteriorating coax, extremely long coax run, upstream line splitters, poorly attached connectors, and poor grounding.

[Tramp429]

Is comcast still restricting usenet access?

[YottaHertz]

Download Speed: 4481 kbps (560.1 KB/sec transfer rate) / 5.0Mbps advertised
Upload Speed: 348 kbps (43.5 KB/sec transfer rate) / 350Kbps advertised

[RobRich]

I used similar programs back when I had dial-up and never did see any difference. Maybe it works better with broadband.

Correct. Windows has a large enough default receive window for dialup, so TCP/IP tweaking makes for little difference.

[cableuser]

Well I have about a 70ft coax cable going from the splitter upstairs then outside and through the basement vent were it hooks up to another splitter for the tv downhere and the cable modem. I do not know if that affects anything or not. I do remember downloading at around 300kbs before I put the modem and router in the basement so I still think I had the problem even then. Although my connection was rated 3mbps connection back then as well so I dont know. We have had services guys comeout and they all said everything checked out fine. I have also called a billion times and they said that the modem checked out fine and that it was the routers fault. I direct connected to the modem and it was still slow so obviously its the ISP but I do not know what else I can do. I can call them again and have a tech come out but they will still say everything is working fine and since I live in a fairly small city of aroun 80,000 people there is not much competition for Comcast which is why my connection is so limited. They probably share the 1 connection for every single resident in the city or something.

[elroy]

Mistakes do happen. About 2 years ago my ISP was servicing equipment in their main office and for some reason turned down our adsl speed from 1.5Mbps to 768k and left it that way for about 6-9 months and didn't know it. Even after writing a letter to the vice president of the company nothing changed. Then my router got fried in a storm and I had to take it to the office for exchange. While at the office I mentioned it to the manager and he seemed doubtful that I was only getting 768k but said he would check. By the time I drove home the speed was once again 1.5Mbps. and I was

[cableuser]

Ok, I guess I can have the service guys come out again. I will give them a call and see what happens. Probably wont be able to get a guy to come out here today but if I can get a faster speed I am all for it.

EDIT: Sorry for hijacking your thread Tramp429.

[Tramp429]

They already increase my speed. Noticed it this morning so I used TCP Optimizer to tweak the connection and it gave me another 150KBps+ . Been averaging 836 KBps for an hour or so now.

[_Switch_]

I have this service from Quebec called Videotron.....we're supposed to be getting something like 6.5 mbps (so like 750KBs) but im almost never there, I'm always getting something like 900KBs or higher.....I max out at about 1100KBs which is when I download torrents......so what thats something like 9mbps?

it could also be because I live on a street where most people are at retiring age.....and most people around me dont have internet, or just don't use it like I do