# Test my bandwidth



## darraghdog (1 Apr 2006)

Hi Folks,
I have the 3mbs NTL cable package. I just did a check on my bandwidth on a "Check my bandwidth" page (www.bandwidthplace.com). It said I had about 400kbs... does this sound right ? Would you think there's a problem with my set up.
I use VOIP so it's important that I get good bandwidth.
Thanks,
Darragh.
P.s. I was downloading at the time I did the check, and my laptop is about three years old, so I'm not sure if that influences the results...


----------



## boskonay (1 Apr 2006)

Try an Irish test for more accurate results - what does http://speedtest.ie show you?


----------



## boskonay (1 Apr 2006)

Also, make sure your machine is not downloading or running anything intensive when doing the check.


----------



## darraghdog (1 Apr 2006)

Thanks guys, it came in at a more respectable 1.96Mbps download and 193 kbps upload on http://speedtest.ie. Still not at the 3Mbps that NTL provide, although thephone is on now, maybe that affects it to some degree... any other ideas how to max it, or do those numbers sound normal ?


----------



## boskonay (1 Apr 2006)

Looks pretty normal - the rates ntl quote are the max possible and not what you can expect after contention


----------



## ninsaga (1 Apr 2006)

Am on UTV 2M line & the measurement came in at 1.69M...ovre a wireless network


----------



## ClubMan (1 Apr 2006)

As _boskonay _says - contention ratios are also pertinent here when working out what is a "reasonable" speed.


----------



## boskonay (1 Apr 2006)

Also ntl and utv don't currently peer at inex.ie - so they will show worse latency than the other carriers


----------



## ClubMan (1 Apr 2006)

Does this mean that they are effectively second class _ISPs _and have to pass the data on to somebody else who does peer at the _INEX _level? Even if that is the case on the technical side of matters I (as a _UTV _end user) don't really notice it as anything that causes any problems day to day. Of course, I don't really do stuff that depends on low latencies (gaming etc.).


----------



## boskonay (2 Apr 2006)

Well, NTL are shortly bringing up their INEX peering and UTV are not memebers, nor do they intend becoming one afaik. It just means traffic from ntl or utv at the moment, routes via the UK, which impacts latency and performance.


----------



## Guest124 (11 Jul 2006)

Guys i have ntl 6mb -getting 2.07mbps and 471 kbps upload -most i saw once was 5 aprox mbps -average 2-3mbps.
this ok?


----------



## ClubMan (11 Jul 2006)

As far as I know (and judging by Damian Mulley's survey of Irish broadband offerings) the _ntl: _contention ratio is 17:1 which means that you are only guaranteed 6Mbps/17 = c. 353Kbps even if you actually get better than that in practice from time to time. As such, 2-3Mbps means that you are probably doing alright!


----------



## europhile (11 Jul 2006)

What does Quality of Service mean at speedtest.ie?

I tried it twice and got 22% the first time and 74% on the second.


----------



## ClubMan (11 Jul 2006)

europhile said:
			
		

> What does Quality of Service mean at speedtest.ie?
> 
> I tried it twice and got 22% the first time and 74% on the second.


 [broken link removed] uses VisualWare's _MySpeed Java_ applet bandwidth/speed tester. Documentation on the _QoS _figures reported is available here.


----------



## europhile (11 Jul 2006)

Thanks but it might as well to Geek to me.


----------



## ClubMan (11 Jul 2006)

Surely you can understand 

```
minimum speed
  ————————————— = Quality of Service
  maximum speed
```
 and the fact that the higher the percentage reported the better!?

Also:


> *DSL:* On a DSL connection, you can expect to see a consistently high QOS number (when you are the only person using the DSL connection).  If you don't, contact your DSL provider to file a problem report.


Note that if you are not a_ Hosting365 _customer then testing against their server (www.speedtest.ie) may not be as meaningful as testing against your own _ISP's _servers.


----------



## europhile (11 Jul 2006)

I understand that all right! I can't understand why 22% and then 74% a couple of minutes laster.


----------



## ClubMan (11 Jul 2006)

What _ISP _are you on? Do they provide any bandwidth tester or _FTP _site of their own? It could be explained by contention ratio - e.g. on a 3Mbps 6:1 link the speed could legitimately vary between 3Mbps and 3Mbps/6 = 512Kbps (depending on how many users are simultaneously using the connection) giving a _QoS _figure of c. 17% and not be a sign of any problem.


----------



## europhile (11 Jul 2006)

eircom broadband


----------



## ClubMan (11 Jul 2006)

What bandwidth and contention ratio?


----------



## boskonay (11 Jul 2006)

Jus tto note, hosting365 don't provide internet access or broadband. Our [broken link removed] is sitting directly peered at INEX, so connected to all the Irish ISPs - so should be indicative for all INEX peered providers.


----------



## ClubMan (12 Jul 2006)

Sorry - that was me getting confused again! Twice in one day. I must need a firmware upgrade...


----------



## Guest124 (28 Aug 2006)

I am on ntl 6mb -see report -is this ok?

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 19:25:59 UTC

1st 512K took 718 ms = 713.1 KB/sec, approx 5876 Kbps, *5.74* Mbps
2nd 512K took 719 ms = 712.1 KB/sec, approx 5868 Kbps, *5.73* Mbps
3rd 512K took 734 ms = 697.5 KB/sec, approx 5747 Kbps, *5.61* Mbps
4th 512K took 719 ms = 712.1 KB/sec, approx 5868 Kbps, *5.73* Mbps

Overall Average Speed = approx 5840 Kbps, *5.7* Mbps


----------



## ClubMan (28 Aug 2006)

Looks fine to me. You will rarely get the maximum raw throughput in practice due to protocol overhead etc.


----------



## Decani (29 Aug 2006)

And it doesn't help when NTL's traffic is now routed over UPC/Chello's network which means everything goes through Amsterdam.


----------



## SidTheDweeb (29 Aug 2006)

2mb BT 

Get 1.71Mbps down
Get .214Mbps up
Quality of service 94%...

Can't complain


----------



## car (29 Aug 2006)

You can ring ntl, give your address and ask how may people are you in contention with on your line (as posted above, up to 17:1).   Their tech people will have to give this answer not the front line phone agent.  The techies arent always available but I did get called back within 30 minutes with the info when I enquired some time ago when i was worried about my line speed and thought it was contention.      I dont know whether other ISPs will give this info over the phone but I cant see why not if they had it available.


----------

