[Ti] [OT] DSL Speed Test

[Jason Tertadian]

Tim ...

The "best speedtest site" is any site that you don't have to route over 
other networks to reach.

At the ISP I work for we have many people calling for support each day 
who have run speed test utilities on third-party sites such as 
dslreports.com and are getting shoddy speeds.
The problem with these sites is that, between them (point B) and the 
user (point A) is the Internet, a vast network of smaller networks and 
once your cells pass out of your ISP's network and out onto the 
Internet all bets are off.
You really won't get an accurate reading of your speed unless you're 
running a test that resides on your service provider's network.  That 
way you see what your connection speed to THEM is.  And in reality, 
that's the connection speed you pay for (ie. My 768kb line is not a 
768kb connection to the Internet; It's a 768kb connection to my ISP).
Running a speed test on "joe schmo's super DSL brainiac site" is only 
going to tell you how fast you are connecting to his server...Who knows 
what's in between?

That said, call the friendly folks at your ISP's help desk and ask if 
they have a speed test on their network which you can use to get an 
accurate reading.  I guarantee that after the barrage of stressful 
calls they've been taking all day, they'll be refreshed to hear from a 
kind and polite person who's taken the initiative to do a bit of 
research on their own.  Things like that really do make our day.

Cheers
... jsn



On Wednesday, July 23, 2003, at 05:33 PM, NaegeleWDC at aol.com wrote:

> Since an Apple techie lost my bookmarks when "we" were installing OS 
> 10.2.6, I can't remember the best site for testing a DSL's speed.  
> Obviously you Geniuses will know instantly.