Internet Speed Test Questions?

I just did a speed test on speedtest.net and have a few questions. According to the test, my download speed is 742 kb/s and my upload speed is 127 kb/s, which is extremely bad. When I looked up the stats for how fast Verizon DSL can go (my ISP), it says the download can hold a capacity of 9323 kb/s, and an upload of 2437 kb/s, which is a HUGE difference between mine and how fast it can actually go. So my question is - what can I do to fix this? I was thinking it might be the crappy router that Verizon provided for $80. We've had it for over a year. It's the only router Verizon makes. So I was thinking it would be the router's fault for giving such slow speeds. Should I save up and buy a nice router? If so, which one would you recommend that would work best for its money (less than $150, please). By the way, I'm wirelessly hooked up. Does that affect the speed? I'm not even 30 feet from the router.





Thanks!|||Before you go any further, did you invoke wireless security? Hackers will hog bandwidth without your knowledge and this can be part of the issue. Disable the wireless by logging onto the router and deactivating it totally. Of course you must use a wired connection to do this. Unplug all other wired users. Now run the speed test and see what you get.





Secondly, what is your subscription agreement with Verizon? I have never seen any DSL advertised at anything over 6 Mbps, and you are talking about 9 Mbps. While it is possible to get 6 Mbps if you are close to the DSLAM, most services are for a leser speed. Secondly, even if you can get the max in your location, often you can subscribe to a lower speed at a lesser cost. This is why you need to see what your subscribed rate is supposed to be.





The speeds you report are a bit light for DSL today so my feeling is that you need to run a speed test with wireless disabled and all other wired users unplugged.





If things are no better with the wireless deactivated and only 1 wired user, contact Verizon and see if something has malfunctioned.|||Thanks for this information. Usually i got the free-speed-test from http://www.ip-details.com/

Report Abuse

|||The results of the test as explained on the site you are speaking of are very general in nature and dependant upon the server you connect to. The speed of the service being provided to you by your ISP is quoted as a direct connection to their servers. So apples and oranges can not be mixed. Changing the router would have a very limited affect. There may be an improvement if you go cable.|||You are sharing your connection with other subscribers in your area, so speed will vary depending on how many others are using the service at the same time. Expect slower speed at weekends and in evenings in a residential area. Try the speed test at 2am, which should be faster.





Advertised rates are rarely achieved in practice.