Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Choose the Speedtest.net server wisely

  • 20-09-2009 8:21pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 133 ✭✭


    Something to be aware of when running speed tests - the web site www.speedtest.net has recently set up a server in Limerick that appears as the default server for speed tests sometimes even when you click on the Dublin icon on their main page. The server in Limerick is hosted by a provider called "Fast Wireless Internet" (a community broadband operator according to their website www.fwi.ie) and it looks like they might be having some congestion issues themselves, because test results to that server are substantially worse than those to the Dublin server.

    As an example - I checked my speed (I'm on a 6Mbps profile) using the Dublin server (hosted by Digiweb) and I got this...

    http://www.speedtest.net/result/570362745.png

    While a couple of minutes later I checked my speed again and the site automatically selected the Limerick server as the default test server and I got this...


    http://www.speedtest.net/result/570367481.png

    Notice the big difference in latency - definitely cannot be accounted for only by the the trip down to Limerick and back. Must be some bottleneck on the connection to the FWI server.


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 8,718 ✭✭✭Matt Simis


    Absolutely, I get routed to the Limerick server and loose 2mbs on the test vs the Dublin one. But if I download from the net from a known good site I can see the actual Kb/s and worth out the Mb/s myself.

    Personally, I hate these on-line speed tests, extremely inconsistent and irrelevant to actual network performance. Downloading at mega speeds from a server in Dublin (or Limerick..) is in no way reflective of virtually anyones actual usage of the net. Its beyond misleading.

    All they really succeed at is confusing people that dont know better.


  • Registered Users Posts: 861 ✭✭✭Jilm


    Magnet's speed test isn't a bad alternative.

    http://speedtest.magnet.ie/


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 25,234 ✭✭✭✭Sponge Bob


    Be Very Very careful , like Grommet says.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,864 ✭✭✭MunsterCycling


    TBH the DigiWeb server is the worst one of all in Ireland, seriously slow, never gets top speed unline the Galway server which is nearly always the fastest ping and highest speed, DigiWeb FAIL. The below results are surprising as most of the time the DigiWeb server doesn't get over 1.5 Mbs

    570710270.png

    570710828.png

    570711365.png


  • Registered Users Posts: 605 ✭✭✭PaddyTheNth


    Speedtest is only an approximation really in my experience.

    For example I get consistent results of ~4.5 Mbps using Speedtest...but if I go and grab an iso off Heanet I'm getting in the region of 12Mbps.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 8,811 ✭✭✭BaconZombie


    That's because Headnet is pairing with your ISP.


    570797699.png

    Speet Test.net ~ 18Mb/s
    Real World on a Peered Network ~ 25-30Mb/s
    Speedtest is only an approximation really in my experience.

    For example I get consistent results of ~4.5 Mbps using Speedtest...but if I go and grab an iso off Heanet I'm getting in the region of 12Mbps.


  • Registered Users Posts: 666 ✭✭✭Prisoner6409


    TBH the DigiWeb server is the worst one of all in Ireland, seriously slow, never gets top speed unline the Galway server which is nearly always the fastest ping and highest speed, DigiWeb FAIL. The below results are surprising as most of the time the DigiWeb server doesn't get over 1.5 Mbs

    570710270.png

    570710828.png

    570711365.png

    Bang on, never noticed that but always wondered why speedtest.net always gave me worse speeds than either magnet or eircom(now I know). Just shows these tests should be taken with a pinch of salt. I think it's better to try a download and check the kbs/sec numbers. I've started using the Eircom speedtest server(http://home.eircom.net/speedtest/default.asp?id=1) as it gives me the best results :), makes me feel better.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 189 ✭✭denat


    Well I don't know what to make of these, all within 5 mins of eachother:

    571102098.png

    571105443.png

    571106547.png

    Eircom speedtest gave 780 kbps.

    Should have mentioned I'm supposed to be on a 1Mb connection. Eircom speedtest consistently gives the speeds I'd expect to get with this connection. I can't understand how any test could possibly give > 1.024.

    I'm located on south Mayo border with Co Galway.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,619 ✭✭✭Bob_Harris


    News just in, some servers are slower than others.

    Choosing your speedtest.net server is truly a life and death situation.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 189 ✭✭denat


    Bob_Harris wrote: »
    News just in, some servers are slower than others.

    Choosing your speedtest.net server is truly a life and death situation.

    Thanks for the breaking story.

    I still don't know how speedtest.net can indicate speeds over 1.024 for a 1 Mb connection. I've tried irishisptest.com and get similar results to eircom ones (ie what one would expect from a 1Mb connection where I'm located).

    Not life and death - I agree - just interesting!


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 13,076 ✭✭✭✭How Soon Is Now


    Im on upc 20 mb last night at bout 8pm i was gettin max 3 mb on speedtest on the Dublin server. I tried magnets i was gettin max 8 mbs.

    Then later in night about 9 or so i was gettin 2 maybe less then 2 mbs on both sites hence reason i now have a UPC tech coming on Thursday :rolleyes: .


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭hellboy99


    I've been using speedtest.net, Eircom, bbmax and a few others over the past few days on my BT 7.6MB and are all giving round the same results:

    571767096.png

    571768049.png

    eircomsp3.jpg

    bbmax.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2 cool0


    Jilm wrote: »
    Magnet's speed test isn't a bad alternative.

    http://speedtest.magnet.ie/

    ok...It's nice site for checking the broadband speed.
    I tested my Internet speed by using the http://www.****/internet-speed-test/ .
    My speed test results are,
    7.02 Mbps when downloading,
    2.86 Mbps when uploading..


  • Registered Users Posts: 861 ✭✭✭Jilm


    cool0 wrote: »
    I tested my Internet speed by using the http://www.****/internet-speed-test/
    Yeah... that link uses speedtest.net.


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,479 ✭✭✭✭vectra


    hellboy99 wrote: »
    I've been using speedtest.net, Eircom, bbmax and a few others over the past few days on my BT 7.6MB and are all giving round the same results:

    Hmm
    I think I am being throttled by BB
    I am alos on 7.6Mb line and get this
    574630652.png

    I know
    scandalous
    But I checked my usage for the month and noticed it at 99.96 Gigs :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭hellboy99


    vectra wrote: »
    Hmm
    I think I am being throttled by BB
    I am alos on 7.6Mb line and get this
    574630652.png
    I'm beginning to think I may have been changed over to Vodafone, done a line check on their site and it says I can only get 3MB :confused:.
    If this is the case it will be a few more phone calls and I probably end up changing provider.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,158 ✭✭✭messinkiapina


    I'm getting some wildly differing results depending on which server I choose.
    In fact the 2 closest servers to me (Cork and Limerick) are giving me the 2 worst results.
    I'm on 20mb UPC.

    1113282794.png

    1113284546.png

    1113285416.png

    1113286727.png


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,878 ✭✭✭johndoe99


    i'm also on 20mb UPC and find that speedtest.net has gone downhill recently no matter what server i choose, if i use magnet, upc, eircom it gives 19.8mb. But sppedtest gives me a reading like im on dialup.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭Shammy


    There are issues with the company hosting the limerick server , as far as i know they are waiting for upc to peer , which is yet to happen. See....

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056099653


Advertisement