Choose the Speedtest.net server wisely

Grommet

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.

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.

Jilm

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

http://speedtest.magnet.ie/

Sponge Bob

Be Very Very careful , like Grommet says.

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

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.

BaconZombie

That's because Headnet is pairing with your ISP.




Speet Test.net ~ 18Mb/s
Real World on a Peered Network ~ 25-30Mb/s

PaddyTheNth wrote: »

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.

Prisoner6409

MunsterCycling wrote: »

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

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.

denat

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







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.

Bob_Harris

News just in, some servers are slower than others.

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

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!

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: .

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:

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..

Jilm

cool0 wrote: »

I tested my Internet speed by using the http://www.****/internet-speed-test/

Yeah... that link uses speedtest.net.

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


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

vectra

vectra wrote: »

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

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 .
If this is the case it will be a few more phone calls and I probably end up changing provider.

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.

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.

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