[TelstraClear] Steam downloads slow on TelstraClear cable?

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freitasm

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Topic # 86562 8-Jul-2011 14:49

Anyone else seeing slow downloads from Steam servers on TelstraClear cable modem network?

I installed Steam on a new desktop and trying to download some of the games I have... Stopped trying it during the weekend thinking the slow downloads was due to Steam summer sales, but now it's no going over 200 KB/s...

Everything else seem to be working fine - online backups, Windows Update downloads, etc. The TelstraClear speedtest shows my connection easily reaching 85 Mbps...

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Reply # 491119 8-Jul-2011 15:02

Check the region setting in the Steam settings, it's on the Downloads + Cloud tab iirc. Is it set to NZ?

You can look at what servers steam is connecting to with Sysinternals TCP View
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897437

Do you have a route (tracert) to steam.affinity.net.nz (local NZ steam mirror) on Telstraclear?

Still a few more days of the summer sale to go, remember we are a day ahead of the US.

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Reply # 491121 8-Jul-2011 15:05

It was changed to AU Telstra, changed back to New Zealand, same speeds really.

Tracert:

Tracing route to steam.affinity.net.nz [202.50.176.75]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms srp521w [192.168.2.1]
2     *        *        *     Request timed out.
3    12 ms     7 ms     9 ms lo0.internet.ivpn.pe25.telstraclear.net [218.101.61.124]
4    17 ms    17 ms    17 ms ge-2-0-0-906.ie2.telstraclear.net [203.98.18.65]
5    18 ms    17 ms    17 ms ggis-gige-v906.telstraclear.net [203.98.18.67]
6    19 ms    18 ms    19 ms g0-1-0.tkcr3.global-gateway.net.nz [210.55.202.50]
7    19 ms    17 ms    17 ms ae2-10.tkcr4.global-gateway.net.nz [210.55.202.36]
8    18 ms    18 ms    19 ms orcon-dom.tkcr4.global-gateway.net.nz [203.96.66.102]
9    18 ms    18 ms    19 ms bond0-14.akcr1.helix.net.nz [60.234.21.106]
10    20 ms    19 ms    19 ms steam.affinity.net.nz [202.50.176.75]

Trace complete.

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CapBBeard

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Reply # 491124 8-Jul-2011 15:10

I have had a similar experience on TCL ADSL, my speeds on Steam are never all that impressive but I can hit 1MB/s on other downloads on a regular basis. Steam I rarely get over 200kB/s.

I think I saw a recommendation on gpforums about using the LA content server on TCL, your milage may vary but I did not see much of an improvement.

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Reply # 491125 8-Jul-2011 15:11

It's a bit strange, seeing TelstraClear tries to be "gamer-friendly" and all...

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Reply # 491130 8-Jul-2011 15:17

Can you use TCP View (linked earlier) to see what servers Steam is actually using for that particular download?

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Reply # 491131 8-Jul-2011 15:19

I was also changed to Telstra AU.
It was better than the NZ servers or internode in Oz
Currently using an LA server.
Speeds the same.

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Reply # 491133 8-Jul-2011 15:24

TCPView shows steam.exe connected 209.197.1.26:27030 and traffic is flowing. It seems this is a US-based host.

Tracert shows:

Tracing route to unknown.hwng.net [209.197.1.26]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms srp521w [192.168.2.1]
2     *        *        *     Request timed out.
3     9 ms    15 ms    31 ms lo0.internet.ivpn.pe25.telstraclear.net [218.101.61.124]
4     *        *        *     Request timed out.
5    27 ms    38 ms    18 ms ie1-g-0-0-0.telstraclear.net [203.98.50.1]
6    19 ms    17 ms    18 ms ge-0-2-0-1.xcore1.acld.telstraclear.net [203.98.50.251]
7    17 ms    22 ms    18 ms 203.167.233.10
8   144 ms   146 ms   142 ms unknown.net.reach.com [202.84.142.106]
9   142 ms   143 ms   143 ms i-2-6.tlot03.bi.reach.com [202.84.251.150]
10   155 ms   149 ms   149 ms 2-2.r1.la.hwng.net [206.223.123.75]
11   166 ms   154 ms   155 ms 1-1.r1.sj.hwng.net [209.197.1.145]
12   155 ms   154 ms   155 ms unknown.hwng.net [209.197.1.26]

Trace complete.

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Reply # 491137 8-Jul-2011 15:32

freitasm: It's a bit strange, seeing TelstraClear tries to be "gamer-friendly" and all...

I pray we never actually used the term "gamer-friendly" ;>

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Reply # 491148 8-Jul-2011 15:38

Congestion on US and AU content mirrors coupled with a lack of NZ content mirrors is probably to blame.

freitasm

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Reply # 491149 8-Jul-2011 15:39

Yes. Probably.

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Reply # 491150 8-Jul-2011 15:39

Hey Mauricio,

Using the TCP view, you’ll probably note that even when changing the download region between NZ, default, Australia (nearly any option, 3FL, Telstra, NSW, QLD, VIC etc) you’ll still be directed to the same Internode steam content server.

It seems that this server is taking too much of a hit to support all the requests, although we can only speculate on that.

A Locally hosted server that Ragnor mentioned seems to not be liked by Steam for TCL customers, it will pick it up very briefly, but Steam redirects to other options automatically.

As mentioned in a thread a few weeks ago, http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=44&topicid=84767, it is suggested that when downloading a title, you set your download region to US – Los Angeles, where you should receive a speed more suitable, please note that many servers will not deliver anything near your maximum line speed however.

An official Valve server has just been put in place within Australia and we are looking at this as an option to increase the delivery speeds for Steam content for those not privy to this discussion, or who are unaware on how to change their download region.

Thanks Byron.

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Reply # 491153 8-Jul-2011 15:41

Hello Byron, thanks for the update... I wouldn't expect full line speed on any download (although 85 Mbps would be nice, thanks)... But those speeds are so low these days, and we are talking about a few gigabytes here - Steam games are not the smallest packages in the block.

I see the summer sale is still on, so will hold a little bit longer. But I hope this gets better.

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Reply # 491181 8-Jul-2011 16:48

Just because I posted... I see now my downloads jumped to 900 - 1000 KB/s.

Also worth noting I have changed something in my network. Seeing this is a desktop I have assigned a static IP in the LAN. Not that I think the router would have any problem with the previous address being dynamic, anyway...

But, yes, will leave it running. At this pace it might finish downloading a couple of games before tomorrow.

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Reply # 491183 8-Jul-2011 16:52

Mine went to 82k for about 20 minutes, so changed server to NZ and got 2.6k! (yes, actually slower than dial up)
Back to LA and getting 250k

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Reply # 491189 8-Jul-2011 17:03

I downloaded Fallout 3 New Vegas the other day on my home connection (which is Telecom ADSL currently) and had a look with TCP View and it's was coming from two servers one US baed (something quest I think) and steam.affinity.net.nz.

It's possible there is some weird geolocation/routing/peering issue on Telstraclear so Steam can't find the many other US content mirrors.

Also it's weird it can't find the the NZ based affinity.net.nz server when there is a route to it on Telstraclear via interconnection with Telecom.

Not all games are on all content servers so affinity.net.nz might not have the game you were downloading but it does sound like there is a issue getting to affinity on Telstraclear.

Anyway are these new games?

If not and you have them on your other PC you can back them up on the other PC into a format (exe and data files) copy them over your LAN of via USB disk and run them on your new desktop to install them.

Steam's backup system is pretty good.

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