Double usage and slow speeds.

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BigPapaBear

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#10655 3-Dec-2006 17:31

Hi I'm new to this forum and was wondering about a couple of issues.

1. I'm on DSL and I've noticed for some reason If I am downloading a file say 400MB and the download goes past midnight has anyone else noticed on their broadband usage meter its doubled?...its like every time I go over midnight when downloading a file it seems to double in usage? 400MB ends up being 800MB?..very strange?

2. I have also noticed since Xtra unleashed its so called speeds, I have actually slowed right down.. I use to get download speeds of up to 260kbs now I struggle to get 60kbs?...I use http://www.nzdsl.co.nz/index.php?module=Speedtest to give me an accurate speed of my connection and so far it has been spot on, because what ever it gives me is excatly what I'm downloading at. When I use the xtra speed test it always says my connection is extreme over 300kbs?....anyone got any explainations?

tonyhughes

Hawkes Bay
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#54553 3-Dec-2006 18:14

nzdsl is probably off net for you, xtra is on net so that would explain that discrepancy ...

BigPapaBear

15 posts

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#54554 3-Dec-2006 18:53

Can you explain off and on...Xtra is my provider so why would it be giving me a false speed test and NZDSL give me an accurate one?

freitasm

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#54557 3-Dec-2006 19:54

Off net means that their servers is on another network, while Xtra speed test is on the same network.

The way the Internet works, from your PC to the speed test server the connection might need to go through a single hop, but most of the times it will go through a few intermediary servers. The problem with this is that you are never measuring the true speed because any one of these intermediary servers might be experiencing problems.

People using those tests can only really get a vague idea, because conditions change all the time. Also the path from your PC to the test servers will most probably be completely different from the path from your PC to a server you are trying to download something.

BigPapaBear

15 posts

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#54559 3-Dec-2006 20:11

Hey thanks for that nice to know people are still willing to give someone the time to explain..Thank you:)

euanandrews

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#54567 3-Dec-2006 22:55

Should also point out that when doing a speedtest with Xtra, it will be acurate the first time, but if you dont clear your internet history, it will return a false result there after...
Either delete your internet history, or hold down the CTRL key to give a new acurate speed result