Internet Connection Speeds for Dummies

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eracode

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#57874 27-Feb-2010 13:26

Apologies if this has been covered previously.

I would like to know what level of speed is regarded as OK for a home user. We have a plan through xtra and use a D-Link ADSL2+ router, cabled into a laptop. We live in Brighton Road, Parnell, Auckland.

I just did some tests using various websites (Vodafone, NZ Consumer, Slingshot and others) and got fairly consistent results: about 3.10 Mbps download and 0.74 Mbps upload. Is that good, bad or indifferent?

I also did several tests using the Telecom website and seemed to get quite different results, again consistently: "278,000 Kbps or 34,000 KB/sec". Why is there a difference from the earlier results?

Thanks

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rscole86

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#302727 27-Feb-2010 15:52

If you could post us the sync speeds, attenuation rates etc, from your modems status page, we would be able to let you know if they are good speeds.

How many phones do you have connected? This includes SKY and monitored house alarms.
Do you have filters on every phone jack?
Have you filtered your modem also?

Have you have a look at http://www.telecomwholesale.co.nz/maps to see how far you are from your exchange?

eracode

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#302728 27-Feb-2010 16:23

Thanks but "post ...the sync speeds, attenuation rates etc, from your modem's status page"? ... sorry have no idea how to do that. As I said, a tech (semi-)dummy.

Router is via a filter. We have one DECT cordless phone via a filter and an extension phone. Like the laptop, a PS3 is connected to the router by cable. PS3 not usually running, and certainly not when we are using the laptop on internet. The router is also a wireless and my wife often uses her netbook on wireless. Hope that helps.

I'm not necessarily concerned about the speed - just interested to know whether the speed stands up against what other people in similar circs get, or if there is something simple that could be done to enhance it.

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Ragnor

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#303053 28-Feb-2010 17:52

Brighton Road, Parnell is in the Auckland Central exchange area. Parnell is quite far away from the exchange so ~3Mbit/s is not terrible for the distance from the exchange.

The quality of the house phone wiring can have a big affect on speed, also interference from other land line devices (as mentioned by rscole).

You could get an installer to fit a adsl master splitter to isolate the "internet line" from interference (meaning you don't need to use individual filters on every device anymore) and also generally improve house wiring but that costs $$$.

Your area is due to get a cabinet installed by April 2011, after then you can reasonably expect >10Mbit to local/NZ sites.

This site has an explaination of the upgrades they are doing, that will be completed by the end of 2011
http://www.chorus.co.nz/enhancing-the-broadband-network

When reading download speeds it's easy to get confused because it can be measured in bits or bytes aka different units (like how height can be measured in feet/inches or cm/mm)

Typically:

MB (megabyte)
KB (kilobyte)

Mb (megabit)
kb (kilobit)

So for your 3Mbit speed: 3Mb = 3072 kb = 384 KB = 0.375 MB is all the same thing/speed like how 6 ft is 182 cm (for height).