1GB internet speeds but very slow downloads

[Ace1965]

I got fiber optic 1gb internet service a little over a month ago. I've been expecting to see blazing fast download speeds. You know what they advertise, a full movie in under 2 minutes or something like that. But I've never seen anything anywhere close to that.

Ever since I started downloading things years ago I've used Internet Download Manager which is supposed to be a sort of accelerator. When I had my previous service which was 60gb a 1gb file for instance might take 5 minutes or so downloading at around 5 to 6mb per second at best.

But since I've got the new service it's been even slower on a faster connection and I don't understand why that is. That 1gb file will take 12 minutes or longer. I've tried disabling Internet Download Manager and that's even slower. It's estimated time is 40 minutes or longer at less than 1mb per second download speed.

Right now as I type this I've got an ethernet cable running from the PC to the modem and I just ran a speed test and it's showing about 875mb download and 954mb upload. While I ate dinner I downloaded a 2.5gb 1080p video file and it took over 28 minutes at just over 2mb per second.

The two just don't add up. How can you have blazing fast internet speed and slow as hell downloads?

What's the secret to getting fast file download speeds?

[Moon Raker]

Firstly, I don't quite understand why your quoted upload speed is faster than your download speed - I would expect upload speed to be a fraction of download speed. e.g. mine is 38 MB download, 9 MB upload. Secondly, the speed at which you can download from a host as a free user is usually governed by the restrictions put in place by that host to deter free downloaders and edge them towards becoming a paid-for user so no matter how fast your Internet speed you won't beat their system. The aptly named FileJoker is especially bad in that respect and IMHO VEF should put it on the banned list for that and other reasons.

[halvar]

Originally Posted by Moon Raker

I would expect upload speed to be a fraction of download speed. e.g. mine is 38 MB download, 9 MB upload.

The typical copper wiring is usually asymmetric, hence the name ADSL. But there are offers with symmetric up/download speeds available in some locations, especially with fiber to the home. I myself have 50down, 10up VDSL.

To really test the speed you could download something from a fast server or a content delivery network. Try downloading an ubuntu iso image image with 1.5 GB size, eg.
https://www.ubuntu.com/download/desk...itecture=amd64

Or something large from microsoft. There you should get top download speed.

[Ace1965]

Originally Posted by halvar

The typical copper wiring is usually asymmetric, hence the name ADSL. But there are offers with symmetric up/download speeds available in some locations, especially with fiber to the home. I myself have 50down, 10up VDSL.

To really test the speed you could download something from a fast server or a content delivery network. Try downloading an ubuntu iso image image with 1.5 GB size, eg.
https://www.ubuntu.com/download/desk...itecture=amd64

Here is a test I just ran



Do I need to try and download that file you mentioned using IDM or disable it and try to download it straight?

Or something large from microsoft. There you should get top download speed.

[halvar]

Originally Posted by Ace1965

Here is a test I just ran

Do I need to try and download that file you mentioned using IDM or disable it and try to download it straight?

Or something large from microsoft. There you should get top download speed.

That test looks good, I am envious, especially of of your upload speed.

Just download it in your browser. Its not an exact measurement, but it gives you a hint. Your provider's speed test usually just measures the speeds to the provider himself. This does not say much about the connection to the outside world. If a provider has only small backbones the nominal speed is high, but you get not much out of it.

[buttsie]

Why You Probably Aren’t Getting the Internet Speeds You’re Paying For (and How to Tell)
by Chris Hoffman on June 15th, 2013

Has a USA broadband speed map up to 2014 that shows advertised v reality

https://www.howtogeek.com/165321/why...d-how-to-tell/

Depending where you reside might make a lot of difference

In the UK awhile ago the ISPs only had to meet a minimum standard that was nowhere near the top end advertised

Recently in Australia ISPs have been made to refund millions because they couldnt deliver
anywhere near the top advertised speeds

[BondJmsBond]

I have cable which is advertised at 25mbps dl speed.
The fastest speed I actually get in the real world? about 4mbps usually.
Some will go faster, mega gives me 7mb+ sometimes.

There are many limiting factors apparently. I was disappointed at first but became used to it.

[bowlinggreen]

Originally Posted by Ace1965

I got fiber optic 1gb internet service a little over a month ago. I've been expecting to see blazing fast download speeds. You know what they advertise, a full movie in under 2 minutes or something like that. But I've never seen anything anywhere close to that.

Ever since I started downloading things years ago I've used Internet Download Manager which is supposed to be a sort of accelerator. When I had my previous service which was 60gb a 1gb file for instance might take 5 minutes or so downloading at around 5 to 6mb per second at best.

But since I've got the new service it's been even slower on a faster connection and I don't understand why that is. That 1gb file will take 12 minutes or longer. I've tried disabling Internet Download Manager and that's even slower. It's estimated time is 40 minutes or longer at less than 1mb per second download speed.

Right now as I type this I've got an ethernet cable running from the PC to the modem and I just ran a speed test and it's showing about 875mb download and 954mb upload. While I ate dinner I downloaded a 2.5gb 1080p video file and it took over 28 minutes at just over 2mb per second.

The two just don't add up. How can you have blazing fast internet speed and slow as hell downloads?

What's the secret to getting fast file download speeds?

I can only envy you your connection speed.

I get about half of the "promised" upload/download speeds, I expect this is pretty common across the board, from what I have read.

Even with what you have, you can effortlessly stream HD video, and I expect that this what the real selling point of your service is. They're going to aim the latest high speed service at satisfying whatever broad consumer phenomenon is in vogue at the time, and right now that is people playing big movies off of Netflix and Hulu.

If you were expecting elite file downloader perfection, I am afraid you are out of luck. But you can still grab stuff in a fraction of the time that most of us can.

[Ace1965]

Originally Posted by bowlinggreen

I can only envy you your connection speed.

I get about half of the "promised" upload/download speeds, I expect this is pretty common across the board, from what I have read.

Even with what you have, you can effortlessly stream HD video, and I expect that this what the real selling point of your service is. They're going to aim the latest high speed service at satisfying whatever broad consumer phenomenon is in vogue at the time, and right now that is people playing big movies off of Netflix and Hulu.

If you were expecting elite file downloader perfection, I am afraid you are out of luck. But you can still grab stuff in a fraction of the time that most of us can.

It's much better now but it still occasionally fluctuates and sometimes it can vary from one downloader to another. Keep2Share files generally go good but sometimes File Factory files will be reduced and so on.

At the time I made the first post everything was still kind of slow then it started getting better the next day. I can live with it the way it is now. I haven't tried straight downloading something without using Internet Download Manager. FLV video files don't go through IDM so I'll try to track down one of those to see if it's better.

I still think I had a problem with interference or something when it was on wifi because sometime files would just come to a complete halt.

[bowlinggreen]

Originally Posted by Ace1965

It's much better now but it still occasionally fluctuates and sometimes it can vary from one downloader to another. Keep2Share files generally go good but sometimes File Factory files will be reduced and so on.

At the time I made the first post everything was still kind of slow then it started getting better the next day. I can live with it the way it is now. I haven't tried straight downloading something without using Internet Download Manager. FLV video files don't go through IDM so I'll try to track down one of those to see if it's better.

I still think I had a problem with interference or something when it was on wifi because sometime files would just come to a complete halt.

I'd skip any sort of wireless connection if you are a serious file downloader. Hardwired only for that sort of thing. Wireless is just... not... as... good.

Don't want to get 2GB into a 4Gb d/l and then get stuck. That is like going back to the bad old days of cranky dial-up. I am sure many here can share horror stories of bad file downloads from those days. I certainly can.