Broadband / LAN speed question

[BTB 500]

I have BT Infinity 1 broadband, with my line rated at 38 Mb/s.

I use 500 mbps DLAN adapters between the hub (router) and PC. When I run a speed test (speedtest.net) on my PC it reports around 35-38 Mb/s. At 8 bits/byte, the LAN adapters can theoretically pass up to 62 Mb/s so that seems possible.

The kids' PC upstairs is on an older 200 mbps DLAN adapter - theoretical maximum speed 25 Mb/s. But when I ran speedtest on that PC it reported 33 Mb/s ?!

In fact DLAN adapters are notoriously optimistic, with actual speeds of 1/3 the rated speed (or less) being pretty normal. So what's happening? Is speedtest somehow reporting download speed at the router, rather than at the PC it's running on?

My Sony PS3 is also connected with a 500 mbps adapter, but the 'internet test' on that (obviously not using speedtest.net) reports a download speed of about 20 Mb/s, which seem more believable.

Any comments?

The reason I'm interested is that we're likely to need to upgrade to an unlimited package (the one we're on now has a 40 Gb/month limit). Having 76 Mb/s rather than 38 would then only be an extra £3 per month, but this would be pointless if the 500 mbps DLAN adapters are already at full stretch.

Running cables isn't really an option, btw.

Thanks in advance

 

[Simon_M]

I have the 76Mbps line, BT estimated I would get circa 68Mbps, I get 42.

Save your money.

S

 

[grober]

Your download speeds may be server dependent. Certainly in the case of the SONY PS3- it may be the the Sony server that's giving you the anomalous speed result. The others all seem to broadly agree with a bit of drop off with the older DLAN slowing things down. Is there such a thing as an accurate bb speed tester? - Tech Helproom | 30-07-12 - PC Advisor Forums

 

[Spinal]

I'm more interested in knowing what your 500mbps DLAN adapters are connected to.

I have a strong suspicion that your router is a 10/100 model as a pose to gigabit, meaning that your bottleneck isn't the 200mbps link, but the 100mbps router* Same goes for the laptop/desktop. I believe the PS3 has a gigabit card, but may be wrong...

M.

*after the broadband connection of course

 

[BTB 500]

The router has a gigabit port (and 3 lower speed ones), which is connected to the 500 mbps DLAN adapter. My PC and PS3 both have gigabit cards, not sure about the kids' PC but 100 mbps anywhere would surely restrict to 12.5 Mb/s?

 

[grober]

BT Home Hub - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[BTB 500]

Yup we have the Home Hub 4. The engineer mention that the v5 was coming out very shortly - per that link it has multiple gigabit outputs (rather than just one) and an integrated modem.

 

[Ian_Mac]

Yup we have the Home Hub 4. The engineer mention that the v5 was coming out very shortly - per that link it has multiple gigabit outputs (rather than just one) and an integrated modem.

http://www.shop.bt.com/products/bt-...ail&utm_campaign=email081113&utm_content=PK00

 

[cinek]

I was quoted 67 mb/s before taking up the contract and since installation have been getting steady 75 mb/s.

Happy days.

 

[moonloops]

I've had 100Mbit fibre at home for quite a while now. Speedtests were showing download speed of approx 30mbit until I changed the router and it immediately shot up to 80mbit so the router can make a heck of a difference. Will be getting 330mbit soon so may have to check for router performance issues again!

 

[BTB 500]

I was quoted 67 mb/s before taking up the contract and since installation have been getting steady 75 mb/s.

Presumably with a cabled connection between hub and PC?