Ask Slashdot: An Accurate Broadband Speed Test?

First time accepted submitter kyrcant writes Is there a way to accurately really test my "broadband" connection? I don't trust the usual sites, the first ones I found via Google. I suspect (and found) that at least some of them are directly affiliated with ISPs, and I further suspect that traffic to those addresses is probably prioritized, so people will think they're getting a good deal. The speeds I experience are much, much slower than the speed tests show I'm capable of. For a while I thought it might be the sites themselves, but they load faster on my T-Mobile HTC One via 4G than on my laptop via WiFi through a cable modem connection. Is there a speed test site that has a variable or untraceable IP address, so that the traffic can't be prioritized by my ISP (call them "ConCazt")? If not, which sites are not in any way affiliated with ISPs? Is there a way to test it using YouTube or downloading a set file which can be compared to other users' results? (Have your own question for the teeming masses? Ask away — be sure to include appropriate detail and context — via the Slashdot submission form.)

Comments

Really?

[Maxwell]

How are people not aware of DSLReports and their speed tests? And how could this possibly make /.?

Also, your wi-fi sucks. Get a cable if you want to know what your real speed is.

Re:Really?

[AaronLS]

Agreed he should accuse WIFI with no evidence, but at the same time it is not a legitimize test with WIFI in the loop. If he's experience connection issues or measuring performance of his cable connection, then he should do a direct connection to eliminate WIFI since it is very susceptible to many issues that could affect performance. Only then can he point fingers at the cable connection.

Re:Really?

[dotwhynot]

Not really fair to immediately disregard the quality of the WiFi connection. It could be well in excess of the ISP connection.

I have a 40/20 mbps broadband, and independent local non-ISP speed tests give the same result on WiFi as ethernet, around 37-38/18-19 mbps. But, I do agree that if you get shitty results, you should try to rule out that shitty WiFi is the reason.

SamKnows from the FCC

[NevarMore]

https://www.samknows.com/

I have one of their boxes installed. It seems to provide a clear picture of overall performance with a monthly report. I'm doing this because I'd like to think it helps the FCC keep the ISPs honest.

PS - Card carrying Libertarian. No the FCC isn't spying on me, and yes regulation of ISPs is appropriate. If we've broken the free market by granting a local monopoly or limited oligopoly then heavy regulation is appropriate. Consumer choice is better, but this is the best we can do with what we have today.

No

[Charliemopps]

There is no way to test "The internet"
The fact of the matter is you make dozens of hops, even hundreds, to get anywhere. En-route you can hit any number of choke points. If you run a speed test I can almost guarantee your ISP knows about the speed test site and is going to prioritize your traffic. Add to that the fact that the speed test site is likely hosted somewhere like the Amazon cloud and all you're testing is your route to about the easiest place to get to.

Is your ISP throttling Torrents? Netflix? Youtube? A test to any other site is useless if they prioritize that and throttle where you actually want to go. Is there a problem with your NID? The remote you connect to? The peering they have setup?

On top of all of that, speed test sites are just a test of downloading various file sizes. That's easy... flawless movie playback and seamless online game play? That's an entirely different story. You've no idea how many friends I've had complain about their ISP throttling their game, only to find out later the problem cleared up when they got a new video card. lol

So if your ISP is not working for your needs, you need to switch. If you have other options, most offer a contract free option now-a-days. Try that out and cancel if it's no better. If you have no other options, you're stuck with it anyway.

Your best bet, if you're stuck with that ISP, is to make friends with a tech. Get one out there for some reason, offer him a beer, whatever. Joke, laugh, etc... he'll probably tell you what's up. Once you know where the problem is, often you can figure out how to talk them into a better solution. In these situations you're usually fighting their bureaucracy... its not that they don't want to help, it's just a lot of paperwork to get that help. Be more annoying than the paperwork.

Re: DIY test

[Anonymous Coward]

Torrent on cellular? You are why we can't have nice things.

Re:Ask yourselves these questions... apk

[rjstanford]

Even being noisily right with an answer to a question that nobody's asking, in a conversation about something completely different, is annoying and should be discourages.