Skype bandwidth Usage

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atkins

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How much bandwidth do Skype voice calls use up on an ADSL connection?

I made a calculation based on the assumption that Skype works on a dial-up (5K/sec), and then extrapolated this to 300K/min, or 18Mb/hr. This would give about 56 hours per Gb, leaving a call cost of a little over R1 per hour (excluding line cost overheads).

Is there anything wrong with my reasoning?
 
I am also very keen to get some answers here. When I tested Skype over EDGE, it used a combined total up/down of about 8 kByte/sec, but on 3G it used about 10-11 kByte/sec. Does Skype "auto-detect" your connection's bandwidth and set its bandwidth accordingly?
 
it uses between 7kb and 18kb correct, HOWEVER it all depends on the amount of "sound" sent and recieved, for example inbetween words, while holding a call is busy but nobody is talking, that can drop to less than 1kb/s. also the faster the line is the higher it will be as it will improve call quality to the best it can. but, we use skype, about 25 people on 1 line, our skype usage alone for a month is never more than 500mb. this is skype phones used just about all day during office hours.
 
How about limiting the bandwidth with Netlimiter? Would Skype automatically adjust its bandwidth and still work properly?
 
My Skype uses around 4 - 8k and I am on ADSL 512
 
ajax said:
How about limiting the bandwidth with Netlimiter? Would Skype automatically adjust its bandwidth and still work properly?
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would work 100%, you can set it very low, and then increase it until you are happy with the voice quality you are getting and then keep it at that.

another way to look at it is that Skype uses less than any other option so dont worry about it to much :)
 
I use a webcam. Does anyone know how much that will increase my usage.

I find that when the parties move my picture and sound break up (384 dsl). I am going to upgrade to 512.
 
Depending on your NAT setup, Skype can also route other parties calls through your connection. The EULA is scary. We do get it from time to time where clients are using skype actively but its soaking up bandwidth.
 
TesterMan said:
I use a webcam. Does anyone know how much that will increase my usage.

I find that when the parties move my picture and sound break up (384 dsl). I am going to upgrade to 512.
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not sure about how much bandwidth it will use, but upgrading to 512k will help a lot, not because of the 512k d/l speed, but because of the upload speed that will be more than double and thats what you are short on if your're on 384k adsl
 
atkins said:
I made a calculation based on the assumption that Skype works on a dial-up (5K/sec), and then extrapolated this to 300K/min, or 18Mb/hr.
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Thats a hint on the low side. Think 7-9KB on shaped. 12-15 on unshaped.

Surv0 said:
Skype uses a certain amount of bandwidth according to how fast your CPU can can opporate the signal and how clear the connection is. IT works at around 7kb/s upto 18kb/s...
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:wtf: I hope you are kidding. :erm:

ajax said:
How about limiting the bandwidth with Netlimiter? Would Skype automatically adjust its bandwidth and still work properly?
Click to expand...
If the bandwidth is not available then skype will do what it can with what is given & quality will deteriorate.

TesterMan said:
I use a webcam. Does anyone know how much that will increase my usage.

I find that when the parties move my picture and sound break up (384 dsl). I am going to upgrade to 512.
Click to expand...
Using unshaped will decrease sound break up, but increase cap usage. I seem to recall 350mb for 2h with vid both ways.

albert123 said:
not sure about how much bandwidth it will use, but upgrading to 512k will help a lot, not because of the 512k d/l speed, but because of the upload speed that will be more than double and thats what you are short on if your're on 384k adsl
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Only if you are using video. Voice only + unshaped + 384k doesn't even hit the limit of the upload, assuming the other person is outside of SA.

Couple of other things:
Make sure you use at the very least version 4.0 cause they changed the voice algo in v4.0.

Due to the p2p nature of the skype technology, just shutting down skype & restarting it can sometimes improve the situation if you get a different intermediate node.
 
The amount of bandwidth skype uses depends on your internet connection and the person you are calling. Then it chooses the appropriate quality settings

E.g. When I skype my brother in the US. He has 20 Meg Broadband and I have a 4 Meg ADSL and I chat to him for about 45 min, it cost me about 350 Meg of bandwidth. If I chat to my parents in Jo-burg who have a 384k line, it only cost me around 50 - 70 Meg, maybe less for the same period of time.

Skype uses the lowest speed to determine it quality.
 
fbman said:
The amount of bandwidth skype uses depends on your internet connection and the person you are calling. Then it chooses the appropriate quality settings

E.g. When I skype my brother in the US. He has 20 Meg Broadband and I have a 4 Meg ADSL and I chat to him for about 45 min, it cost me about 350 Meg of bandwidth. If I chat to my parents in Jo-burg who have a 384k line, it only cost me around 50 - 70 Meg, maybe less for the same period of time.

Skype uses the lowest speed to determine it quality.
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dam bro we talk to family in UK on my 384 line with webcam and it works perfectly using hardly any megs...
 
fbman said:
The amount of bandwidth skype uses depends on your internet connection and the person you are calling. Then it chooses the appropriate quality settings
Click to expand...

Are you sure about this? It might be the case, but i speak to people throughout the world on different internet connections, be it faster or slower than my 4mb adsl and its always around 30 Mb per hour if no video. Just voip.
 
ToAsTeD said:
Are you sure about this? It might be the case, but i speak to people throughout the world on different internet connections, be it faster or slower than my 4mb adsl and its always around 30 Mb per hour if no video. Just voip.
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No, he is right. If one guy in tokyo is phoning another guy in tokyo both with 100mbit lines then it will use a hell of a lot more than on an SA line.
 
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