Question on a Telkom 4mb Line

[Skratch]

Hey guys....firstly im a n00b here so apologies if a post like this has already been made. I've recently upgraded my 384 line to 4mb, on the router settings it shows that it is syncing at 4096/512. Local websites load perfectly and run at full speed, i tested a download on the dogaming site and downloaded a 1gb demo which was running at +-428kbps and completed in 47minutes. With international sites however, it seems way different, youtube streams at +-1mb speeds, torrents run between 1 to 3mb speeds but rapidshare, mediafire etc run at around 30 to 50kbps...is this normal? Coz that speed sucks. Im still using a cap from telkom for this month but will be switching to mweb's uncapped. Id like to know if any of u other 4mb users have experienced this. Thanx

 

[Pada]

Skratch, you should note that there is a difference between kbps (kilobits/second) and kBps (kilobytes/second)! The difference being a factor of 8: 8kbps = 1kBps. Your ADSL router is definitely synchronizing at the correct rate for 4Mbps (4096kbps down, 512kbps up).

Mweb and all the other ISP's are heavily shaping their cheap uncapped accounts during office hours. You should do those tests in off-peak time (like after midnight) if you want to get results where the account isn't being shaped so badly. I'm usually getting near 3.5Mbps with HTTP downloads with my 4Mbps Mweb uncapped, unless the server is busy OR if I'm using a slow/free service.

 

[Skratch]

Thanx for the reply Pada! Its just quite frustrating having normal HTTP downloads move so slow and since moving to a 4mb line recently i wasn't sure if it was normal but i will try during off peak times and see the results.

 

[mcryan]

It often depends on the place you are downloading from. Some of them limit your download to about 50kBps. Normally paid for services will allow you to get maximum speed. With my 4MB line i am able to even download some torrents at speeds of 410kBps. Only if the health of that torrent is very good of course. Otherwise international downloads (form good servers) averge about 380kBps

 

[Skratch]

Yeah im also getting good speed on torrents, but even with my paid for rapidshare account, im getting max +- 55 kBps even during off peak. I phoned telkom and they said they arent sure and maybe there is a problem at the exchange bla bla....