Why does 192 downloads @ +- 20kbps?

[headstrong]

Hi guys

Why does 192 downloads @ +- 20kbps?
And 56k download @ +-3 kbps?

Is telkom lying to us or whats the story?
What speeds can i Expect to get if I order 1024 or 512 etc?

Thanks alot

 

[fragtion]

56k is the theoretical amount, but because the line has noise and whatnot, its pretty impossible connecting at anything above 44kbps with a 56k modem. I used to have a US Robotics external faxmodem that cost about R800 and worked wonders - i'd get pings of around 110ish and gr8 speeds compared to internal HCF pci modems!
but those were the crappy old 56k days...
512kbps: I used to get around 54K/s
1024kbps I get between 105-110K/s depending on overheads etc.

 

[PostmanPot]

my 56k used to d/l at 5.5 - 6 KB/s. unlucky!!

 

[headstrong]

Thanks fraction

So its actually the line noise not telkom cheatting us?

 

[headstrong]

wow 6!!

U luck fish! I get 3 if im lucky

 

[swordfish1]

yep dial up modem is 5.5 KB/s usually ... I was managing about 1.15 GB per weekend a while back that is about 4+ GB per month for R80 + R55 for infiniti call + ~R40 for the calls = ~R175 pm cheaper than now, R250 for 3GB

 

[Paul_S]

Hi guys

Why does 192 downloads @ +- 20kbps?
And 56k download @ +-3 kbps?

Is telkom lying to us or whats the story?
What speeds can i Expect to get if I order 1024 or 512 etc?

Thanks alot

192K = 192 kpbs (kilobits/second)
56K = 56 kbps (kilobits/second)

There are 8 bits per byte so :
192K (kbps) / 8 = 24 KB/sec (kilobytes/second)
56K (kbps) / 8 = 7 KB/sec (kilobytes/second)

But wait that's not all ... (I'll try keep this simple)
Every packet of data sent and received over a TCP/IP network contains a header.
The header contains information such as the sender address, destination address, time to live counter, CRC error checksums, etc. which is needed for routing and other things too complex to mention. Without this header all the routers on the Internet wouldn't know where to send your data.

Then there is also the fact that some packets will get lost or garbled by noise and interference on the line which will require resends.

So there is a protocol overhead for all the data sent and received as well as some packet failures. If you combine the two it works out to more or less 2 bytes for every 8 bytes of data sent/received.

So one should divide by 10 to get a more accurate idea of the speed to expect.
192K (kbps) / 10 = 19.2 KB/sec
56K (kbps) / 10 = 5.6 KB/sec

Your line is doing just fine.

Paul

 

[fragtion]

192K = 192 kpbs (kilobits/second)
56K = 56 kbps (kilobits/second)

Actually...:
(192K) != (192k = 192kbps) {
kilo is generally represented with a lowercase k - so kilobytes/second => kB/s & kilobits/second => kb/s ... but people are too lazy and whatnot so somehow it always gets assumed that kb/s=kB/s which isnt really true, probably the reason the kbps term exists?
}

 

[Highflyer_GP]

192K = 192 degrees Kelvin but I think we getting a bit picky I think the jist of what he said is correct

 

[Paul_S]

Actually...:
(192K) != (192k = 192kbps)

Unfortunately a lot of manufacturers label their products with just a capital "K" instead of a small k or kbps. I've seen this on analog modems, ISDN modems, ADSL modems.
It's technically incorrect (like people using the term shocks or shock aborbers when the real name is "dampers" or calling glass fibre "fibre glass" which is actually a trade name and not the product) but it's not a perfect world I guess.

Surprising enough Telkom get it right and don't use a K so I'll remember that for next time.

Paul

 

[headstrong]

Thanks Paul and fraction!

That explains things very well!

 

[w1z4rd]

What paul said