Speedtest.net
8 May 2008
Speedtest.net is a site I use often to check my dsl speeds. I dont know if its the most accurate or if any of them really are but it seems to be a least consistent in the results. Of course speeds will vary depending on your connection and what type, as well as how many people may be on your same line. If nothing else its something to pass a few minutes while surfing the web and pretending like you’re some kind of geek ;) If you have your own server they have a Speedtest Mini shockwave and javascript package that enables you to plce a mini test on your own site.
I check my speed all the time, and have this site bookmarked and use it most often.
I guess I’m still in a bit of “culture shock” from the days of dial-up. My uncle just got DSL after years of <57k and was astounded.
I keep checking because the local cable company’s service is still lower, but I could benefit and save some money by consolidating my phone service and DSL with my cable service, a pkg. deal. The problem is that they charge about the same amt. as my DSL but are about 2mbs slower.
I COULD go back to dialup, I suppose, but it’d only be to check email, and I’d block anyone who sent me mails that were over 100kb. Sheesh, I get some from people that are 5mb, thank goodness for a fast connection!
I’m off to check my speed on your hosted test.
I got 5129 on the d/l, think your up/l was faster. I checked on the Dallas server and was about 50kbs faster.
About my uncle: he was paying something like 25 bucks for his dialup and had been angry because his other service for 12 bucks had gone out of business. I kept telling him that for a few dollars more he could have a faster connection times a hundred or more. SBC has always had good deals for new users; I paid something like 24 bucks/month for a year. It’s up to nearly twice that now, little faster, but it’s darn sure worth it, the ‘net would nearly be immpossible to surf these days on dial up…dunno how folks do it.
Elle and I used to video chat some on dialup, plus play Skipbo together, but it sure wasn’t worth trying to watch a vid or listen to music.
Remember that feature on Win95, believe it was, that would show you how fast a page would load? Some of those pages in Groups would stall me out on dialup. My own home page was a tongue-in-cheek “homage” to those big, bloated pages.
I guess I’m still paranoid about my old dial up days, always am loathe to pass along emails that are larger than a “miniscule” 2-300kb.
My Groups days left me with another paranoid habit that pays off now ‘n then: I always copy a post before I send.
I don’t think I could go back to dial up Mike, well of course I could if I HAD to do so, but I would hate it! ;) I think its almost a necessity these days with all the heavy sites and applications running. I can remember only too well being on dial up Communities and pages stalling all the time. I was on cable and the speed was great, when it was working. I went though a few times there where the service was out for three weeks, and they kept telling me it wasn’t! Well the minute DSL was available I switched over and am very satisfied with it. I have a decent speed. It wasn’t long after Alison and I met that she switched as well. mostly a matter of being able to “speak” a little eaiser as she was on dialup and sending pictures and vids back and forth was very hard on her. Well her service is dsl, but in Cyprus they have much slower speeds, of course its very cheap too so thats the good part. She still has trouble using the videochat on her end, but once in a while she manages. We use Skype to speak with and it s great program, especially with a fast connection. I remember trying once on dialup to talk to my mom when she was in Georgia, at that time the delay was terrible! I was totally impressed though the first time Alison and I used Skype to speak to each other as it was clear as a bell and almost instant, I suppose there was a second or less delay, but it wasn’t audibly noticeable at all.
I like this particular speedtest site, it seems to give a consistent reading, well its up and down from time to time, but overall iI’d say that is my average speed. Well its fast enough for everyhting i can thnk of I would want to do, but you always wish for a little more I guess. I have used a T1 connection and it blows this away! But still its great what we have and I will settle for the 5MB download! lol Well I only have to think back how long it used to take on dialup to do the windows updates or download one of those huge software trials thatt would take hours back then. Nope… I couldn’t go back
Thanks for posting Mike, appreciate it!
G
ps we all copy first, those with MSN roots anyway! ;)
can’t hit 700 to save my life LOL