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mangurian
join:2006-09-02
Hillsborough, NC

mangurian

Member

software firewall slows speed tests ??

I bought a router, secured it, and then turned off my software firewall.

I have done some speakeasy tests where I am getting significantly higher speeds than before. I didn't do as well as some of you, but I got 3950 and 370 a few times. I will also try late at night when traffic slows down.

I didn't know that a SW firewall would slow transfers once the source site gained access. Anyway I am happy about that.

billh491
join:2001-08-09
Portland, CT

billh491

Member

Welcome to the world of routers. Did you try the shields up at GRC.com? I have not used a software fire wall in years so I can not say how much they slow down your speed. I find a software firewall of no use unless you are trying to catch something going out but even then a smart spyware program will just turn off the firewall. So I stick with a router and windows firewall just in case my kid gets something on their computer.

As far as testing your speed forget about all the test sites here is how you do a real test.

go here and get netstat live a free program once installed and running right click on on it and go to configure and set to modem bits.

»www.analogx.com/contents ··· /nsl.htm

Then head to one of these two sites and start a download let it run for a minute and NetStat will give you a running average of the last minute that will give you your real speed. One is http the other is FTP which should be faster.

Oddly I could not log in to the ftp site don't know if it moved or is down but you get the idea find a big file like a Linux distro and down load it for a bit to see your speed then cancel it. Of coarse you need to find a site that is serving at full speed and not getting hammered by others.

»speedtest.rochester.rr.com/
»ftp://mirror.datapipe.net/gent ··· stallcd/
mangurian
join:2006-09-02
Hillsborough, NC

mangurian

Member

Shields Up

Came back with excellent grades and they could not see anything about my machine.

I am so close to the speed caps that I won't bother with getting more precise numbers.

thanks,

badbob
join:2006-09-04
Niantic, CT

badbob

Member

I use Zone Alarm for my software firewall. It has absolutely no effect on up/download speeds. I also use a hardware firewall with the same results. I am almost always maxed out on up/downloads.