oldbrit
join:2009-07-08
Dallas, TX
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| Dallas TX - Downgraded & getting same throughput
I had the Road Runner Turbo service. When I did a test on speakeasy or dslreports, I got the expected download and upload connectivity, but the actual throughput was radically different. In fact, when I used the RR throughput test, I was actually getting a much lower speed.
So, I downgraded my service from 10mbps to 1.5mbps. I get the lower numbers on the speakeasy and dslreports tests, but on the RR throughput test, I got a slightly better throughput at the new, lower speed than I was getting at the higher speed. Here's the throughput test: »www.austin.rr.com/speedtest/speed.asp
I made the change because the slower speed is MUCH cheaper and it matched the actual throughput I was getting.
In doing various tests, I was finding that I had high latency, with the highest latencies being some of the Road Runner servers on the route.
I was also finding a significant packet loss using smokeping. The packet loss seems to be lower at the lower connection speed than it was at the higher.
NOW, I AM GUESSING THAT any improvements noted are due to random chance and have nothing to do with the connection speed.
BUT, I expect that when I am hitting a lot of websites at once, downloading multiple files, etc., I will see a slowdown from the faster service.
THE POINT IS THIS (I'd like some confirmation on this from others):
You may be throwing your money away on the fastest connection if the overall infrastructure affecting your throughput doesn't really take advantage of your fast connection.
I'll see how this goes, but I may go back to AT&T now that they have dry DSL (DSL that doesn't require a phone line), because when I was on DSL (AT&T, Speakeasy, and Quest), I was on a high-end package, the throughput was excellent, the latency was better, and there was significantly less packet loss. I switched to Cable because it was less expensive for similar advertised performance and because I switched from land-line phones to VOIP - which meant I couldn't have AT&T DSL, Qwest is no longer available here, and Speakeasy was really expensive.
Anyway, I'm curious to see whether other's experience (and some time on the slower service) confirm what I am seeing so far.
Liz |
