looking for a reliable download speed checker

[chroma]

The single most reliable speed test is linux distrobutions from a local university FTP.

University FTP's usualy top out at 100mbps more than enough to fully saturate a domestic connection.

Because its local it will take less routing via tinternet so there will be neglidgable bottlenecks to interfere with your speed.


Whither or not you actualy use linux or not is beside the point, it gives you a 700mb download (at least) at maximum speed for the duration so you can get a valid median speed and not be breaking any copyright laws whilst doing so

[gmb45]

No luck there I'm afraid. I just spent the last 15 mins arguing with some Young "blond" girl. she said they can't upgrade the speed without charging extra I said "I'm sure you can if I told you I want to cancel my service",but she said she couldn't.

I did get a refund for the service I was supposed to be recieving since Nov. I need to check my paperwork cause I think the 2mb service came in before then.

When I quizzed her about the e-mails I had sent she replied. "I don't know where they go" You really need to call us if you have a problem. Why do they bother having an e-mail query form on their b**** website then and they've only just stopped charging for their bb help.

When I told her they should be sending out leaflets along with the other crap they send out to inform people who are ex Telepest that their equipment doesn't support the 2mb service they are paying for. She said it would be too big a job they don't know who has old equip and who has new.

Basically you're supposed to be phsychic if you know nothing about broadband but on the whole I'd say their customer service has improved. from -50 to -49 I did get some money back off them!

ps I'm not finished with them yet.

in a lot of areas they are upgrading to 10mb for free ( or was it ?2 extra?) anway might be worth asking them if they will be doing it in your area

[cunny]

I have a 2mb VM BB. I know you never get the 2mb speed but I don't think I'm getting anywhere near that.

I know there are a few sites that will do a speed check but I'm not sure if these are reliable.

I'm gonna call VM but I want to have as much info as I can that I can quote them so that they don't just fob me off, or tell me to call back once I've checked something and then I'll have to call back again and again.

OK this is how i test my speeds. Use newsgroups and crack open 20 connections, see what your pulling down then.

There are no decent enough speed tests over the internet, but few things that could restrict your speeds are processes/services running in the background that are using the internet.

Maybe try booting into safe mode with networking and trying that out, also make sure the correct MAC is registered with VM as this will affect your speeds also

[tommy t spanner]

well i use this one maxes out my connection but is only a download test speedtest.bbned.nl

[ianmac]

I use "DU Meter" as it gets installed on your pc, & gives you the true speeds going through your installed hardware, it will also give you your true internal network speeds...
A lot of firewalls/Anti virus scanners do not like it, as it is telling them that is monitoring your behaviour, but that is obvious, as it is a speed monitor and is safe, so you will have to adjust you Firewall/Av to allow it...

Where as the other ones are only web based and will only tell you what is going through their website, and that will differ from website to website..

P.S. I think you can get the DU Meter as an ad-on for most windows sidebars now.

Hope this helps
Ian