download speed

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Ok, am I going mad (or stupid). I've been downloading the massive Ubuntu iso image, I've got a (comparibly) slow broadband connection (500mb I think ) but the download screen says the speed is around 59k per second.

So is that right, I would have thought the speed should have been near the connection speed. I'm using the supplied modem not the internal one. We are a long way from the nearest junction box but I says the connection is running at top whack....

 

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500Mbits per sec would be *fast* by anybody's standard. The norm would be 500Kbits per second.

I am *assuming* that the 59k figure you quote is in *bytes* rather than bits, so allowing 8 bits per byte, plus protocol overheads, giving a nominal 10 bits per byte, then I'd say you were doing well.

Harry.

 

Opps, sorry I think I meant 500Kbs! I may be a bit slow, so when the broadband says it's connected at however many Mbps thats not the actual download speed?

 

Check to see if you're getting 59 KBps or 59 Kbps. The two figures are completely different. Big B = Bytes, little b = bits. Broadband vendors rate their speeds in kilobits or megabits per second (Kbps/Mbps). However, browsers display download speeds in kilobytes or megabytes per second (KBps/MBps). To convert KBps to Kbps (or MBps to Mbps), multiply by 8 (because there are 8 bits in a byte).

For example:

59 KBps
x 8
----
472 Kbps

Adding in the protocol overheads (as Harry explained), getting 472 Kbps on a 500 Kbps connection is quite respectable.

 

Right, I'll have a look at home and get back to you. Keep an eye out

 

If your broadband is rated at 500kbps then the speed you were getting on your download was entirely consistent with this. It's not slow, it's about right.

If it's really 500mb as first stated, you have a massively fast broadband service that is downloading increadibly slowly.

 

I see what ya'll mean about KB's and Kb's, it the factoring down that confuses me!

 

BrainBeacon Michael,

On a slight tangent, since we're nit picking cases, but is there a difference between 'k' and 'K' where 'k' = 1000 and 'K' = 1024?

 

Strictly (and I made this mistake in my posting above) it should be 'k' only, as 'K' is used for 'Kelvin'.

There *are* binary prefixes, see here, but they are rarely used.

In short - the usual confusion!

Harry.

 

yeah, what Harry said. Some people (like me, when I'm lazy) will incorrectly write KB and Kb instead of kB and kb. In either case, they mean kB = 1024 bytes (unless you're talking about hard disk drive manufacturers, who specifically state that their 1GB drives = 1,000,000,000 bytes, which is why a 1GB drive will not contain 1GB in Windows).

 

Yes i was on ADSL 512kbs up until a little while ago and was downloading at approximately 56kBs, so i think you are about right too.

Having said that, remember that your download speed is also dependant on the Internet links and the upload capabilities of the server you are downloading from.

 

I've got teh same problem, however, I'm waiting for Sky to get their asses into gear and finish setting up my 8meg line

 

I'm getting 16meg connection from sky on the 23rd Can't wait!

Kraven

 

You *do* realize that the speed achieved will depend on the distance from the exchange and the quality of the line?

Harry.

 

hbroomhall,

Even stricter, 'k' is a prefix to a unit and cannot exist by itself. For example, kilo-meter (hyphen to separate the prefix from unit)becomes "km." Kelvin is a unit by itself therefore it can stand by itself with or without a prefix. For example 212 K.

So I guess the meaning of the prefix 'k' depends on the number system that the unit is based on. For example, 'm' uses the decimal numbering system so therefore 1 km = 1000 m. But since 'b' uses the binary numbering system, 1 kb = 1024 bits.

 

How long were you waiting to get a date? We (my stapdad and I) got the MAC code about a month ago, still waiting for sky to take over the line though!

 

Don't get too excited until you see what speed your modem stabilises at (can take a couple of weeks). I am quite far from my exchange, so my 8Mb Max ADSL is basically 1Mb ADSL ...

 

Fully agree there mate, until your router arrives and you see them lights flashing dont take anything for granted!

My Router took 10 days to "train" itself and although I am on the 8mb connect package it is now running at 4.5mb download/375kbps upload but had been at 1mb up to 6mb in that time..

The router itself reports that I am connecting at 7880kbps, but thats another story!

Go here to check you distance from the local exchange which will give you a clearer idea of what to expect.
http://www.samknows.com/broadband/index.php

I know people signed up for 16mb MAX package thinking thats what thet get, but in reality its nearer 6mb, which is all they will ever get unless they move to the exchange itself!

G