[selowitch]

How can I tell if my actual speed of connection to the Internet is at or close to its maximum potential? How do I monitor it and optimize it on my Mac?

[Scotttheking]

http://www.dslreports.com/stest

[selowitch]

Originally posted by Scotttheking:
http://www.dslreports.com/stest

This is already use. But the question remains, am I really getting all the bandwidth promised by those tests?

[Scotttheking]

Originally posted by selowitch:
This is already use. But the question remains, am I really getting all the bandwidth promised by those tests?

How the test works: It downloads a file from a really fast server, and benchmarks it. It then uploads a file to a really fast server, and benchmarks it.

It then tells you how fast your connection is.
You won't always be able to download that fast, if the other side doesn't have the upload capability, for instance.

The test doesn't promise any bandwidth, it tells you what you have available.

[selowitch]

Originally posted by Scotttheking:
The test doesn't promise any bandwidth, it tells you what you have available.

Sure. But how can I tell if there isn't some bottleneck within my installation of OS X, for example, that's preventing, say, my browser from displaying pages at the fastest practical speed given the conditions described by the test? Am I leveraging the available speed to the greatest possible extent?

[ghporter]

Right next to DSLReports' speed tests are their Java-based Tweak tests. These tests will determine whether or not your particular computer is set up to efficiently use the available bandwidth. Run the test, fill in details on your broadband connection, and then read the results and recommendations. I just ran it on my wife's 800MHz G4 iBook, and found that her MTU setting was wrong, which can limit the speed her computer sees. It's really worthwhile.

I forgot to add a link to this Tweak FAQ page, which explains some of the specifics about what the tests will tell you, and links to a really useful GUI app that lets you tweak a bunch of network settings. I think it beats the pants off of using Terminal to make the changes you might need.

[selowitch]

That tweak page is pretty unclear in its instructions for Mac OS X, and I don't trust that which I don't understand. As for downloading an app whose instructions are in Japanese, while I appreciate the suggestion, is not my cup of tea.

I'd be fine entering the commands in Terminal if someone would tell me how to do it based on the tweak test. As it stands right now, it's all way too poorly explained to be useful.

[ghporter]

As it says on the Mac FAQ page, this little application is pretty self-explanatory. And besides, all the controls and windows of the app are in English. If the Tweak Test says to change your MTU, then you just enter that value in the MTU window.

There is quite a bit of explanation on the Mac FAQ page, which cleared up a lot of my questions really quickly, particularly on the subject of Selective ACKs-they aren't supported in OS X according to the FAQ. What kind of issues are troubling you from the Tweak Test?

[selowitch]

Skeptical at first, I went ahead and downloaded the app. There's this nifty "Optimize" button that chooses better settings for you. You hit apply and indeed, your connection immediately seems zippier. You made me a believer!

[ghporter]

I'm glad you got good results, and I don't blame you for being a little skeptical about an app that has all its instructions written in a language you don't read. But, as you found, it doesn't take any reading of the instructions to make it work for you.

Enjoy.

[selowitch]

Nah, my connection still sucks. Initially I thought the tweaks helped, but it was short-lived at best. Speed tests all have me downloading at over 3Mbps, a good clip (about what's expected of a typical DSL connection). But it's a lot of hooey. I have the herky-jerkies everywhere. Streaming video is unwatchable, both through a wired and a wireless connection. Something is still wrong.

What should I do????

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by selowitch

Nah, my connection still sucks. Initially I thought the tweaks helped, but it was short-lived at best. Speed tests all have me downloading at over 3Mbps, a good clip (about what's expected of a typical DSL connection). But it's a lot of hooey. I have the herky-jerkies everywhere. Streaming video is unwatchable, both through a wired and a wireless connection. Something is still wrong.

What should I do????

There is more to streaming video than just your connection to the stream. It also has to do with the upstream bandwidth that the server has available to it, as well as the number of simultaneous connections. The speed test only tests the bandwidth you get from your service provider. You are getting what the provider promises, but beyond that, you can't get everything.

Suppose that the streaming server only has 1 Mbps bandwidth available, and several people are connected to it at once. It won't matter if you have 10 Mbps from your provider to your computer in that case.

[Oisín]

*bump*

My Internet connection is most definitely not as fast as it should be right about now.

It was really fast and nice when I first set up this thing (new PB + AirPort Express setup) - in fact, it was faster than it used to be on my old PC, which was connected directly to the DSL modem, not through a wireless router - but as of some time yesterday, it started getting slower and slower.

I just tried doing some of those dslreport tests, and they all have me somewhere between a 33.6 modem and a 57.6 modem. I am on a 4 Mbit DSL connection here!!!

Can anyone give me some tips (for dummy-beginners, please - as I think I've mentioned before, I'm as new to wireless networking/Internetting as I am to OS X generally) on how to fix this, or where to look for the problem?

MTIA

[selowitch]

Originally Posted by Oisin

Can anyone give me some tips (for dummy-beginners, please - as I think I've mentioned before, I'm as new to wireless networking/Internetting as I am to OS X generally) on how to fix this, or where to look for the problem?

1. Make sure your client machine (latptop, desktop, or whatever) has the proper DNS servers for your ISP listed under System Preferences --> Network.
2. Check the physical connection to the router. Make sure in particular that the connection between your telephone wall jack and the DSL modem is no longer than 6 feet.
3. You may want to ask your phone company to test for noise on your line.
4. Since you're using wireless, first try a directly wired connection and see if there's an improvement in speed. If so, then you may need to troubleshoot your wireless setup for things like interference.
5. If all else fails, contact your ISP for help (Good luck with that).

[selowitch]

Originally Posted by Person Man

Suppose that the streaming server only has 1 Mbps bandwidth available, and several people are connected to it at once. It won't matter if you have 10 Mbps from your provider to your computer in that case.

A valid point, but none of that precludes a problem with my connection being the primary cause of the slowdown.

[Oisín]

1. Yup, automatic.
2. Physical connections all right, nothing changed there (about 1-2 feet).
3 & 4. Worked a lot faster wired.

I got to thinking, though, since it worked so much better wired than wireless, and I thought of it myself (I was an idiot for thinking of it sooner of course, but what can you do?): The change had come after I upgraded to 10.3.9. The update had for whatever reason reset my AirPort security to none. By setting it back to WDA Personal and a 25-digit password, I was right back at much better speeds.

[Macpilot]

Originally Posted by ghporter

Right next to DSLReports' speed tests are their Java-based Tweak tests. These tests will determine whether or not your particular computer is set up to efficiently use the available bandwidth. Run the test, fill in details on your broadband connection, and then read the results and recommendations. I just ran it on my wife's 800MHz G4 iBook, and found that her MTU setting was wrong, which can limit the speed her computer sees. It's really worthwhile.

I forgot to add a link to this Tweak FAQ page, which explains some of the specifics about what the tests will tell you, and links to a really useful GUI app that lets you tweak a bunch of network settings. I think it beats the pants off of using Terminal to make the changes you might need.

That looks like some great info, but how do you change the MTU? I am on a new iMac, Tiger, and Airport Express on a DSL (PPPoE) setup. My speeds go down to dial up or even less-speeds. I have tried everything like MultiCast and Channels and Interface Robustness changes and have NEVER had a consistent, high speed connection resembling the speeds I should be getting.

And on that site, when it asks for your connection, if I am accessing a DSL through wireless, what do I select? DSL or wireless?

Thanks!

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Macpilot

That looks like some great info, but how do you change the MTU? I am on a new iMac, Tiger, and Airport Express on a DSL (PPPoE) setup. My speeds go down to dial up or even less-speeds. I have tried everything like MultiCast and Channels and Interface Robustness changes and have NEVER had a consistent, high speed connection resembling the speeds I should be getting.

And on that site, when it asks for your connection, if I am accessing a DSL through wireless, what do I select? DSL or wireless?

Thanks!

Firstly, you can adjust your MTU through the Terminal with ifconfig-read the man page for details ('cause I can't remember 'em right now and I'd rather fob you off on reliable info than give you bad info). A correct MTU is crucial for your connection to even generally get close to its potential. What's important is that you're on DSL, so you need to set it at 1492 (unless you have something else in the mix that could lower it some more). Cable users can go with the default 1500, but the PPPoE protocol eats up 8 bytes of each packet so you have 1492 left.

On Brodband Reports' tweaks, tell them you're on a DSL connection. The wireless connection between you and the router and modem is immaterial.