Hot/cold Internet speed

[nh3simman]

I only recently installed ADSL. At first it was great (well compared to dialup). But now, I notice a few days a month where I can barely get onto my own server.

DOTCOM sites are out of the question.

Do you guys have similar drops in connection speeds?

[Brian_UK]

I think it depends on your ISP and the conditions that they apply.

My ISP, for example, offers 'unlimited' access subject to a 'fair usage' agreement.

They don'y specify what fair usage is but what they will do is reduce the throughput speed at times of high usage so that everyone get some information at a slower speed. Otherwise it would end up with one or two running at full speed and the others getting nothing at all.

I don't attempt downloads of large files during the early part of the evening when everyone else is using the net. I do the downlaods later in the day when the speed picks up again.

[frank]

I'm on NTL broadband and the connection is rated as a 20:1 ratio, which means that I share the connection with 19 other users.

In quiet periods when, say, there are only 2 or 3 users on line, the speed is quite high, but at weekends or early evening, with more traffic, the connection becomes slower.

I would have thought that ADSL would be differrent though as it is dedicated to your own specific phone line??

[chillin out]

What is your 'expected' speed?
What browser are you using? (IE , Firefox, opera)
What OS are you using? (XP, Vista 2000)
What firewall do you use?

Have you checked for spyware/adaware etc...?

Have you cleaned out your browsing records?

Chillin

[nh3simman]

I use Firefox with Windows XP. The ADSL bandwidth is supposed to be 384 kb/s and I have a 3GB cap for the month.

My download rate varies but I have seen numbers like 15 kb/s.

On Friday night, things came to a complete standstill. I tried resetting the modem, switching off anti-virus, clearing buffer, trying a different computer. But nothing helped, slow speed all week-end with viable access only to co.za sites.

Monday morning, I emailed my server and they say "switch the modem off/on". Then around 10am things are back to normal with no explanation.

Brian, you mention that the ISP can throttle your speed. I suspect that this could be what is happening but how do they do it?

[chillin out]

[QUOTE=nh3simman;64839]Monday morning, I emailed my server and they say "switch the modem off/on". Then around 10am things are back to normal with no explanation./QUOTE]
They must have changed your settings for you at their end.

Have you got "Fasterfox" installed?
http://fasterfox.mozdev.org/

Use this site to test your speed...
http://www.speedtest.net/

This program is quite handy also....
http://www.ccleaner.com/

Chillin

[nh3simman]

They must have changed your settings for you at their end. Chillin

That's what I think.

Thanks for the suggestions, I will try them.