Forum Discussion
Speed tests
Even though I've never had such an issue myself, I've often followed the threads in tech support about speed problems. Usually in one of first couple of replies will be instructions about running a...
It's not just the number that matters, it's the consistency. For example, If it starts out gang busters, but falls off and stays there for the duration, it may mean an MTU problem at the gateway. If it starts off then dies and starts up it might mean a problem upstream. It can also mean different things when seen during peak and non-peak times during the day.
These cases are really where the graph in TestMy is extremely helpful over other sources.
MarkJFine wrote:It's not just the number that matters, it's the consistency. For example, If it starts out gang busters, but falls off and stays there for the duration, it may mean an MTU problem at the gateway. If it starts off then dies and starts up it might mean a problem upstream. It can also mean different things when seen during peak and non-peak times during the day.
These cases are really where the graph in TestMy is extremely helpful over other sources.
Interesting. I have to admit I had to go to Wiki to find out what a MTU was, the last time I did network communications programing, was sometime in the last century before ethernet was common. I was using RS232 and DH+.
If it's a problem at the gateway or upstream, wouldn't all the users of that gateway be effected?
Can they switch you to another gateway? Do they have enough overlapping beams that they could even switch you to another beam?
I wondered if the actual shape of the graph had something to do with it I looked at a few of them from people that were having speed problems, and nothing jumped out. Maybe if one could overlay this graph with a graph of the loads on the gateway and beam?
It still bothers me that they're using a test that consistently reports 10 mbps more than their own speed test. Well, I've been bothered before. :>)>
gaines_wright wrote:If it's a problem at the gateway or upstream, wouldn't all the users of that gateway be effected?
Can they switch you to another gateway? Do they have enough overlapping beams that they could even switch you to another beam?
Depends on the path. 'Upstream' could be any hop along the way, not just the gateway provider. However, it is usually the gateway provider that determines the path because it picks the next hop in the chain.
Each gateway is assigned between 5-8 spot beams which are geo-fixed. If you're in the overlap of two spots they might be able to switch you to the overlapping one, which might get you a different gateway. It's also possible in some cases where they can get you on J1, which would also be a different spot/gateway. The latter would obviously also require realigning the dish.
