slow dial-up download transfer rates

[Guest]

HI!

I am running Windows XP version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519 :
Service Pack 2) on a Dell Dimension 2400 with an Inetl Celeron 2.20GHz and a
Broadcom v.92 56K modem.

I live in a rural area where DSL is not available. I can connect to my ISP
at 50.6 kbps usually, but file downloads frequently are in the 2 to 3 kbps
range yes, just 2 or 3 kbps, sometimes as low as 500 bps!) NO, I do not have
any spyware installed, and forcing the modem into lower speeds does not help.

Can anything be done to speed up file transfer downloads? Web pages
download just fine.

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Download rates are limited to the slowest point of the connection. You may
want to look into satellite or cable (if available). Web pages load faster
as they are generally cached by most users, meaning the majority of what you
see is already on your system from previous visits (this is what the
Temporary Internet Files are all about).

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Guest]

Yes, Rick, I realize all of this, but I am wondering WHY, if I can connect at
50.6 kbps, why are my file downloads limited to 2 or 3 kbps, and is there
ANYTHING I can do to improve this? (If I could get cable or satellite I
would!)

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Most times, all you see is the initial port connection speed, it doesn't
show actual throughput.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Guest]

Thank you, Rick, but my ultimate question is, is there ANYTHING I can do to
improve my throughput speeds? I am sure that you must realize how terribly
slow 2 or 3 kbps really is!

Keep in mind that I am able to stream media with (generally) no problems at
all, and I would assume that to stream quality media reliably I would be
receiving something substantially higher than 2 or 3 kbps! Examination of
the internet connection "status" window will show that when connected I am
receiving data when streaming media at an average of 4,000 to 5,000 bytes per
second, yet when I download a (any) file(s) it is the maddeningly slow
transfer rate of 200 to 400 bytes per second, which (I presume) would
correspond to a transfer of 2 to 3 kbps, IF there are still eight bits in a
byte as I learned in high school!

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

There are still 8 bits in a byte, but there there are 1024 bytes in a kb, so
your 4,000 - 5,000 byte rates correspond to 4-5kb rates. Throughput is
governed by the slowest point, and if there is wire damage anywhere on your
connection, that's all you're going to get. This is not something that can
be rectified by software, as it's usually limited by the hardware (wiring in
this case) in use.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[frodo]

you could try to use CableNut to adjust your tcp parameters, tho for the
most part XP's defaults do a good job all by themself.

look for cablenut408 _AND_ cablenut_update.zip

the later has updated param files for XP dialup; you want to try the one
named "2K & XP 56K.ccs". CableNut makes it easy to try new settings, and
then revert to the XP defaults - just click the "clear all boxes" and then
commit that to the reg and reboot and you're back to the xp defaults.

---

another option would be to try and use a download accelerator and see if
it can get better dl speeds; they typically open multiple connections to
the same file to speed up the download. try GetRight; there are others
too. These are very handy if you often lose the connection mid-download -
they can pick right back up when you reconnect, w/o having to start all
over again.

---

another good tool for keeping an eye on bandwidth utilization is DU Meter,
a visual indicator of DL (and UL) speed. Very handy for seeing if things
are running to their max, or if things are spotty.

good luck...

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I am running Windows XP version 5.1 (Build
2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519 : Service Pack 2) on a Dell Dimension
2400 with an Inetl Celeron 2.20GHz and a Broadcom v.92 56K modem.

I live in a rural area where DSL is not available. I can connect
to my ISP at 50.6 kbps usually, but file downloads frequently are
in the 2 to 3 kbps range yes, just 2 or 3 kbps, sometimes as low as
500 bps!) NO, I do not have any spyware installed, and forcing the
modem into lower speeds does not help.

Can anything be done to speed up file transfer downloads? Web pages
download just fine.

You are mistaken in what you havce written.

Yes - you have a 56 Kbit modem.
But the download speed you are getting is in KBytes.. Not BITS.

With a GOOD (excellent) connection (which never happens in the real world)
56Kbps connection, you will get 3-5KBytes/second downloads. Reality says
you will usually get 2.5KB to 4KB per second download speed. You are within
range.

The only thing that can actually help a dial-up connections speeds is
upgrading to a different type of Internet connection (ISDN modem, Cable
Modem, DSL Modem, Satellite Modem, etc.)