Download speeds

Ok,

I'm using Astraweb (EU SSL Server), Alt-Binz and Newzbin to get my NZBs. My ISP is Virgin Media (UK) cable and I have a 10meg connection. I'm using a Linksys WRT54GL router with Tomato software.

When I start downloading it starts off at my max 1 MB/s. However, it usually drops off and caps at just under 300 kb/s after about 10mins. A few hours later, it might pick up again and reach peak speeds but then drop back. I usually leave my downloads on when I'm not around but I suspect this pattern continues. 1 MB/s - drop to 300 kb/s....few hours pass... 1 MB/s - drop to 300 kb/s, etc, etc.

Is this to do with peak times or is VM throttling my downloads. Or alternatively is there any settings that I may have overlooked in Alt-Binz / router?

Any help much appreciated! :)

I read somewhere that virgin caps speeds during peak times...somebody else can prob elaborate some more

Couple of articles here that might explain things

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05..._restrictions/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05...de_throttling/

I have sky broadband and download from giganews at over 7mbs. Speed is constant 24/7 though I usually only download overnight.

Digital Spy have a decent forum for virgin that might help.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=7

Sounds like peak throttling. What happens overnight? Also, I assume it's the same even with more "threads" to the server?

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Originally Posted by Turtles

Ok,

I'm using Astraweb (EU SSL Server), Alt-Binz and Newzbin to get my NZBs. My ISP is Virgin Media (UK) cable and I have a 10meg connection. I'm using a Linksys WRT54GL router with Tomato software.

When I start downloading it starts off at my max 1 MB/s. However, it usually drops off and caps at just under 300 kb/s after about 10mins. A few hours later, it might pick up again and reach peak speeds but then drop back. I usually leave my downloads on when I'm not around but I suspect this pattern continues. 1 MB/s - drop to 300 kb/s....few hours pass... 1 MB/s - drop to 300 kb/s, etc, etc.

Is this to do with peak times or is VM throttling my downloads. Or alternatively is there any settings that I may have overlooked in Alt-Binz / router?

Any help much appreciated! :)

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Holy crap its scary how similar our set up is. Identical. Everything.

Anyways yeah VM have been throttling for a long time now, they first started about a year / year and a half ago, they started off throttling peak times in the evening. Few months back they started throttling in the day.

Who knows what next, when talking about net nutrality the guy in charge laughed and said no way, basically they are gonna rape your connection so use it while you can

still... very spooky... :shifty:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lego

Couple of articles here that might explain things

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05..._restrictions/

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/05...de_throttling/

I have sky broadband and download from giganews at over 7mbs. Speed is constant 24/7 though I usually only download overnight.

Digital Spy have a decent forum for virgin that might help.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=7

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Hmmm, had a look at those links - doesn't look so good :pinch:

I'll check the forum link you sent and see if they have any ideas.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EyeBaller

Sounds like peak throttling. What happens overnight? Also, I assume it's the same even with more "threads" to the server?

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Much the same and yep.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JadeFox

Holy crap its scary how similar our set up is. Identical. Everything.

Anyways yeah VM have been throttling for a long time now, they first started about a year / year and a half ago, they started off throttling peak times in the evening. Few months back they started throttling in the day.

Who knows what next, when talking about net nutrality the guy in charge laughed and said no way, basically they are gonna rape your connection so use it while you can

still... very spooky... :shifty:

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Haha, yes very spooky :happy:

Doesn't sound so good, guess I'll stick to downloading when I'm asleep as it doesn't look like there's much I can do at the moment!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Turtles

Is this to do with peak times or is VM throttling my downloads. Or alternatively is there any settings that I may have overlooked in Alt-Binz / router?

Any help much appreciated! :)

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This may sound like it's a repeat of what others have said, and this will be about the bazziliant time I've pointed this out to folks, but...

ALL REPEAT ALL cable data systems are a SHARED system, between you, the other data users, the digital video systems, and the 'video on demand' 'services'. It's the data equivalent of a party-line telephone.

And guess what, those other systems you're 'competing' with for bandwidth are HUGE money makers for the cableco. So, guess which service is at the bottom of that heap, and will be the first to be 'throttled'? You guess right, your internet service.

If it bothers you that you aren't quite getting what you're paying for, then look for a service (if available in your area) that gives you a direct connection (no party line) to the internet.

Hey guys just to let you know, i just wanted to clear this up, i used to work for virgin media until very recently (bloody credit crunch), and yes they do traffic manage but its only during peak times, the official reason is due to the areas really, seeing as the amount of broadband available to each area is limited by the output of those jolly green boxes at the end of the street, then some areas may bit hit harder by users downloading in the day.

e.g if you live in an area where say 50 houses have VM broadband, and only say 500 gig of data can phsyically be pumped out by those boxes per hour, then if you download more than 10 gig in that hour, then it will start to slow down other peoples broadband in the area

so they cap it at....(from what i can remember) 6 gig an hour between the times of 11am and 6pm. if you go over it doesnt matter too much but if the downloading peaks frequently during those times they will reduce it by roughly 50percent to 75 percent d/l speed.

i dont mean to defend them and or sound like a bit of a tool,:P like but its due to the whole making it fair for everyone else in the street.

im a heavy downloader myself. so i just stick to the rule of thumb i download after 9pm

always works, never been traffic managed since, and i download at 2.4mbs

hope thats cleared up some stuff for people because as far as cable providers go, virgin media to be fair are on top of their game for broadband, just waiting for 50mb now :)

Thanks for that Shinfo, I'll test the times you were saying and see if that is what is affecting the speeds :)