download too slow??

I hadn't noticed how slow my computer actually was until today, that I downloaded an update for one of my programs from cnet. On the side before downloading the 6.5 MB update, there was a clock that told me that it would take about 16 minutes with my 56k modem. Well, it took over an hour to get it. I really don't know how fast a 56k modes should download, but shouldn't it be 56KB/second? Well the download of my update started up at .8 KB/s and towards the end it was at 2.2 KB/s. I want to know why it is so slow and if there is any way to speed it up. I have windows XP with a Compaq presario 5000 using AOL to connect.
thank you for your time
fernando

 

Download speed can be affected by a lot of things.

If you go to the DOS prompt and type:

tracert download.cnet.com

And press enter, you will see a list of all of the routers that stand between you and CNET.com. Each of these routers, or hops, represent a network that your network traffic has to pass through to get to CNET.com. The number in milliseconds represents the latency. You can read more about it on Wikipedia. Try doing a trace route yourself and see how many hops are between you and CNET.com. Then go to DNSstuff.com and do a trace route from their site. Compare your time to theirs. You may find an answer there. But you may also find that you have similar results.

I am not surprised by the length of time for your download. It can happen from time to time, especially with a dial-up connection.

Here is a DNSstuff trace route link for download.cnet.com

 

Slow internet download!

Fer, it is very important that you understand that the capacity of a device (in this case your 56k modem) is not always the transmission rate. This means that your device is able to transmit at 56k, not that it nesesarily will do so. You also have to understand that between your PC and the webserver of your Internet service provider (ISP) there are many bumps the transmission runs into. One example could be seen in the Network Access Point (NAP) Here, many ISPs interconect in order for a user with X ISP be able to connect another user with Z ISP. Another consideration is at what time you connect to the internet. If it is at peek hours, you will be sharing the broadband with many other users. To illustrate this, lets say a user has cable internet. That specific cable provider offers 3mbps, however, it means 3mbs shared with others, and you only get a fraction of the 3mb. A lot of traffic and causes the ISPs delay at the NAPs.

I give you a recomendation, go to http://webservices.zdnet.com/zdnet/bandwidth or www.pcpitstop.com/internet/bandwidth.asp and test your download speed. This will give you an idea of how slow can your system be, try to do it during light (peek) hours and also late at night. Good luck.

Love, your Bro.

 

results....

ok, i went into both liks and they both gave me the same speed 5kb/sec!! that's very slow!! ok now, on this site http://www.pcpitstop.com/internet/BandwidthResults.asp they told me that if you had your system tweaked correctly, you could probably get 80% out of your connection. Does anyone know how to tweak my system to reach this speed?