How to Understand Why a High-Speed Internet Connection Isn't as Fast as Advertised

By eHow Internet Editor

Rate: (6 Ratings)

Advertised access speeds for analog modems, cable modems, and DSL lines indicate the fastest possible data transfer, not the speed you will actually experience at any given moment. Many factors contribute to slower speeds.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

  • 56K V.90 Modems
  • Cable Modems
  • DSL Lines
  • Satellite Internet Access

Step1
Know that 56K v.90 analog modems are limited to 53 Kbps.
Step2
Understand that your analog or DSL connection will be slower if you are far from your telephone company's central office. Analog connections go through signal transfers; DSL connections get progressively slower with distance from the central office or switching station.
Step3
Expect inexpensive modems or internal modems in desktop or stub chassis computers (small desktop models, as opposed to a "tower" design) to overheat and provide slower data transfer and periodic disconnects before they completely fail.
Step4
Understand that DirecPC (satellite Internet access) and cable Internet services use shared bandwidth (you share the basic line with other subscribers in your area). Each concurrent user slows data transfer.
Step5
Check the line testing service on the 3Com.com Web site to learn if the age of your home, telephone wires, or neighborhood is limiting your analog speed to 33.6 Kbps.
Step6
Consider that Internet connections are analogous to pipes, and that smaller pipes than the one directly connected to your computer will be in your chain of connection - plus, you can't determine how many people will end up using a pipe at once. (Even if you have a DSL connection, or other dedicated data line, to your ISP, you are then dependent on shared "pipes" once you "travel" beyond the ISP.)
Step7
Understand that general Internet congestion can slow a particular Web site, as can something in your direct chain of connection. If a lot of people are using a particular Web site, that site's server might become overtaxed, slowing down the site, no matter how fast your connection is.

Tips & Warnings

  • ISPs and telephone companies don't and can't guarantee a particular rate of speed.
  • Don't expect to get helpful information from your telephone company regarding access speed.

Comments

| View All Comments
Flag This Comment

on 7/24/2008 James says on 7/23/2008 To get faster Internet. To set the faster internet, follow these steps.
1. Click on the start menu
2. Click on Run...
3. On the prompt, type in "gpedit.msc" and press Enter.
4. You should see the command prompt box. In that box, click on computer configuration.
5. Click on Administrative templetes.
6. Then click on network.
7. Then you should click on QoS Packets Scheduler, and then you should see the Limit Reservable Bandwidth, then click on that and you should see three check boxes 1. Not config, 2. Enable, 3. Disable.
8.. Now select "Disable".
9..After you select disable click apply.
10. Then restart your computer, and you should see a little faster load of page.

Your computer should have a refreshed page faster

Flag This Comment

on 5/27/2008 I found this article to be very informative. Thanks for sharing.

http://www.1-satellite-tv-facts.com/T1-Internet-Service.html
http://www.1-satellite-tv-facts.com/Satellite-DSL.html
http://www.1-satellite-tv-facts.com/Satellite-Internet.html

Flag This Comment

on 5/27/2008 I found this article to be very informative. Thanks for sharing.

http://www.1-satellite-tv-facts.com/T1-Internet-Service.html
http://www.1-satellite-tv-facts.com/Satellite-DSL.html
http://www.1-satellite-tv-facts.com/Satellite-Internet.html

Anonymous

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 11/22/2005 While technically DSL uses shared facilities between switching centers, it is much more expensive to split cable TV segments into separate nodes than to add capacity to a telephone switching center. Thus, it doesn't happen as much.

Anonymous

Anonymous said

Flag This Comment

on 11/22/2005 Unknown to the average user of DSL technology, after their "dedicated line" reaches the very first local phone switch it too is a shared bandwith, where cable systems are broken up into nodes that can be split to make room for more users to keep it fast.

View All

Post a Comment

POST A COMMENT

Request a New How-To Article

Looking for more How To information? Chances are there’s an eHow member who knows how to do what you’re looking to do. Submit an article request now!

eHow Article:  How to Understand Why a High-Speed Internet Connection Isn't as Fast as Advertised

eHow Internet Editor

eHow Internet Editor

Category: Internet

Articles: See my other articles

Related Ads

Internet

Veesites
Meet Virginia DeBolt eHow’s Internet Expert.