Google Internet Performance Measurement Tools
In early 2009, Google and several software partners released a series of Internet performance measurement tools. These pieces of software allow for users to determine if their networks are performing properly when they run certain applications. The tools may also be able to tell if an Internet service provider (ISP) is limiting the network speed below the guaranteed top speed that a customer is paying for.
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Network Diagnostic Tool
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This tool provides Internet users with a sophisticated speed test that will show the upload speeds, download speeds and the problems that may be limiting the speeds. The tool will determine if the issues slowing the network down are related to the way the network is configured or if they are related the computer's configuration. While most beginners may not understand the information provided, they may be able to give the information generated from the tool to their network administrators.
Glasnost Test
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The Glasnost test is a tool used for determining whether or not an ISP is limiting your connection with certain utilities. Some areas that the test examines are email, Flash video, Peer to Peer (P2P) applications, Bit Torrent, eMule and Gnutella. The test can clue you in as to why a certain application has been running slowly on your computer. While the test cannot fix the problem (if an ISP is limiting the application) it will help you to know if your computer or network was to blame.
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ShaperProbe Traffic Shaping Test
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The ShaperProbe test determines if your ISP is dropping your rate of access to information after downloading a particular amount of bytes. This process of limitation is known as traffic shaping. The test will determine if traffic shaping is taking place in the download or upload directions. ShaperProbe can also determine the limit of information that you can download or upload before the traffic shaping takes place. It will also show that rate at which your download or upload limitation is occurring.
Pathload2 Bandwidth Test
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This test determines how much available bandwidth is present in your current Internet connection. Available bandwidth is the maximum bit rate that your computer can send to a network before the network becomes congested. This test is available for Widows, Mac OS X and Linux.
WindRider Mobile Traffic Test
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The WindRider Mobile Traffic test only works on mobile devices like SmartPhones or Pocket PC Binary devices. The test determines if your mobile broadband provider is slowing or prioritizing the traffic for your device to certain applications, websites or content. The test measures delays in traffic and compares them with upstream and downstream test performed by the test itself on those specific websites.
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References
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