DSL Speed Tests

Written by: Patrick Oborn - August 27, 2008

Ever wonder how fast your connection is? Are you really getting the 1.5Mbps that was promised to you? Me neither! The fact is, DSL is highly over subscribed. Oversubscription means that many people are pulling from the same resource. This results in slowdowns and it means you and I aren't getting the speed we signed up for. The best way to confirm this is through DSL Speed Test.

A DSL Speed Test is a great way to find out what kind of speed you're really getting. Is your connection really slow or is it just the fast that you're working with an old, slow, or over tasked computer? Simply find the DSL Speed Test by performing a search on Google and you'll quickly be on your way to finding out what you're really getting. You'll have to shut down your programs that are accessing the net and then perform the test which takes 30 seconds or so. It's very important to shut down programs accessing the net because these will impair the test and will cause your connection to appear slower than it actually is since some of it is being used.

When you find your speed is not what you signed up for you may want to try a few "tweaks". DSL Reports has a free downloads of DSL Tweaks that will allow you to modify your settings and some of your software to be faster on the net. What the DSL Speed Test will likely tell you, however is that you're not getting the speed you signed up for and unfortunately there's not much you can do about it. You can certainly call your provider and let them know you're not pleased but the reduction in speed can be caused by your distance from the CO or bad wiring in the area.