I have always been a believer in Ethernet as opposed to USB for networking. I have a cable modem that has both Ethernet and USB so I decided to test it for anyone who's interested.


The first three results are from USB. (Hey, I coud not believe it worked in the first place so I figured I better test it before it breaks.)


Linksys BEFCMU10 Cable Modem
HP ze5185 P4 2.4 GHz Laptop
SuSE 9.0 2.4.21-243


:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 3081 Kbps about 3.1 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 376 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 55 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 2.72 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=EFAGUWHG2




:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 3231 Kbps about 3.2 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 394 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 58 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 2.6 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=GA7LRWY14



:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 3159 Kbps about 3.2 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 386 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 56 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 2.65 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=B4OBM8KKN



The next set of tests are Ethernet, I had the computer connected through my router for this one.

Linksys BEFCMU10 Modem
Linksys WRT54G Router
HP ze5185 P4 2.4GHz Laptop
SuSE 9.0 2.4.21-243


:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 3123 Kbps about 3.1 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 381 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 56 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 2.69 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=LVRFGT10F



:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 3176 Kbps about 3.2 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 388 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 57 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 2.64 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=03IF14SYP



:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 3099 Kbps about 3.1 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 378 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 55 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 2.71 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=524HXU5Y6




Now I decided to go straight to the Cable Modem Ethernet Port for these next tests just to see if it makes any difference.



Linksys BEFCMU10 Modem
HP ze5185 P4 2.4GHz Laptop
SuSE 9.0 2.4.21-243

:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 3137 Kbps about 3.1 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 383 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 56 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 2.67 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=VLY8T5QE3



:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 3142 Kbps about 3.1 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 384 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 56 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 2.67 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=N4TAX2D1V


:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 3157 Kbps about 3.2 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 385 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 56 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 2.66 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=JU6AIUSOO



For this last set of tests I wanted to see what my wireless adapter would do going through my router.


Linksys BEFCMU10 Modem
Linksys WRT54G Router
HP ze5185 P4 2.4GHz Laptop
Blitz BWP612B Adapter



:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 3149 Kbps about 3.1 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 384 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 56 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 2.67 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=WYO4OPFGU



:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 3144 Kbps about 3.1 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 384 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 56 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 2.67 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=D060WO9T1



:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 3141 Kbps about 3.1 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 383 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 56 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 2.67 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=CNWSU32IV



The conclusion...

It appears that there is no noticable difference in the speed. I prefer the Wireless adapter due to the mobility, which in my case also uses ethernet to connect. So I guess I'll stick with ethernet for now.


Someone with a fatter pipe my be able to find the speed barrier. I don't think I have reached the speed that's required to max out the modem as it has a 100 Mbps Ethernet port and is capable of 42 Mbps download.

For greater reliability I would still go with ethernet.

One thing I can say is if your still using the old clunker that came with your service contract a few years back you should upgrade to a newer one.

Yeah but if you got real hardware and dropped the Linksys SOHO type stuff, ethernet can reach up to 100-1000Mbps...

But isn't USB topped off at around 40Mbps though? Can't remember off top of my head..

What's your upload speed DavidPhillips?. I'm kinda jealous here . I've a 2.5mbits dsl connection, and here are the results:

Download:

:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 2283 Kbps about 2.3 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 279 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 41 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 3.67 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=6WTGKWX73


Upload:


:::.. Upload Stats ..:::
Connection is: 600 Kbps about 0.6 Mbps (tested with 579 KB)
Upload Speed is: 73 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line: 11 times faster than 56K you can upload 1MB in 14.03 second(s)
Validation Link :: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=7EXJIIAQW

My upload is pretty much useless when I play around as a server. Needless to say, if I upload at that speed, it nearly kills my Internet connection and surfing becomes a nightmare .

I guess if the pipe gets big enough I'll need to upgrade to a 1000Mbps Nic and modem.


I have a pretty slow upload, it's supposed to be 256K. It's was only 128K a year ago.



:::.. Upload Stats ..:::
Connection is: 218 Kbps about 0.2 Mbps (tested with 386 KB)
Upload Speed is: 27 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line: 4 times faster than 56K you can upload 1MB in 37.93 second(s)
Validation Link :: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=038AGXBSR

If memory servers me right, USB 1.0 is 12 mb/s and USB 2.0 is 480mb/s

Thanks for the reply DavidPhillips!

Not bad being on cable:

:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 2926 Kbps about 2.9 Mbps (tested with 1496 KB)
Download Speed is:: 357 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 52 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 2.87 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=1RKP6XCGS


:::.. Upload Stats ..:::
Connection is: 338 Kbps about 0.3 Mbps (tested with 579 KB)
Upload Speed is: 41 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line: 6 times faster than 56K you can upload 1MB in 24.98 second(s)
Validation Link :: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=YPMBCVI3O

dunno what line i'm on at college.. but using 100Mbps ethernet cable (T1? T3? some isdn thingy? no idea):

:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 6518 Kbps about 6.5 Mbps (tested with 2992 KB)
Download Speed is:: 796 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line:: 116 times faster than 56K you can download 1MB in 1.29 second(s)
Validation Link:: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=X8K64YN48

:::.. Upload Stats ..:::
Connection is: 550 Kbps about 0.5 Mbps (tested with 386 KB)
Upload Speed is: 67 KB/s
Tested From:: http://www.testmy.net/
Bottom Line: 10 times faster than 56K you can upload 1MB in 15.28 second(s)
Validation Link :: http://testmy.net/cgi-bin/get.cgi?Test_ID=W962EINGI

and from http://nyc.speakeasy.net (which i like :-P ):

http://www.dslreports.com/speedtests...net/1094444608


the results differ somewhat...

So far, I have the slowest download, but the fastest upload... that's just, well...

So if you reverse the connection and send yourself stuff...

Oh no wait!


Never mind

No kidding USB is that fast? I wonder why the usb hard drives are so slow.