ADSL broadband throttling file download
 

Hi,
I have this problem wherein I'm not getting file transfers that utilize the max bandwidth of my ADSL broadband. I have a 512 kbps line (I know that's not broadband in most places, but such is the option available to me), and I usually get download speeds of 55-60 kbps. Since the past couple of days, this has dropped to an abysmal 2-3 kbps. So I used http://www.speedtest.net to test my download speeds, and they were as expected (i.e. the usual 55-60 kbps). I also used the speed test page of my ISP, and that too, gave the usual results. There has been no throttling from the ISP, as I confirmed from their help desk. Also, web pages open fine. It's only when I'm downloading a file (Yeah, web pages are also files, but what I mean is compressed archived files; .rar, .tar.?g* et.al.) that I can't get the desired speed. I haven't changed the resolv.conf file, not have I made any other changes that might cause this. I use ppp to dial-up to my ISP, and use the pon and poff scripts that ppp provides. I have a peers file configured for my ISP, which again, I haven't edited. So is there any technical reason that this could be happening? Thanks

The symptoms are consistent with the download server restricting the speed. You could try a variety of download servers and see if they all give the same speed.

There could be a lot of problems: from your OS, to your PC, to your DSL modem, to your local CO, to your ISP, to the particular site you're trying to download from.

SUGGESTION:
1. Running a speed test was a good idea.
Comparing the results of a couple of different speed tests might be an even better idea.

2. If you have the luxury of trying your local DSL connection with different PCs and/or different OS's, please do so.
Even running a live CD of a different distro on the same PC might lend important clues.

3. Try uploading similar files from different sites. Compare the results.

4. Don't believe your ISP: always corroborate with your own, independent data ;)

This link might help:
http://www.boutell.com/newfaq/browser/dslslow.html

Hello guys,
thanks for the quick reply. I have multiple OS's installed on my machine, and the problem is consistent across all of them. As catkin said, it could be a problem with the download servers, but I have been trying to download from different servers; gnome, kde, ooo, qt, various projects on freshmeat and sourceforge. It's the same everywhere. Also web pages seem to be having no problem opening in a jiffy. I have tried loading flash heavy sites, the Hubble telescope site with 80 MB+ TIFF image files, and they get loaded as expected. OTOH, a 50 kb tar file I tried downloading took around 20 secs. I have an unlimited data plan, and although the ISP might be shaping traffic if I hit a certain cap, I haven't ever experienced it. I have been downloading over a 100 gigs of data each month, and have never had throttling imposed, and I haven't even hit half of my allowable usage this month. I'll try using a live dvd and see what happens. Thanks paulsm4 for the link. I checked out the link you posted, and tried out a few possible remedies, but didn't help. Thanks nonetheless. Is there anything else that I could do? Please advise.

How are you downloading these files? It could be that your ISP is throttling particular protocols such as P2P protocols. Have you tried at different times of day? Both freshmeat and sourceforge are usually slow; IDK about the others you mention. Anybody know a download site currently working quickly?

I'm not using any p2p network. I'm using wget and other downloaders to get the files. All of these are source codes of free software, from ftp and http servers, so it's not as if my ISP is trying to prevent me from downloading something illegal. I have tried at different times of the day, and found no change.

Good information. No suggestion of illegality, only that some protocols are by their nature used to transfer large amounts of data; this causes problems for ISPs and they sometimes throttle them.

I'm still entertaining the idea that it's server-related. There's a test site here but either my connection is overloaded (very possible) or it's useless -- their 50 MB test file is coming to me at 1 to 2 Kbps! You could try it ...

Better try this PDF from Intel -- it's coming to me at more than the contracted link speed (in-link compression?).

Thanks catkin. I downloaded the pdf at an avg 57 kbps. That is normal average download speed I get. But the problem remains when I try downloading, say the new openoffice distribution or the latest kernel snapshot or the qt source code, all on different servers. I even tried downloading Slack 13 from 18 different mirrors, spread out across the globe, both on ftp and http, but the problem persists. Darned ISP not helping much either :(

Hi,
It seems some undersea cables near Italy are undergoing repairs, and is the prime reason for the current broadband grief in this country. So, sorry to have taken up your time. Wouldn't have happened had my ISP provided a timely response. Woe to them. Thanks all.