Thread: upload / download speeds

  1. #1
    Jack of many languages Dino's Avatar
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    upload / download speeds

    Why are upload speeds generally so much slower than download speeds?

    When I test my internet connection, I typically get 5.7mb download and < 1mb upload speed.
    Mainframe assembler programmer by trade. C coder when I can.

  2. #2
    Registered User Codeplug's Avatar
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    ISP's for residents (non-business) usually set a much lower cap on the upload speed - since (typically) you not supposed to be running servers.

    My cable modem is 5mb down, .5 up. For extra $$, I could get 10 down, 1 up (but not worth it for me).

    gg

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    Devil's Advocate SlyMaelstrom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dino View Post
    Why are upload speeds generally so much slower than download speeds?

    When I test my internet connection, I typically get 5.7mb download and < 1mb upload speed.
    Internet connections in the USA seem to be that way. Mine is the same way... Downloads approx. six times the speed of uploads. Europe seems to do things differently and they tend to have slower downloads than we do but faster uploads than we do for the same price or more. Personally I'd rather my download speed be as fast as possible and not worry too much about the upload speed. I rarely do anything on the internet that requires me to upload large amounts of data, anyway.

    If you're curious, go to http://speedtest.net and run a test there. Then compare your results with the average results from your ISP in your area.

    Also... it appears that ISPs are changing their speeds all the time. Recently, Comcast doubled the upload cap without telling anyone.
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    and the hat of int overfl Salem's Avatar
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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADSL
    The line basically has a total bandwidth. Splitting it 50:50 may seem like a good idea, but "Joe Average" spends a lot more time downloading than uploading, so it makes sense for most people to have a better D/L speed than an U/L speed.
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    Registered User C_ntua's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SlyMaelstrom View Post
    Europe seems to do things differently and they tend to have slower downloads than we do but faster uploads than we do for the same price or more. Personally I'd rather my download speed be as fast as possible and not worry too much about the upload speed. I rarely do anything on the internet that requires me to upload large amounts of data, anyway.
    Bloody leechers :P

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    Devil's Advocate SlyMaelstrom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Salem View Post
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADSL
    The line basically has a total bandwidth. Splitting it 50:50 may seem like a good idea, but "Joe Average" spends a lot more time downloading than uploading, so it makes sense for most people to have a better D/L speed than an U/L speed.
    Yeah, I suppose that cable and fiber optics also work similarly... it would make sense, it just depends on how the ISP chooses to set the symmetry. I'm on cable, myself. I don't know what the others who posted are using.
    Quote Originally Posted by C_ntua View Post
    Bloody leechers :P
    Not at all... the whole concept of peer-to-peer technologies like BitTorrent is that you're downloading from a swarm. So in theory, if you're downloading from 10 users, then you'd want your download to be that much more than their upload speed. In the same regards, when someone downloads from you, they are also downloading from a swarm of users. That said, I don't do many peer-to-peer transfers.
    Last edited by SlyMaelstrom; 11-17-2008 at 12:25 PM.
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  7. #7
    Jack of many languages Dino's Avatar
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    I just upgraded my package. Now I'm sitting at 14-17mb download (rated @ 18mb) and uploading at 1.4+mb (rated at 1.5mb).

    So, ~3x faster on download, and 1.5x faster on upload. I could tell the difference immediately on the download side. Wednesday will show whether the watchers of my screen cast will feel any relief (screen refresh) on the upload side of the equation.
    Mainframe assembler programmer by trade. C coder when I can.

  8. #8
    Registered User C_ntua's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SlyMaelstrom View Post
    Not at all... the whole concept of peer-to-peer technologies like BitTorrent is that you're downloading from a swarm. So in theory, if you're downloading from 10 users, then you'd want your download to be that much more than their upload speed. In the same regards, when someone downloads from you, they are also downloading from a swarm of users. That said, I don't do many peer-to-peer transfers.
    Yes, but if everybody downloads from 10 users then you need 10 times everybody... which doesn't make sense :P
    They are just based on the fact that some people will upload without downloading. The higher the upload speed of these uses the better for everybody else. Of course, I wouldn't pay for the sake of everybody else... but that isn't another story.

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    Hail to the king, baby. Akkernight's Avatar
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    Damn this low technology country I live in! >.<
    I have 1mb/512kb for about 360DKK(~60$(?)) a month >.>
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  10. #10
    Woof, woof! zacs7's Avatar
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    Well in my country,

    We elected a PM that said he was going to upgrade the internet in Australia (ie fast internet), such as new infrastructure and trans-atlantic cables. And what they're doing now, if you haven't heard is the internet in Australia is going to be filtered and certain websites blocked. They're not blocking porn or even illegal websites. But website about euthanasia, and other sites that may "harm the younger generation". I hope they don't block this website!

    The ironic thing is, this filtering is going to slow the internet considerably. The fastest plan anyone can buy is ADSL2+ @ 24Mbit/s down and like 1Mbit/s up. Unless you're a buisness, in which case you're looking and thousands of $ a day for decent internet.

    Oh I hate the internet!

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    We elected a PM that said he was going to upgrade the internet in Australia (ie fast internet), such as new infrastructure and trans-atlantic cables. And what they're doing now, if you haven't heard is the internet in Australia is going to be filtered and certain websites blocked. They're not blocking porn or even illegal websites. But website about euthanasia, and other sites that may "harm the younger generation". I hope they don't block this website!
    Internet censoring??!? Like in China?

    I thought Australia is a free country.

  12. #12
    Woof, woof! zacs7's Avatar
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    It is, or at least it was. Exactly like China, except the list of blocked websites isn't as big. And they only block the websites to "protect the younger generation".

    They're doing it higher up now. The Government spent millions developing a "free download" child filter, what a joke. And obviously that didn't work...
    Last edited by zacs7; 11-17-2008 at 08:01 PM.

  13. #13
    Devil's Advocate SlyMaelstrom's Avatar
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    How long until children are just using proxies like they do in China and Eastern Europe?
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  14. #14
    Woof, woof! zacs7's Avatar
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    -365 days, because that's what they did with the filter a year ago. It was in the news, some kid bypassed the filter the day after it came out. Not hard, but a shock to those who don't know how to do it.
    Last edited by zacs7; 11-17-2008 at 08:48 PM.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Akkernight View Post
    Damn this low technology country I live in! >.<
    I have 1mb/512kb for about 360DKK(~60$(?)) a month >.>
    Your country is still lucky compare to mine
    My download speed at speedtest.net is ~200 kb only
    and DPS when downloading is only 20kb.

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