Speedtest.net

[Rheghead]

I've been testing my broadband speeds on speedtest.net just lately and they vary quite a bit

http://www.speedtest.net/result/412653690.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

Yesterday the speed was 1340kb/sec ?!?

Strangely the speedtest has got my ISP completely wrong, it is AOL not carphone warehouse.

My question is, do these sort of websites just make it up as they go along or are they genuine and if so, is there something I'm not doing right?:confused

thanks in advance.

[blueivy]

It's got your ISP right - Carphone Warehouse own AOL Broadband!

Broadband speed tests only ever give you an indication of what your speed is. Broadband speeds are managed dynamically from the exchange through to your ISP's systems. Factors that affect your speed are line conditions, time of day, number of people using your exchange, number of people using your ISP, number of poeple connecting to the site you are measuring from etc. etc. etc. etc.

The best speed test, in my opinion, is the BT one (at speedtester.bt.com) as they test from BT systems and are therefore closer to you than any website could be, so the number of factors that could affect the speed are reduced. However even then it's still no guarantee but is a good guide.

[Rheghead]

Thanks Paul, good reply as usual. I didn't know that about AOL Broadband, I wouldn't of thought that carphonewarehouse was that big to own AOL BB?:confused

[blueivy]

Thanks Paul, good reply as usual. I didn't know that about AOL Broadband, I wouldn't of thought that carphonewarehouse was that big to own AOL BB?:confused

Carphone Warehouse aren't small either. They only bought AOL Broadband in the UK (which I think Time Warner were very happy to offload). See here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6039740.stm).