Apartment's Internet hates Steam?

[woctafu]

Problem description: Currently living in an apartment in a college town. Multiple buildings with a wifi connection and router available in each room. When I use steam to download a recently bought game I get at max 180 kilobytes per second, but when I ever download something using the jdownloader program I can get around 5 to 7 megabytes per second. I have no idea what could be causing the huge gap in speeds.

Attempted fixes: Tried switching steam server locations, tried using wifi and wired, still to no avail I hover around 100-180 kbs.

Recent changes: None
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Operating system: Windows 7 64 bit

System specs: ASUS G53S Laptop. 8 GB DDR3 i7 Processor, 560M Videocard.

I have Googled and read the FAQ: Yes

 

[jamesmcuk]

Are you sure the College isn't traffic managing connection to the Steam Network?

 

[woctafu]

Well I don't live on college campus! And I have downloaded a game on steam and the connection was going about 1-2 Megabytes per second so I don't think they have a block.

 

[jamesmcuk]

try installing a free http://cyberghostvpn.com/

this should get you round the traffic shaping if any and allow you to test if the connection improves. The only problem is I don't know if the VPN will give you speeds above your low connection speed on the free version.

 

[woctafu]

How do I use it with steam?

Edit: Tried it speed went still around 100 KBS on multiple servers in different locations

 

[jamesmcuk]

yeah could just be the slow server though with it being free

 

[woctafu]

No no they give out one month of premium service for free so I used that.

 

[jamesmcuk]

Oh right and can you get high download speed on other sites through it? Also make sure you are connected by checking your IP on a website and then disconnect and check it again. It should change. Just put whats my IP in google.

 

[woctafu]

It connected and everything, speed from a speed test showed I was getting around 800 KBS

 

[jamesmcuk]

Hmmmmm its not this is it? https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=9498-WPDF-3220

Are you looking at the actual download rate or that indicated by the steam program? 8 bits in a byte means you will be 8 times less in indicated speed on steam.

 

[woctafu]

I just used some German download site since it was closer and it was giving me 800 kbs.

 

[jamesmcuk]

please disconnect your VPN go to Speedtest.net and tell us the result.

 

[woctafu]

10 megabits per second

 

[jamesmcuk]

Good news and bad news mate:

I signed up to steam to test this for you (i don't play games on PC much) and here is my speed test at 60Mbps http://www.speedtest.net/result/2012344682.png

Steam download speed 180KBs like you

Result: Steam's servers suck LOL!

 

[woctafu]

Well damn at least it isn't just me.