cNet and Ookla Speed Test

[bkoop]

When I test my internet speed on cNet, I get 7 Mbps, when I test it on Ookla, I get 51 Mbps. Same computer, same wireless adapter, same browser. Any ideas why the two tests, would give such different results? I pay for 50 Mbps.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

I didn't even know cnet had a speed test. I just did it and it said I have 7.2 Mbps as well so I'd have to say the test is wrong. :lol:

These are the two I've used for years.

https://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/

http://www.speedtest.net/

If you just google the term 'speed test' there is a google version as well.

Edit: Forgot about this one. It's HTML5 and not Flash based so it's probably the most accurate.

http://speedof.me/

 

[ss202sl]

Mine shows the same thing. 7 on Cnet, and 88 on ookla. I thought at first that Cnet may be showing MBps, but it shows Mbps like Ookla.

 

[mjslakeridge]

I also have used Speakeasy and find it to be pretty accurate. It gives about the same results as my ISP's (AT&T) test. I just tested it using the server in Dallas (I'm in Houston) and got 7.66 mbps download and 1.40 mbps upload. I am paying for 6 mbps, but I imagine network traffic is pretty sparce on an early Sunday evening here.

Edit: Just ran cnet and it showed my speed as 11.62 mbps, so I doubt if it is correct.

 

[bill001g]

Although I suspect as others have mentioned cnet is telling lies.

What you will find is some ISP do all kinds of tricky tuning to get good numbers from the more popular speed testing sites. Some cable companies have a "turbo" mode that lets you get faster rates for short periods of time. It appears they tune the period of time you get the faster rates to correspond to the speed testing sites just so you get better numbers. When you do actually downloads you will see faster rates only at the very start and then it quickly drop back. If you read the fine print they almost admit that hey are rigging the numbers with the turbo feature.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

That 'Turbo' mode is actually just a few seconds that are uncapped. So no matter what speed plan you pay for you get the first few seconds at the max speed the network can give at the moment. That's a great thing for normal downloads. My best friend for a great many years was a senior broadband engineer for Cox when they rolled out DOCSIS 3.0 here locally in the late 2000s and he was excited by it and mentioned many times what a great feature it is. He was by nature a cynic and he was also one of the most intelligent people I've ever known. If that feature had anything at all to do with trying to fool the 10% or so of internet subscribers savvy enough to navigate to a speed testing site I'd have heard about it from him. The rise of streaming video in the last 5 to 6 years has made it obsolete though.

 

[sonnyinaz8]

Here's one for ya, ookla has recently changed their webiste (beta). THAT test shows me 29mb down 5mb up. When i revert back to the OLD okla, it shows my normal numbers.. 100 down, 12 up. what's up with that? I also went to speakeasy and a couple of others that all show 98 to 102 down 12 up which are my normal numbers....