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Bandwidth tests

I typically use dslreports.com to test available bandwidth for a connection. I am convinced that my local ISP's have a list of these servers and prioritize traffic to them to obtain better test results. Am I nuts?
Does anyone know of a utility I could run on my web server that would allow me to run a speedtest directly to it from many different computers? This way I could establish a baseline and then more easily see if problems exist on a new connection i am testing?
Thanks,
Brian

Dave Baldwin

Nuts or not, it's probably worse than you think. The speed tests you find on the internet can check to different servers but it doesn't necessarily represent what you will get. The tests I find more useful are Pagespeed in Firebug and http://www.uptrends.com/aspx/free-html-site-page-load-check-tool.aspx which can show you the response for your web pages from all over the world. Much more informative than a simple speed test.

Brian Selltiz

ASKER

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the info, that looks like a usefull utility.

I didn't make myself clear when I mentioned my web server. I actually want to use my web server and the speedtest server and then connect to it from remote clients and test my speed between the two.

Dave Baldwin

PageSpeed on the remote clients will check the load times from your page. I just don't know how you're going to use it on the remote clients without going there. And I don't see how you can make a three-way connection from your server, the client, and the speedtest server.

The Uptrends page is second best because they have server locations around the world that they can test from.

Brian Selltiz

ASKER

Thanks Dave.

Let me simply the question, lets forget I mentioned a web server.

I really just need a purpose built utility to test the bandwidth speeds between two computers. Preferably the host computer would be listening for tests from mutiple client computers at any time.

Dave Baldwin

The way that speedtest works is to transfer a file of known size and measure how long it take and do some arithmetic. If a 10MB file transfers in 5 seconds then the rate is 10MB / 5 sec = 2 MBytes per second or 16Mbits per second. That ignores the overhead associated with the transaction.

The program that does that would have to be on the 'client' computers because you can't force a connection to user's computer. The file would be on the server. You could also have the program upload a file like from an upload form and measure the time it takes. The upload and download times are normally different on DSL because the upload and download speeds are not the same.

Brian Selltiz

ASKER

Right, looking for program recomendations

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Dave Baldwin

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Brian Selltiz

ASKER

yes, that would not be applicable. Thanks for your feedback, I am going to repost the question with the correct information to see if anyone else has any input.
Thanks again