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Interesting. So, if their own "blessed test" is a meg off, I think you already have a case to present. I don't know whether you already have <?> Are you mandated by CenturyLink to use that specific router? I am really not happy to suggest spending money, who the heck wants to do that. But, an ISP only believes one configuration is legitimate when discussing your issues - and that is for your systems to be attached directly to a modem. In your case, you cannot do that since it is all built into one integrated entity. If you were inclined to separate the modem from the switching and Wifi gear, someday, it might be in your interest to do so. The ISP techs, the kind that come to your house, have a gadget they use to hook to the modem. I would be interested (if it were me) to see what reading that thing produced. Those gadgets produce all sorts of results, including REAL jitter (not network jitter) based on the clocks in the data stream. They also produce results regarding signal level (usually in db) and they produce results in Mbps !! The thing we want. If you don't have a discrete modem, then having a tech run the gadget is a good idea.   In your original post you asked whether your modem could be slowing you down. Maybe. But I think more than likely, if the culprit lies anywhere in the a90-7500, my bet would go on the switch/router settings. I say that because if the modem part of the box were getting transmission errors, they would see it at their end too, and your log would be filling up. So, service call for tech+gadget, and check all the logfiles. That's my $0.02    

Westell A90-750022-07 ADSL2+.  It's a 4 port Ethernet/wireless. I have both computers connected by Ethernet. Been using it for years and have the manual in PDF format.  I get the same test results when using wireless, firewalls on or off and making sure nothing else is trying to grab some bandwidth while running a speed test.

In this context, jitter is a statement of deviation. In fact, engineers/techs who only work on tcp/ip networks will also use the word synonymous with "late packet arrival." I have never looked at what exactly the n% means but lower is better and I think 2% is probably ok.I saw something about it on Wikipedia, but It gives me a headache to think about it simply due to my objection to the word being used in this context at all. In all other areas of engineering it describes a deviation from a fixed expected rate. I would love to hear somebody tell me how a packet switching network has or ever claimed to have a fixed expected rate. but anyway, that's just me. It likely means 2% of the time, packets arrived later significantly later than the mean. (taking aspirins and guessing)   I still think chasing down that middle variance may get you closer to your 6Mbps. Especially since both tests are about 1Mbps off. If you fix it, I bet your upload will jump up too. I'm only saying that because it made such a difference for me. There are people on here that legitimately know a lot more about this than I do. I'm hoping one of them in particular will come to the rescue. What kind of router do you use ?  

rebrecs, Centurylink uses Ookla. It looks like they connect me to a server in Kansas City, Mo. to run the speed check which is only 45 miles away. The upload/download results are very close to TMN's but nowhere near as informative. I don't see a spike at the beginning of the downloads by just looking at the speed dial and I don't know what the 2ms "jitter" is that Ookla reports.      

know what happens when you run the ISP test, if you are so inclined. By the way, fixing the middle variance did make a big difference in my overall TMN results, especially on the upload side.   sorry for two posts, I hit the wrong button or something while trying to undo the caps lock