Speeds differ between Windows and Linux tests?

[XANAVirus]

Hello All,

 

I was wondering what's up these weird results based upon my network connection.

 

No, I'm not talking tests done with TMN, but rather just normal network performance (like, downloading a file with Firefox).

 

Unfortunately, I don't have any screenshots, yet, I'm still learning on Linux (it's for class ).

I didn't bother to make a Windows screenshot, because I hadn't connected the dots by the time I was downloading with Firefox (which was a few weeks ago).

 

My computer specs:

Windows 7, Home Premium (main os)

Core i5 @ 2.50Ghz

8GB Memory (not sure of the type)

1TB HDD

10/100 MBPS ethernet

2.4GHz N WiFi (no 5GHz)

 

Linux
boots from a 16GB flash drive (I didn't want to mess with Windows
booting, since I'm only using Linux for class, and to play around with
it).

Let me just say, Linux is awesome!

 

So
anyways, with Windows if I download, say, a Linux Mint ISO file
(Cinnamon 64-bit, with the codecs)  , I'll only get +/- 100KB/s speed.

 

With Linux, downloading the exact same ISO, I'd get 300KB/s speed.

Which looks and feels way way faster than doing it in Windows.

 

What's up with that?

They're
using the exact same Ethernet cable, with the exact same routing from
my ISP, and my internal network is nowhere near capacity.

 

Does Windows rate limit my connection or something?

I haven't even done tests in TMN with Linux yet, but I bet it'll be way faster than what I've been seeing on my tests!

 

Thoughts?

Do you need screenshots (i have yet to figure out how to make them in Linux)?

[tdawnaz]

run a speed test here on both systems and post the image of both...see how it goes

[JPsDad]

I'm running Linux Mint, version 10.10. full install. Are you running a live disto, frugal install, or installed on a thumb drive? I don't do Windoze so I cannot compare. I wish I could right now, because my COX cable is upside down! Look at this and note which is downspeed.

 

JPsDad

 

Image URL: https://testmy.net/E9GOzwa.0H6FdJT.png

 

https://testmy.net/sig/JPsDad.png

[XANAVirus]

.I run Linux Mint 14 - full install - to a 16GB flash drive

Our professor for class said this was the best way to run to Linux without touching your Windows install (I assume he didn't want to be responsible if someone got angry that their Windows install is wiped out).

 

Okay, I'll run a test to see if it's any faster in Linux.

 

Linux:

Windows:

[XANAVirus]

I guess there's some sort of time limit to edit posts.

Forgive the double-post, here is the test from Windows.

 

[tdawnaz]

wow that IS quite a difference...

 

hopefully someone here has an answer

 

there are more than a few linux gurus in here...

 

i have ubuntu...but i'm pretty lame in how it all works **snicker**

 

i just like to say things like "run a test and post your image" so the techie guys can help...

 

it would also help if you post up some info about your  hardware...what's all in your box and connected to it.

[XANAVirus]

Well, this was actually one of my slower Winows tests. It usually howers around that or all the way up 1.8Mbps.

Testing with Windows has never broken 2Mbps ever, at least in my recent memory.

 

It's really surprising, because Linux is just all around faster using the exact same setup - maybe it really does have to do with booting from a flash drive or something...I honestly don't know.

 

So far I'm really liking Linux Mint, and my class on Linux (it's called Intro to Linux, it covers the commandline interface first and then towards the end we'll be getting into the GUI).

 

Of course it helps that I trialed Linux (Ubuntu) for just fun a couple years back (and it was off and on for at least few months). I was bored, not nessecarily with Windows but just because I wasn't doing anything fun at the time.

 

My hardware is:

Dell Insprion 5720 - Laptop

Quad Core 2.50GHz CPU

8GB RAM

16GB Flash Drive (Linux), 1TB HDD (Windows & Data)

100Mbps on-board Ethernet

2.4GHz Wireless N

 

My router is a NETGEAR WNR2000v3 running DD-WRT.

 

I don't really know what else to say about my laptop.

 

When I access the Internet, it's using the Ethernet cable - I find that if I try to push alot of data through my router's WiFi connection, it'll kick me off because it nearly locks up, but I have no problems doing the same thing over Ethernet.

 

I leave WiFi off on my computers, and just use the Ethernet connections on everything, it all just works better that way for some reason.

 

Maybe Linux is faster because it uses far less memory or something, than Windows (with Windows, after everything's all booted up I have about half memory left, while Linux uses just 10% memory max - at least so far).

[XANAVirus]

I don't get it.

Linux speeds through tests like nothing, yet Windows chokes along as if it were limited by design (or so it appears).

 

Linux is even faster today, and it actually went faster than my rated speeds ever did from my connection.

Linux actually hit 2Mbps and almost 3, even though my actual speeds are never ever that high from Windows (I subscribe to the 3Mbps tier).

 

See: https://testmy.net/wx3jTSp.FiI6tSc.png

 

It's not fair - Why is Windows (or, as someone put it, Windoze ) just so slow went comes to my connections either at my University or at home on Suddenlink?

 

Linux, hey, I'd totally dump Windows and switch to Linux if I could, just for the fact everything is just *so* much faster in Linux, if my old games from the 1990s actually supported it - and those are all I play on the PC anyway.

The Sims, Age of Empires, Civilization - none of those will work well in Linux (I'd have to run a Windows VM).

 

Ah well, these connection speeds are awesome - better than they've ever been, really, and I've been testing for months and months now.

Windows has basically been the same, either at home or at my University - slow (at least, connections-wise).

 

I have no other problems with Windows, but what could I do to help out here and get Windows closer to speeds I'm seeing booted into Linux (Mint)?

[CA3LE]

Have you tried TCP Optimizer yet?

[XANAVirus]

No, I haven't.

I'll look into it!

 

What I have tried is using TuneUp Utilies (paid software I paid for, which can do all these neat things - including managing network optimization).

That software didn't really produce any significant (or noticeable, for that matter) difference (and it runs on a weekly cylce).

 

Maybe this TCP Optimizer will help some.

[mudmanc4]

You are using firefox on windows as well ? Or IE ? Maybe I missed where you mentioned.

 

If you have not cleaned out the hosts file in some time , possibility tells us along with the rest of what you say, something is amiss in that file. possibly redirecting your traffic before it's final destination. May want to check the registry as well, I cannot recommend a registry cleaner, the chances of them removing something you need is sometimes greater than finding what it believes should not be there. Chances are that something is also playing in that sandbox as well either way.

 

Windows7 host file location~

c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc

[XANAVirus]

Sorry about that, I forgot to mention that I do use Firefox, on both Linux and Windows.

I don't use one of those hosts file ad-blocker solutions (my hosts file hasn't ever been modified by anything).
My hosts file is still unmodified from when Windows was first installed.

If there's anything else I forgot, make sure to mention it.

[mudmanc4]

Yes, although the point is that many 'nasties' modify the host file
without us knowing it. See, people used this for advertising as well as
the script kiddies playing hack -n- sack. One small download can create a
local webpage, consisting of a redirect within itself to {wherever} now
before this, the host file is also accessed to change the IP address of a specific domain name you visited or 'they' want you to visit. It's a rather simply script and has been used for years to join the machine into a botnet.

 

which many times accomplished no more than serving up ads , replacing those from the cookies or other settings you have made, with the ones in which target you by the data on your machine Vs. the data associated with your google searches. NASTY! lol

 

If the hosts file becomes too large ( if that is possible is another discussion - yet imo is entirely an issue at times ) you can reset your hosts file on windows7 per MS article KB972034

 

BTW -- bad A$$ avatar !

[CA3LE]

You can get TCP Optimizer at SpeedGuide.net by the way... It's a quick, easy solution that works for many.  I no longer run Windows but when I did running TCP Optimizer was the first thing I did on a clean install.

[XANAVirus]

So I ran TCP optimizer on my Windows, and it didn't really boost my speed to that of what Linux was seeing (and still is seeing).

 

But it did do some good, in that it pretty much stabilized my speeds now (they were all over the place before, some days I'd see close to 2 Mbps or as little as less than 512Kbps).

 

I suppose Linux is just in general faster when it comes to network capability, since Windows has to run so much stuff before it boots and during boot - and Linux boots in about a minute and a half while Windows boots in almost 5 minutes.

 

I really really wish it were possible for me to run Linux exclusively; it seems just so great, at least to me (but no, my games aren't supported).

(I mean, I'd keep a Windows machine handy for my games, but there are others here with me, who know only Windows and all that.)