Inaccurate speed results?

[Velo]

Hi.

 

I've been using TMN for a while now, but as of recently, it's showing me an unbelievably low download speed of 3Mbps, as opposed to my usual 50Mbps, which is the result TMN has given me constantly for months now. When I watch a 4K YouTube video, however, and oberserve the download speed from my W-Lan stick, I get the usual 50Mbps result. And the video isn't loading any slower than usual. I know that would be tough to tell under normal circumstances, but I think a 94% difference in performance would be notable. The result of 50Mbps is also given to me by any other test site.

Now I know that TMN is generally considered to be more accurate than any other test, but what about the performance my W-Lan stick is showing me? Which result is more trust-worthy? After all we're talking about  a difference of 47Mbps here.

 

Thank you

 

Edit:

 

Update

 

I've tested a different test server, switching from Frankfurt, Germany (this is where I live) to London, UK. The London test server got me the usual result of 50Mbps while the Frankfurt test server remains to be stuck at 3Mbps at best. Why is that?

 

Thank you.

https://testmy.net/compID/707784473253

Edited February 21, 2017 by mudmanc4
Added live graph

[Pgoodwin1]

I tried the London and Frankfurt servers. Get 55-60 London, 40-45 Frankfurt. I go one really slow test of 8.7 on Frankfurt. 

 

I'm near Cincinnati OH, so a long way from Frankfurt. 

[ShakTib]

I'm in Ontario, Canada

 

Connected to those servers got me these results:

London: 290.5mbps
Frankfurt: 21.3mbps

 

I normally get 300+ if connect to any USA servers. (usually Dallas, Tx or NewYork, NY servers)

 

Ran multiple test on Frankfurt to see if it increases:

22.99mbps
21.94mbps
13.37mbps

It actually went lower lol

 

Ookla states I get 254.90mbps.
Tried again 293.51mbps.
Another server in Frankfurt gave me 326.30mbps.

 

[Intertechworks]

I concur that there is an extreme inaccuracy at this time on the download test.  Until lately this has been my testing tool of preference but the discrepancy is far too great to explain away.  When this tool tells me 507 K download speed with a 1.3 M up and another tool states 6.31 M down and 3.08 M up this site has over saturated the available bandwidth.

https://testmy.net/compID/6063405747102

Edited February 21, 2017 by mudmanc4
Added live graph

[Pgoodwin1]

12 hours ago, Intertechworks said:

I concur that there is an extreme inaccuracy at this time on the download test.  Until lately this has been my testing tool of preference but the discrepancy is far too great to explain away.  When this tool tells me 507 K download speed with a 1.3 M up and another tool states 6.31 M down and 3.08 M up this site has over saturated the available bandwidth.

The problem is absolutely not saturation of TestMy's bandwidth. The other tools are telling you phony numbers to make ISPs look good to their customers.

[mudmanc4]

@Velo @Intertechworks ,

 I have added graphing to each of your posts, which consist of all tests taken according to your individual connection ID's

 

I would suggest that each of you run tests to other testmy.net mirrors , and verify where the issue is located in your paths. Just as you, @Velo have done to show the difference between London and Frankfurt compared to your location. We can verify there is/ was an issue between your current location and the Frankfurt server.

 

So this is all about routing, peering, and global connectivity. Testmy.net will show you on what networks such issues might reside.

 

Many of the flash tests are located on upper tier / edge, internal low traffic networks of ISP's, and even alternate ports such as 8080, where the vast majority of 'the internet' is not routed to. Such tests are valuable for internal network connectivity only. In other words, verifying between you and the ISP only. Not giving a real world result such as testmy.net supplies.

 

When I test, I know I'm connected, I rarely test to my local ISP, unless I'm having a global issue and need to verify there is not a local connectivity issue. I test to see what kind of quality and relationship my ISP has with it's peers, (how valuable the peering is, or how much they pay one another to transfer my data at a high level of service) or other networks the ISP makes deals with in order to obtain an higher and more pure global connection.

[ShakTib]

I personally see the other test guys as bloated fluffy and sprinkled with glitter to make your speed look good.

TMN currently is my top source for actual answers.

 

So trying Frankfurt servers with Ookla and getting average 300+, to me is false and completely not possible. I LIVE IN CANADA. My speed SHOULD be lower if I am testing against Europe. I expect that at least some latency or speed drop.

 

Have you attempted to connect via Ethernet and speed test again this way? Do the results change? Are you getting completely different numbers altogether?

 

Side note:

Just to clarify, as it may be called something different here or maybe I am not understanding.

is WLAN sticks just another name for USB WiFi Adaptors for laptops / desktops that don't have network card with WiFi capability built in or is WLAN sticks the 3G/4G Cellular Network USB sticks? (I assume the former, hence why I suggested Ethernet test, since you would have a modem/router hopefully nearby)