Wacky Speed Test Results

[Altezza]

Through the incredible information I've been able to find on this site, I'm slowly fixing problems here and there that my poor little computer is suffering from. But I've run across another one, where I'm going to need to ask for help again.

First off, I've got a Compaq 2500 PC, using ADSL and an external modem. I am also using Windows XP. I don't know if this is relevant or not, but I have a Dial-Up PPP Connection with a max speed of 800 Kbps.

When watching videos or playing online games, things will be going along just fine, then BLAM, out of nowhere, everything comes to a snail's pace. Then, after a while (sometimes just a few minutes, sometimes an hour or more), things return to normal. And unfortunately, I have to say, that MOST of the time I'm online, things run more in the slow mode than the "normal" one.

After searching for info here on CH, I found some sites where I could run a speed test. I chose "SpeakEasy Speed Test" and ran four tests in five minutes. The results were as follows:

            Download Speed (Kbps)        Upload Speed (Kbps)
               
 Test 1                  193                                    164
 Test 2                  587                                    261 
 Test 3                  249                                    251
 Test 4                  652                                    256     


Any ideas on what can be causing such a great diversity of speed? And what can I do about it? 

[quaxo]

The first logical thing to do would be to contact your ISP and verify your settings match their recommended settings.

Internet speed can also vary on time of day, depending on how many people are pushed through the same connection by your ISP. While it may appear your connection is only yours, many ISPs feed many people through a single connection. This keeps costs down. My ISP puts about 50 people through the same connection.

Speakeasy's speed test is provided by Speedtest.net. If you go directly to Speedtest.net's website, you can choose many more locations for testing (nearly anywhere in the world). It also gives you averages for your ISP, your location, and other useful information so you can compare your speed to other people and see if it's just you or everyone (provided those people also test though Speedtest).

[WillyW]

First, let's confirm:    http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest
That's the one you used?
Just in case anyone coming along wants to reply to you,  they can be sure they are looking at the same thing you used.

Questions:   Which server did you choose?    There are eight.
Did you use the same one each time?
Did you choose the one that is closest to you?

Were you doing anything else with the computer during these speed tests?

Were you downloading anything else during any of these tests?

[WillyW]

... While it may appear your connection is only yours, many ISPs feed many people through a single connection.   ...

with DSL ?

[quaxo]

Yes.