What is my actual connection speed?

[lectrocrew]

This is on my HP Compaq 6715b laptop listed in my specs running Vista Business 64 bit..
My ISP is Metrocast cable and on their website it says

Speeds up to 18 Mbps

.
I'm using a Belkin F7D2301 wireless 802.11n router capable of 300 Mbps.
My wireless adapter, factory installed in this laptop, is 802.11a/b/g/n Broadcom WLAN module.
When I go to Control Panel/Network and Sharing Center and click on 'view status' it says "speed" = 243.0 Mbps.
On new-speedtest.com    it says:
 Download speed: 6752 kbps (844 KB/sec transfer speed)
 Upload speed:462 kbps (57.8 KB/sec transfer speed)

So are the numbers given in the speed test my actual connection speed?
 

[Transfusion]

IMHO, there is no point in getting a 300 Mbps "n" router if your internet connection is 18 Mbps (unless you play LAN games, etc.)


Usually the advertised speeds are the download speeds. According to the speed test, you are getting 6.7 Mbps download speed. Not even half of the "18 Mbps" the ISP claims.


Try using speedtest.net and select the nearest speed test server from your location.

[Computer_Commando]

Depends on the level of service you are paying for.  Are you actually paying for 18Mbps service?

How fast will a cable modem download and upload data?
Speeds will depend on the service level to which you subscribe. The asymmetric cable modem scheme is the most common type of cable network setup, and will allow for a faster transmission rate (higher bandwidth) on the downstream data path than the upstream data path. This network set up works well since most cable modem users download more information than they send. For example, downloading web pages and multimedia files and participating in newsgroups requires much more bandwidth than sending web page requests or e-mail.

For comparison, our base level of service downloads at 1.5 Mb per second, which averages at about 180 Kilobytes per second. Compare that to a telephone modem which downloads at about 7 Kilobytes per second. Would you rather drive at 55 miles an hour or 7 miles an hour?

[lectrocrew]

IMHO, there is no point in getting a 300 Mbps "n" router if your internet connection is 18 Mbps (unless you play LAN games, etc.)

Originally I bought the "n" router to reach from my house to my barn which my Lynksys WRT54G "g" router would not reach. I also figured the "n" may be a little better for transfering large (photo, video ect.) files between the computers within my LAN. And, of course, it was only ~$40 from Walmart.

Try using speedtest.net and select the nearest speed test server from your location.

speedtest.net shows about the same speeds with the closest test server in Memphis TN ~ 50 miles away:
Ping = 65ms
Download = 6.60 Mbps
Upload = 0.48 Mbps
-----------------

Usually the advertised speeds are the download speeds. According to the speed test, you are getting 6.7 Mbps download speed. Not even half of the "18 Mbps" the ISP claims.

Depends on the level of service you are paying for.  Are you actually paying for 18Mbps service?

Bingo. I called my ISP and found out the service I'm paying for (cable tv, internet and house phone) includes 7Mbps connection speed. Their 10Mbps package is $20 per month more, and their 18Mbps package is not available in this area (I'm in a fairly rural location). I'm not interested in upgrading because 7Mbps is fine for what I do online. And my monthly bill is already ~$120.

Anyway, now I know and I thank you both for your help!