Have you ever noticed that your "high speed" internet connection slows down in the middle of a download? Bandwidth throttling occurs when the server attempts to limit the bandwidth that can be used by a user. Here's how to test if your ISP (internet service provider) is throttling your speed.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Use the Measurement Lab's Test Tool
Step 1. Visit the Google Measurement Lab
M-Lab is an open platform designed to improve internet transparency. It offers several tests for average and advanced users.
Step 2. Click on the "Test your internet connection" link in the lower right part
Step 3. Choose a network tool to test connection speed and diagnose network traffic
Tests include:
- Network Path & Application Diagnostics will diagnose the most common causes of all performance problems on the network paths in your area.
- The Network Diagnostic Tool will test your connection speed and receive sophisticated diagnoses of speed limiting problems. This is a good option if you would like to send detailed reports of your problems to your network administrator.
- Glasnost will test if some applications or traffic are blocked or limited by your broadband connection. Currently, you can test whether your ISP restricts or blocks emails, HTTP or SSH transfers, Flash videos, and peer-to-peer applications such as BitTorrent, eMule, and Gnutella.
- Pathload2 will show you the bandwidth provided by your connection. Average bandwidth is the maximum bit rate you can send to a network link before it becomes congested.
- ShaperProbe will determine if an ISP is doing traffic modeling by reducing your access quota after you have downloaded or uploaded a certain number of bytes.
- WindRider will identify if the mobile broadband internet service provider prioritizes or slows traffic to certain websites, applications or content.
Step 4. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete each individual test
Note that some of these tests are hosted on third party websites.
Method 2 of 2: Use the Swiss Network Testing Tool
Step 1. Visit the Electronic Frontier Foundation website
This organization focuses on promoting net neutrality and offers bandwidth testing tools for advanced internet users.
Step 2. Go to Our Work> Transparency> Other and click on Switzerland Network Testing Tool
This will test the integrity of the data sent over your network to see if your ISP is limiting your bandwidth. Eg:
- If you want to test if the BitTorrent downloads are working properly, you can reach the page and find some torrents that other users have made available on the test systems.
- If you want to test if your ISP is interfering with BitTorrent's outbound bandwidth, you can post a link to a torrent file on the wiki and make it available after starting a Switzerland client, so that other users can find it on the wiki and download it.
Step 3. Download the latest version
This will be indicated in bold letters.
Step 4. Select the format of the file you want to download
You can choose between.zip or.tgz.
Step 5. Extract the files and follow the instructions
You can find them inside the INSTALL.txt file specific to your platform.
Advice
- If you're passionate about this topic, you may want to consider joining one of the many net neutrality groups on the internet. A quick search for "net neutrality" or "net neutrality" will allow you to discover many resources and groups that will help you fight ISP throttling.
- There are many methods for testing bandwidth throttling. Search for "bandwidht throttling" or "bandwidth throttling" on your favorite search engine to see additional options.
