There are so many variables affecting actual DSL download speed that you will seldom see the speed you should be getting with any regularity. 5.5 from an 8 mb setup is not that great, but it's not that bad either. There are many others who fare far worse, particularly with Windstream (you didn't mention who your provider is). As far as the tests go, I've found Speakeasy to be okay. YMMV.

Here is a link that might be useful: Speakeasy

Whenever I do speed test I use the same destination for easy comparison, Valdez, Alaska - about 3000 miles. No point trying too close to home methinks.

Using asinoh's link and speedtest.net and going to Seattle Wa I got very similar results from both sites.

To check the speed of a specific connection, it's best to use a reference source as close as possible. Otherwise, the baggage of the link, the multitude of routers the signal passes through, the limitations and peculiarities of the route, etc, will influence the outcome.

You're not trying to measure the capacity of a specific internet segment over distance, it's the specific link. If you could use a source where the user's ISP's signal connects to the internet, that would be ideal. The shorter, the better.

My provider is Century Link. I have used XFINITY to test as they allow me to pick a site about 35 miles from me. Century Link doesn't give me a choice, but one would think they'd pick the shortest, even the loop to my house about a 5 mile loop if it goes directly I believe they can test remotely from equipment in the central office... or so the discussion this morning with the teck would lead me to believe. He didn't say and I didn't ask - hum that sounds like a familiar phrase.

If I didn't already mention, my reason for checking was twofold - to see what I am buying and to see if there was a reason I was getting some breaks in streaming video from Netflix.

Even if there is nothing wrong with your DOWNLOAD ability, there could still be a problem with the sender's UPLOAD process. The technology to stream video is still in it's infancy. It will get better over time, but right now I wouldn't pay anybody to stream to me. There are just too many things that can go wrong. Think of it this way: The first COLOR TVs became available in 1954. But do you know how long it took for them to become reliable enough that the total number of color sets outnumbered the total number of B&W? It didn't happen until 1976.

Here is a link that might be useful: wiki_Answer

"The technology to stream video is still in it's infancy. "

You're behind the times, azimoh. The technology isn't new and is nothing if not rock solid reliable. I'm basing this on my experience with Hulu, Netflix, sites I can use because of my TV signal subscription, network and sports sites and countless other sources . I get HD quality and can have two different HD streams going through my internet connection and home network at the same time.

What's your experience?

"there could still be a problem with the sender's UPLOAD process"

Sure it's possible, but I've never seen it. The major source sites seem to have the capacity to easily handle major events with many viewers (those that could have millions at once)

"There are just too many things that can go wrong"

Like what?

Snidely, I'm going to make a guess that you have cable internet at a speed of 20 MB or higher, and not 8MB DSL like the OP...am I right?

Netflix states all I need is 3 mb for HD performance. I am well over that even if not at 8 mb.

I'm testing, and while I have a general vendetta against cable, the telephone company isn't far behind. For now I'm trying to get by with DSL, if it doesn't work out I can always change.

I am not demanding fault free streaming, but I don't accept a delay every 30 seconds, for that matter every 10 minutes. I may be able to accept once every 30 minutes. : )

Jerry, Netflix speeds were covered in the other thread. They say you need at least 5megs for HD, I'm not so sure that's fully forthcoming. I think a bit more is needed.

If you're finding some hesitation in playback, start the stream and then pause for several minutes to allow it to buffer a bit (download the data in advance of it being watched).

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Snidely, I'm going to make a guess that you have cable internet at a speed of 20 MB or higher, and not 8MB DSL like the OP...am I right"

Now I have cable at 16, before that I had the top tier DSL. Other than being able to do two HD signals simultaneously that I can do now but not before with DSL, all other comments would have been the same when I had DSL.

A steady video stream isn't like an audio stream, or like internet surfing. There's no question that you need serious capacity to handle it. Netflix and others will downshift to meet the speed they see in the user's connection but reality is that you can't watch high definition video on a slow internet connection. Plain and simple.

Thanks, I still notice some break-up (gaps) but not all the time.

As for Netflix and speed, I started my Netflix trial on my computer (not HDTV - that is yet to arrive) and a 1.5 mb DSL (this DSL consistently tested at 1.5 +/- 10%).

I had Netflex video quality set to "automatic" and can say I saw what was clearly better HD than SDTV, may have something to do with my computer display too. I also had some break-up so I decided to upgrade to 3 mb but while talking with the ISP representative they came up with a complete rework of my telecom plan, adding many features including unlimited LD and voice mail with 8 mb for less that the cost of upgrading to 3 mb - go figure, i did and took the package. On the side, one reason I kept my local telephone service and without LD is I am retired from AT&T and I get reimbursed for my LD on AT&T. For these reasons and a general dislike for the beating I've taken over the years from cable for cost of TV I didn't want to give cable any more business. That could change, but if the teleco had fiber to the home that would be considered. But I may also decide to buy Satellite from the Telco - a triple pay package.

Anyway, I still get some break-up and Netflix should downgrade my quality not let interrupts happen... or can't Netflix "see" when a DSL stream has a short break in it..if that is what happens. My ISP teck says my signal tests constant and a bit over 8 mb.

I'll try giving Netflix some time to build a bigger (?) buffer on my computer. I am testing on W8, so the laptop is fairly powerful with 8 GB of "RAM"... I'll have to check that, that's what I recall.

The amount of ram doesn't matter, if need be it would buffer to the hard drive and you'd never know the difference.