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Ask HN: Internet magically gets faster when opening speedtest?

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Re: Ask HN: Internet magically gets faster when opening speedtest?

#111

Post by ComradePhil »

bzxcvbn wrote: post #52
ranger207 wrote: post #26

Yes, this is true. This is why Netflix runs fast.com: it serves Netflix content from Netflix servers, so if ISPs want to prioritize fast.com content they'll have to prioritize Netflix content as well. Of course, that doesn't help non-Netflix sites...

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why net neutrality is important.

Only if you use the internet primarily for streaming. If you use the internet primarily for something else, with "net neutrality", you will be paying for the video streaming traffic (which makes up 60% of downstream traffic) even though you don't use it for that. If Netflix is required to pay the ISPs, Netflix just increases their prices and it doesn't affect internet users who don't primarily stream video.

Re: Ask HN: Internet magically gets faster when opening speedtest?

#113

Post by mmastrac »

mlyle wrote: post #109
mmastrac wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Practically the same. Perhaps it's a server selection issue? Selecting best server based on ping... Hosted by iTel.com (iTel Networks Inc) (Calgary, AB) [3.20 km]: 2.275 ms Testing download speed................................................................................ Download: 931.69 Mbit/s Testing upload speed................................................................................................ Upl…

Interesting. I consistently get garbage results with speedtest-cli (across multiple machines and network connections) and good results with speedtest's own. On the pi, I suspect it's running out of CPU-- real 0m9.877s user 0m2.737s sys 0m5.595s But that doesn't explain the systemic problem.

The Pi is definitely limited in terms of CPU. This is a fairly old, but beefy Xeon chip on my unraid box. Might be native vs Python code on ARM?

Re: Ask HN: Internet magically gets faster when opening speedtest?

#114

Post by mnd999 »

bmitc wrote: post #86
bzxcvbn wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why net neutrality is important.

It's also an example of how it's already been lost.

That’s pretty defeatist. A cartel of corrupt politicians and large cable companies conspired to regulate against it. These regulations can just as easily be removed and replaced with proper net neutrality rules.

Re: Ask HN: Internet magically gets faster when opening speedtest?

#116

Post by _moof »

ranger207 wrote: post #26

Yes, this is true. This is why Netflix runs fast.com: it serves Netflix content from Netflix servers, so if ISPs want to prioritize fast.com content they'll have to prioritize Netflix content as well. Of course, that doesn't help non-Netflix sites...

Doesn't Netflix also provide hardware with caches to ISPs? Thought I saw that somewhere. (Not saying you're wrong; just mentioning what might be another factor.)

EDIT: Here's what I was thinking of: https://openconnect.netflix.com/en/appliances/

Re: Ask HN: Internet magically gets faster when opening speedtest?

#117

Post by freemint »

bmitc wrote: post #86
bzxcvbn wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why net neutrality is important.

It's also an example of how it's already been lost.

Compliance can be forced by law in a country which is capable of self regulation.

Re: Ask HN: Internet magically gets faster when opening speedtest?

#119

Post by mlyle »

mmastrac wrote: post #113
mlyle wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting. I consistently get garbage results with speedtest-cli (across multiple machines and network connections) and good results with speedtest's own. On the pi, I suspect it's running out of CPU-- real 0m9.877s user 0m2.737s sys 0m5.595s But that doesn't explain the systemic problem.

The Pi is definitely limited in terms of CPU. This is a fairly old, but beefy Xeon chip on my unraid box. Might be native vs Python code on ARM?

Yup, native vs. Python would explain a lot on the Pi, but I've also seen this on my big Threadripper machine here and on my Hetzner server in Virginia.

I'd assumed it was just something intrinsic.

On the other hand: speedtest's own thing uses multiple parallel connections. So if you have low amounts of loss that prevent one TCP connection from going super fast, it'll do better on speedtest than speedtest-cli.

Thanks for the help/info. Something to spend more time understanding at some point in the future.

edit: Just noticed that the Hetzner server in VA geolocates wrong and chooses servers in Kansas.

Re: Ask HN: Internet magically gets faster when opening speedtest?

#120

Post by bmitc »

mnd999 wrote: post #114
bmitc wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's also an example of how it's already been lost.

That’s pretty defeatist. A cartel of corrupt politicians and large cable companies conspired to regulate against it. These regulations can just as easily be removed and replaced with proper net neutrality rules.

I didn't say it couldn't be regained. But it will be an increasingly uphill battle. Regulators and politicians have been sold to the highest bidders.
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