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elcomputo

May 20, 2003, 5:23 PM

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Internet connections

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Any advice on selecting the type of internet connection? Here in Xalapa I am using a friend's T1 connection via video cable. Sometimes it's fast, but most of the time it runs as slow as another computer I have used here that is on a modem connection. It appears to me the cable here is over-subscribed. Also, I looked at an apartment today that had no telephone. They said one could be installed in three days, but there is a $200 US installation fee! Could this be true?

Martin

Rolly

May 20, 2003, 5:28 PM

Post #2 of 19 (4661 views)

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Re: [elcomputo] Internet connections

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The fee sounds about right, but 3 days sounds like wishful thinking.

Good luck,

Rolly

Rolly Pirate

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Roses5410

May 26, 2003, 6:40 PM

Post #3 of 19 (4636 views)

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Re: [elcomputo] Internet connections

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Here in Ajijic, I am using wireless internet. While it may have both pros and cons, it does not require a phone line to work and is pretty quick. I don't know if it is offered there where you are but you may want to check into it.
I love taking pictures...check out my prints for sale @ http://Rosacalaca.dpcprints.com/

Papirex

May 26, 2003, 8:50 PM

Post #4 of 19 (4630 views)

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Re: [elcomputo] Internet connections / checking speeds

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http://bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/

I can't advise you for a connection in your area, but click on the link above to check your actual connection speeds. This test site is in Texas. You can run up to 3 free tests per hour. A speed test takes about a minute. You can test dial up, and broadband speeds, including T1.

Speeds do vary sometimes when using cable connections. I have a 256 KPS cable connection here in Cuernavaca. I usually connect at 232 - 244 KPS, only once was it as slow as 200 KPS. I used to be glad when I got 46 KPS using dial up. I'm as happy as a puppy dog with two tails at the speeds I get now.

I know this won't help you with your decision, but it might show if T1 is worthwhile in your area.

Rex

"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

May 26, 2003, 10:57 PM

Post #5 of 19 (4623 views)

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Re: [RexC] Internet connections / checking speeds

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Quote

RexC writes:
I can't advise you for a connection in your area, but click on the link above to check your actual connection speeds. This test site is in Texas. You can run up to 3 free tests per hour. A speed test takes about a minute. You can test dial up, and broadband speeds, including T1.

Speeds do vary sometimes when using cable connections. I have a 256 KPS cable connection here in Cuernavaca. I usually connect at 232 - 244 KPS, only once was it as slow as 200 KPS....
....I know this won't help you with your decision, but it might show if T1 is worthwhile in your area.

In the US full T1 connections are still running between $300 and $700 USD per month, depending on the tier of the provider, the type of service level agreement you sign, and the actual use of the connection. As there's less competing providers in Mexico, I suspect the prices are going to be higher. Considering the original poster is fretting in another forum about paying $300-350 MXP for housing (the time increment wasn't clear) either they've got a very gearhead set of priorities, or there's confusion over what kind of connection they're (a) currently using ("I am using a friend's T1 connection via video cable...." ok....) and (b) looking for.

With any web-based "connection" speed test, including the one that you referenced, it's important to note is what you're actually measuring is the speed for the entire route between your computer and the computer hosting the test software. As an example, running a traceroute between the machine I'm punching on right now, and the bandwidthplace.com machine yields the following routing and hop times:

1 [edited for privacy] 30.009 ms 1.695 ms 8.963 ms
2 [edited for privacy] 13.1 ms 15.092 ms 14.004 ms
3 [edited for privacy] 16.164 ms 14.765 ms 12 ms
4 [edited for privacy] 12.166 ms 12.08 ms 13.166 ms
5 [edited for privacy] 13.857 ms 14.572 ms 13.609 ms
6 peer-01.palo.twtelecom.net (198.32.176.111) 13.758 ms 13.843 ms 14.07 ms
7 dist-01-so-3-2-0-0.okld.twtelecom.net (66.192.250.37) 16.057 ms 17.316 ms 15.319 ms
8 dist-02-ge-2-3-0-0.okld.twtelecom.net (168.215.55.86) 15.098 ms 16.071 ms 15.592 ms
9 dist-01-so-0-0-0-0.snfr.twtelecom.net (168.215.55.73) 17.188 ms 16.115 ms 15.384 ms
10 10.99.99.1 (10.99.99.1) 26.18 ms 25.593 ms 26.273 ms
11 core-01-so-2-2-0-0.dlfw.twtelecom.net (168.215.53.89) 60.396 ms 62.471 ms 59.847 ms
12 dist-01-so-0-0-0-0.ausu.twtelecom.net (168.215.53.94) 65.179 ms 67.577 ms 64.49 ms
13 dist-02-ge-3-3-0-0.ausu.twtelecom.net (168.215.53.166) 64.224 ms 64.589 ms 65.026 ms
14 dist-01-so-0-0-0-0.snan.twtelecom.net (168.215.53.105) 66.214 ms 66.703 ms 66.175 ms
15 64-132-228-250.gen.twtelecom.net (64.132.228.250) 68.101 ms 66.005 ms 65.597 ms
16 64-132-228-26.gen.twtelecom.net (64.132.228.26) 58.496 ms 59.31 ms 58.068 ms
17 vl130.core1.sat.rackspace.com (64.39.2.33) 61.661 ms 58.174 ms 58.106 ms
18 vl901.aggr1.sat.rackspace.com (64.39.2.66) 61.1 ms 58.491 ms 60.178 ms
19 bandwidthplace.com (209.61.187.19) 58.954 ms 62.724 ms 61.056 ms

What this is showing that between my machine and the bandwidthplace.com speed test server, the traceroute test packets, and presumably the speed test packets and everything else pass through a total of 18 intermediary routers. If even one of these routers is congested or experiencing problems, a lower level of performance is reported. At the same time, if during your normal use your information never passes through the same problem router, you'll never experience the slowdown, and conversely if most of your information flows through a route that's more congested you may always get poorer performance than the test indicates. To counter this problem it's recommended that you choose a test server with the lowest routing hop count, which generally translates to one in close geographical proximity to you; that you test your connection multiple times at different times of the day and days of the week and that you only consider the average of the test results; and that when you test your results you also run and examine a traceroute to the test server to identify any changes or anomalies in routing.

jerry6y

May 27, 2003, 7:54 AM

Post #6 of 19 (4608 views)

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Re: [ET] Internet connections / checking speeds

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How does one run a test loop?

johanson / Moderator

May 27, 2003, 9:17 AM

Post #7 of 19 (4602 views)

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Re: [jerry6y] Internet connections / checking speeds

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I don't even know what a "test loop" is. I have never heard of the term. If you are trying to test your download or upload spead, go the the ULR posted and suggested and follow the instructions.

I use www.pcpitstop.com It will test most everything for you including your connection speeds. Just go to the link I gave you and start reading.

Papirex

May 27, 2003, 12:17 PM

Post #8 of 19 (4595 views)

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Re: [ET] Internet connections / checking speeds

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Everything E T said is true. This is discussed in very general terms in the FAQ s on the bandwidth place's home page. I have used a couple of other speed test sites that offer free tests. One of them goes in to a lot of detail explaining all the variables that do affect the test results. Besides all the servers involved, the quality of any wiring enroute plays a part.

These tests do not reflect the speed that you always connect at, only the speed at the time of the current test, between your computer and the test site. I do believe that they are a good indicater of your average connection speed though. You are dealing with averages here, not absolutes.

Most of the sites that offer free tests have a main business of selling their program to networks. The instructions on one of those sites was for the administrater to have all the computers on the network, in all locations, run six consecutive tests simultaniously. They instructed the administrater to discard the two highest, and lowest tests, and to average the speeds of the two remaining tests to get a network average. This aids an administrater to pinpoint any locations that have consistently slow connection speeds, among other things.

I chose to use the Bandwidth Place for a couple of reasons. It is one of the easiest to use, and it is located in San Antonio. That is a compromise in distance between the sites I use here in Mexico, and those I use in The USA.

Sometimes if a site I am using is particularly slow, I will exit the program and restart it. Nine times out of ten, it will then reload and behave normally. I believe the new routing has skipped the server, or other bottleneck responsible for the slowdown. I need to do this about once a month when accessing my credit union which is located in Alaska.

Rex

"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

Rolly

May 27, 2003, 4:02 PM

Post #9 of 19 (4588 views)

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Re: [RexC] Internet connections / checking speeds

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Of all the sites I access regularly, there are two that are always the slowest: Hotmail.com and Washingtonpost.com. My guess is that it is their servers that are the problem because other sites vary in speed but are almost never as slow as those two. I use a Telmex ISP which used to be fairly fast, but over the past year it has gotten slower and slower. After midnight it is really slow -- my guess is they are selling services to someone (Tyson? ADM? John Deere? All have big operations here.) who has a lot of data to move in 'off' hours. I sure wish I had another option.

Rolly Pirate

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On Facebook as Rolly Brook

May 28, 2003, 10:27 PM

Post #10 of 19 (4568 views)

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Re: [jerry6y] Internet connections / checking speeds

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Jerry6y writes:
How does one run a test loop?

Since the term "test loop" isn't used anywhere in the message thread except for your posting, and you're replying to my previous message I presume you mean running a traceroute.

From the command line prompt of either a Unix or Linux machine (including the MacOS X Terminal) the basic command syntax is "traceroute <server name>". I'll include the full command syntax, with available switches at the end of this message.

From the MacOS X GUI you can run a traceroute using the OS's Network Utility. In later releases of OS 9/Classic a copy of Bryan Christianson's freeware classic What Route is provided. You can also download What Route separately, or casting about may still able to locate a copy of Neon Software's industrial strength freeware OTTool.

-----------
SYNTAX

traceroute [-d] [-F] [-I] [-n] [-v] [-x] [-f first_ttl] [-g gateway [-g gateway] | -r] [-i iface] [-m max_ttl] [-p port] [-q nqueries] [-s src_addr] [-t tos] [-w waittime ] host [packetlen]
-d Set the SO_DEBUG socket option.
-F Set the "don't fragment" bit.
-I Use ICMP ECHO instead of UDP datagrams.
-n Print hop addresses numerically rather than symbolically and numerically. This saves a nameserver address-to-name lookup for each gateway found on the path.
-v Verbose output. For each hop, the size and the destination of the response packets is displayed. Also ICMP packets received other than TIME_EXCEEDED and UNREACHABLE are listed as well.
-x Prevent traceroute from calculating checksums. Note that checksums are usually required for the last hop when using ICMP ECHO probes. See the -I option.
-f first_ttl Set the starting ttl value to first_ttl, to override the default value 1. traceroute skips processing for those intermediate gateways which are less than first_ttl hops away.
-g gateway Specify a loose source route gateway. The user can specify more than one gateway by using -g for each gateway. The maximum that can be set is 8.
-r Bypass the normal routing tables and send directly to a host on an attached network. If the host is not on a directly-attached network, an error is returned. This option can be used to send probes to a local host through an interface that has been dropped by the router deamon.
-i iface Specify a network interface to obtain the source IP address for outgoing probe packets. This is normally only useful on a multi-homed host. The -s option is also another way to do this. Note that this option does not provide a way to specify the interface on which the probe packets are sent.
-m max_ttl Set the maximum ttl used in outgoing probe packets. The default is 30 hops, which is the same default used for TCP connections.
-p port Set the base UDP port number used in probes. The default is 33434. traceroute hopes that nothing is listening on UDP ports (base+(nhops- 1)*nqueries) to (base+(nhops*nqueries)-1)at the destination host, so that an ICMP PORT_UNREACHABLE message will be returned to terminate the route tracing. If something is listening on a port in the default range, this option can be used to select an unused port range.nhops is defined as the number of hops between the source and the destination.
-q nqueries Set the desired number of probe queries. The default is 3.
-s src_addr Use the following address, which usually is given as an IP address, not a hostname, as the source address in outgoing probe packets. On multi-homed hosts, those with more than one IP address, this option can be used to force the source address to be something other than the IP address traceroute picks by default. If the IP address is not one of this machine's interface addresses, an error is returned and nothing is sent. When used together with the -i option, the given IP address should be configured on the specified interface. Otherwise, an error will be returned.
-t tos Set the tos(type-of-service) in probe packets to the specified value. The default is zero. The value must be an integer in the range from 0 to 255. Gateways along the path may route the probe packet differently depending upon the tos value set in the probe packet.
-w waittime Set the time, in seconds, to wait for a response to a probe. The default is five (5) seconds.
host The network host.

May 28, 2003, 10:37 PM

Post #11 of 19 (4567 views)

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Re: [RexC] Internet connections / checking speeds

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Quote

RexC writes:
....Sometimes if a site I am using is particularly slow, I will exit the program and restart it. Nine times out of ten, it will then reload and behave normally. I believe the new routing has skipped the server, or other bottleneck responsible for the slowdown.....

Routing information doesn't reside on your local computer, and even if it did exiting and reloading an application program wouldn't have any impact.

johanson / Moderator

May 29, 2003, 12:03 AM

Post #12 of 19 (4563 views)

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Re: [ET] Internet connections / checking speeds

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What amazes me is that I can do a trace route time and time again and almost always get the same intermediate points. Sure the times may be different but the routing at least from my Mexican ISP as I go to for example, pcpitstop in Dallas are almost always the same.

I've never tried it from here in WA to Dallas (pcpitstop). I'm going to try that next

johanson / Moderator

May 29, 2003, 12:16 AM

Post #13 of 19 (4561 views)

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Re: [ET] Internet connections / checking speeds

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I just did the lazy man's traceroute. I went to pcpitstop and let them do a traceroute from here in WA to their Dallas server at www.pcpitstop.com. I did it three times and compared the data. Again the times were different but the intermediate points were identical. And that seems contrary to what I have learned. I thought the itermediate points would be different each time.

Maybe someone, perhaps you ET, can enlighten me, as to why I always get the same intermediate points.

Thanks in advance

(This post was edited by johanson on May 29, 2003, 12:17 AM)

Jerseycoa

Jun 6, 2004, 8:37 PM

Post #14 of 19 (4434 views)

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Re: [RexC] Internet connections / checking speeds

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In Reply To

http://bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/ I can't advise you for a connection in your area, but click on the link above to check your actual connection speeds.

I don't know much at all about this stuff, but I did this test and had this result:

6.7 megabits per second

I'm in New Jersey on cable Internet. Is there a type of service in the Chapala area that offers comparable speeds? I'm very happy with what I have and would like to retain it once I'm down there, if at all possible. Thank you.
Doris

Papirex

Jun 6, 2004, 9:07 PM

Post #15 of 19 (4426 views)

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Re: [Jerseycoa] Internet connections / checking speeds

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I don't live in, or near the Chapala area so I can't answer your question. Other posters have said there is no cable internet access on that area though. There are high speed options there, but I have no specific info about which areas they would be available at.

The moderator of this forum, Pete Johanson can give you some good info about all the options available there though, I am sure.

Rex

"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

johanson / Moderator

Jun 7, 2004, 12:11 AM

Post #16 of 19 (4412 views)

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Re: [Jerseycoa] Internet connections / checking speeds

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6.7 Mb/sec is fantastic, much better than you will find in many parts of the US. You are not going to find that kind of speed in the Ajijic-Chapala area, not even close.

Here is a comparison of some of the speeds I and several of my friends have experienced in Ajijic. I snuck in one entry from the US

EXPLANATION, __LOCATION, _____ACTUAL, COST, _STATED
My dial-up """""""""""in Ajijic ..''usually _31 kb/sec _$20/m _33.6/33.6
My dial-up """"""""""in WA ''..'''usually _42 kb/sec _$20/m---- 56/56
Slow fixed WiFi """""in Ajijic..''usually 220 kb/sec _$40 ___256/256
ADSL, slow speed "in Ajijic ..'usually 400 kb/sec _$55 ___512/256
Faster fixed WiFi ""in Ajijic ..''usually 460 kb/sec _$60___ 512/512
ADSL, high speed "in Ajijic ...'usually 800 kb/sec ?? _____1Mg/256 ?
Open WiFi """"""""""in Ajijic .'usually1,300 kb/sec ''classified
Your cable account ___________6,700 kb/sec

(PLEASE forgive all of the dashes dots etc. The edit function wasn't working tonight and the only way I could get the correct spacing above was by entering ...'''' & __ . Oh well.)

It's nice to have a dial-up account as a back up, but I hardly ever use it. I sometimes use my 256 kb/sec (220 actual) fixed WiFi account and that's all the speed I normally need. But just because I have access to a much faster t-1 business account, I usually connect at 1,300 actual)

Upload speed is about the same as the download speed on all accounts but ADSL where as I recollect they are close to 220 kb/sec

Sorry if some of my entries above are cryptic. I'm going by memory here. My records are in Ajijic, and I won't be back for two weeks.

(This post was edited by johanson on Jun 7, 2004, 12:32 AM)

Jerseycoa

Jun 7, 2004, 12:16 PM

Post #17 of 19 (4382 views)

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Re: [johanson] Internet connections / checking speeds

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I knew it was great, but I didn't know it was unusual to have this kind of speed.

Okay, so in your area the best choices seem to be:

Quote

ADSL, high speed "in Ajijic ...'usually 800 kb/sec ?? _____1Mg/256 ?
Open WiFi """"""""""in Ajijic .'usually1,300 kb/sec ''classified

What is "Open WiFi"?

Thanks for the information.
Doris

johanson / Moderator

Jun 7, 2004, 12:48 PM

Post #18 of 19 (4377 views)

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Re: [Jerseycoa] Internet connections / checking speeds

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Open WiFi is just my lazy way of saying the IP # or connection is running wide open and that there is no software running at the ISP throttling the speed down to 1. up to 256 kb/sec for $40 per month or 2. up to 512 for $60 per month. This ISP, Lagunanet, is the only local server in the Ajijic/Chapala area (www.lagunanet.net.mx). The other popular option is ADSL offered by Prodigy.

Fixed WiFi is much like the connection you might find at your local Starbucks hotspot. Only the distances are not a hundred feet between the hot spot and your wireless laptop, but maybe 5 miles. You usually place a small parabolic reflector on your roof and point it toward the ISP's antenna. A cable runs from that antenna on your roof, perhaps via an Ethernet bridge to your router or computer

Jerseycoa

Jun 7, 2004, 5:09 PM

Post #19 of 19 (4362 views)

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Re: [johanson] Internet connections / checking speeds

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Thanks very much, Johanson. I guess WiFi it will be. This was very helpful.
Doris