Are you aware that the speed of your cable varies depending on the pattern of usage of your neighbors? Cable services providers share the width of the band through the subscribers of a locality. This means that the same cable line is connected to many households. So it makes that if a lot of your neighbors will access the Internet at the same time, then it's possible that the cable speeds for you and for your neighbors will significantly decrease in that time.
Speed problems of the cable modem are similar to those of DSL or other high-speed Internet services.
Here are some causes:
– Computers that lack sufficient power processing.
– Service providers' problems. Your cable speed can drop suddenly if the service provider has technical difficulties with their network, but the speed will return at its normal cycle after a few hours.
– Wrong configuration of wires and wireless router. If the router is not properly functioning, it can limit greatly the cable speed achieved be all computers.
– A slow wireless connection of the network.
– Spyware on your computer.
What is a cable speed test website and why use it?
There are many speed test websites that offer speed testing on cable and DSL connections. Some of them will require you to write information about your ISP, but however some will automatically do it. Based on some fixed system specifications, a speed test website will internally test your upload or download speed.
Why to take a cable speed test?
Well, you should take one to test your Internet connection against either a fixed site / location or several locations around the globe. If it's good, than good for you, but if it's bad, you should probably change your internet service provider, or check one of the causes mentioned above.
There are a few speed test websites that are very good for your testings. You can use them for free for a maximum of three times per month. These site also offer subscriptions to those who want to do frequent cable speed tests. Download speed result is based on a 1 MB file download. It will ask you for your location and what type of Internet service you are using.
These sites can do different Flash-based cable speed test services for broadband, other high-speed Internet connections and for mobile phones. The site will give you download and upload measurements of the bandwidth as well as latency reports in as little as a second. If you get low results from your computer connection, it may be time to try some of these applications just to check if they can give your Internet connection a boost.
There are numerous websites out there for cable speed test. You just need to choose the right one and have the right estimation of your cable speed. After all, you are paying bucks for your cable and you have the right to have the maximum out of your cable package!