01-05-2010, 10:23 PM

Help! I switched from Earthlink at 1.5 Mbps maximum speed to Qwest at 7Mbps but I don't see any improvement. Every online speed test I try says I am at no more than 2.5 Mbps. Does my firewall have anything to do with hindering increased speed? I am running OS 10.4.11 on an iMac 800MHz G4. I am paying for 7Mbps and I'm not getting what I'm paying for, Qwest says the line is handling that speed so it must be my computer.

01-05-2010, 11:48 PM

Put a modern computer on that connection and run a speed test. That will tell the story.

01-06-2010, 05:19 PM

G'day and welcome to the forumns.

The processor speed, or lack of it, can affect the speed of your broadband, as can the amount of memory in your iMac, which you do not give.

Also consider if you connect via a land line your distance from the local exchange, are copper cables in the ground or fibre optics, poor performing filters - you are using filters on all other phones etc.?- and even cordless phones being close to your computer can affect your connection speed. Your G4 processor is going to be slower than say an Intel machine.

Also ISP will always tell you the problem is at your end. Have you got a friend with a laptop who can try out your connection?

01-10-2010, 11:12 PM

I went from 1.5 mbps with Earthlink to 7 mbps with Qwest High Speed Internet. But my iMac 800MHz G4 running OS 10.4.11 will only reach 4 mbps. Qwest says the line is handling 7.2 mbps so it must be the computer. Is my firewall setting preventing my top speed or what? I can't figure out what the problem is. Can anyone give me a clue?
P.S. I don't know if this is a hardware or software issue so please go easy on me if this is not the correct forum, thanks. Mike

01-10-2010, 11:18 PM

I went from 1.5 mbps with Earthlink to 7 mbps with Qwest High Speed Internet. But my iMac 800MHz G4 running OS 10.4.11 will only reach 4 mbps. Qwest says the line is handling 7.2 mbps so it must be the computer. Is my firewall setting preventing my top speed or what? I can't figure out what the problem is. Can anyone give me a clue?
P.S. I don't know if this is a hardware or software issue so please go easy on me if this is not the correct forum, thanks. Mike

01-10-2010, 11:34 PM

How are you measuring the download speed?

01-11-2010, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by cwa107

How are you measuring the download speed?

Using many different speed tests online. Like sppedtest.qwest.net (which is the one my provider recommends & it still only measures 2.5 to 3 mbps) & 2wire speedmeter. Is there a more accurate method of testing the speed?

01-11-2010, 04:01 AM

Wired or wireless?

It my just be the age of the machine itself...

01-11-2010, 04:02 AM

Double/cross posting is not a good idea...