How to test the speed of a host

How to test the speed of a host8 138 ms 149 ms 146 ms
Testing speed is not complicated, but it's not very195.ATM2-0.TR1.SCL1.ALTER.NET [146.188.146.2]
simple either. I will talk about speed in the large sense9 189 ms 170 ms 209 ms
of the word. Basically speed is a measure on how107.ATM6-0.TR1.NYC1.ALTER.NET [146.188.137.165]
fast can the data be transmitted between the visitor10 187 ms 180 ms 180 ms
and the host's server.199.ATM7-0.XR1.BOS1.ALTER.NET [146.188.179.85]
You can test a first type of speed by pinging the11 194 ms 177 ms 185 ms
server. That can be done at the MS-DOS prompt191.ATM8-0-0.GW1.BOS1.ALTER.NET [146.188.176.225]
with a simple command: ping serverID, where server12 196 ms 208 ms 179 ms NVC.customer.UU.NET
ID is either a domain name (e.g. C:>ping yahoo.com),[64.68.0.242]
either an IP (e.g. C:> ping 128.65.134.89).13 197 ms 206 ms 207 ms [64.68.191.111]
The results should be similar to these:The numbers on the left are the so-called "hops".
Reply from 64.190.235.64: bytes=32 time=432msThe number of hops that it takes to transmit a
TTL=45packet of data from computer A to computer B is
Reply from 64.190.235.64: bytes=32 time=180msthe number of routers. In our example there are 13
TTL=45hops.
Reply from 64.190.235.64: bytes=32 time=377msAs you can see, each response line gives you the
TTL=46HOP #, the round trip times for the 3 packets that
Reply from 64.190.235.64: bytes=32 time=216mswere sent and host information (IP address and/or
TTL=45host name).
Ping statistics for 64.190.235.64:The roundtrip times for each hop are representative
Packets: Sent=4 Received=4 Lost=0 (0% loss)of the time it takes to go from the source to the
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:host for that particular hop and back to the source.
Minimum = 180ms, Maximum = 432ms, Average =Short times are a good sign. Also, a small number of
301 mshops is usually a good sign.
To understand the figures, one must first understandTraceroute is a good way to determine path but,
how ping works. It's actually pretty basic. When youjust as ping, it should not be used as the last word
ping a computer you're sending a message: "Hey! Arewhen it comes to speed evaluation.
you there?" Then comes the answer: "Yes, I'm here!".The ultimate test is the download speed test. To do
By measuring the time it took to receive yourthat you should ask the host for a test download file.
message plus the time it took it's message to get toThat's about the best way to judge speed. The goal
you (and by repeating this process a few times) oneis to find a host that has the capability of sending at
get a fair idea on how fast these computers canleast a few hundred kBytes/second. If you're on a
communicate.dial-up connection you'll not be able to test this
It's all in the time measurement. A ping time of underyourself. Read on and you'll find a solution to this
200ms is very good, 200 to 400ms is average andparticular problem.
400ms and above are poor ping times. However,Because the host might try to fool you by giving you
poor ping times do not always indicate a problem. Ifa test file located on a fast, almost empty server, it
you are pinging servers that are very far awaymight be even better if you'd contact a current
(pinging a server located in USA from a computercustomer and ask him/her to post a test file on his
located in Australia), poor ping times are normal evenaccount.
for a good connection.The file should be big enough to allow you to see the
The Loss % represents the percentage of packetsspeed stability over time. A 10-15 Mb file should be
(sent messages) that were "lost" (did not returnenough. Another important aspect is the time of the
within 1 second). Lost packets are, obviously, nottest. The best times are rush hours actually, when
good.the server are busy. These are are in the morning
Another way to measure speed is traceroute.when most people read their emails (8am on the
Obviously this traces the route between theeast coast of the US) and dinner time. Take care to
computer and the server. As the information goescompensate for time differences as not all servers
from your computer to the server, it passes throughhost American websites.
a few so-called routers. A traceroute will tell you howAlways keep in mind that all results depend on
many routers are involved and information about thelocation, ISP etc. This is why it's good to run a
routers.tracert from other computers located in other places
The MS-DOS command for traceroute is tracertof the world (where a significant part of your visitors
serverID.might come from). Good places where you can do
The results should be similar to these:that are and
C:WINDOWS>tracertI recommend you to ask the people at to help you
Tracing route to [64.68.191.111]over a maximum of 30with your speed test. Usually there are people from
hops:all over the world there, so you will get to have the
1 119 ms 121 ms 120 ms sym0103723m01.bctel.nethost tested from various parts of the world, through
[207.102.1.251]different networks, etc. Don't forget to post the
2 107 ms 114 ms 98 ms 207.102.34.249URL of the test file!
3 113 ms 117 ms 123 ms 192.197.174.118For as much as I know the right place for this king of
4 135 ms 122 ms 116 ms 166.48.13.245test requests is the "Other reviews" forum located
5 134 ms 145 ms 159 ms core7.SanFrancisco.cw.netat
[204.70.4.93]Do all these things I told you about and you'll get a
6 144 ms 142 ms 136 ms Hssi2-1-0.BR1.SCL1.Alter.Netpretty good idea about the speed of the host you're
[206.157.77.74]investigating. Hmm... tough word... "investigating". It
7 145 ms 152 ms 147 msmakes all these things sound soo... dangerous!
105.ATM3-0.XR1.SCL1.ALTER.NET [146.188.145.158]