From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Mon Jan 14 05:44:52 2008
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9171E16A419
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:44:52 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from smithi@nimnet.asn.au)
Received: from gaia.nimnet.asn.au (nimbin.lnk.telstra.net [139.130.45.143])
	by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3EBC413C4EF
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:44:50 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from smithi@nimnet.asn.au)
Received: from localhost (smithi@localhost)
	by gaia.nimnet.asn.au (8.8.8/8.8.8R1.5) with SMTP id QAA27738;
	Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:44:37 +1100 (EST)
	(envelope-from smithi@nimnet.asn.au)
Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:44:36 +1100 (EST)
From: Ian Smith <smithi@nimnet.asn.au>
To: RW <fbsd06@mlists.homeunix.com>
In-Reply-To: <20080114043515.577E016A4CF@hub.freebsd.org>
Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.3.96.1080114162708.6818A-100000@gaia.nimnet.asn.au>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org, Dead Line <dead_line@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: ports download speed!
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 05:44:52 -0000

On Sun, 13 Jan 2008 22:26:45 +0000 RW <fbsd06@mlists.homeunix.com> wrote:
 > On Sun, 13 Jan 2008 15:59:04 +0000
 > Dead Line <dead_line@hotmail.com> wrote:
 > 
 > > 
 > > Hello People..
 > >  
 > >     I recently have noticed something!
 > >     Im installing FreeBSD 6.2R fresh install, When im downloading
 > > anything using the ports, The download speed appear as it is 33 K or
 > > 32 K! In fact im on DSL 512 K. 
 > >     Im a missing something silly here? is it the actual download
 > > speed ? or the estimated? or? 
 > 
 > 32kBytes/s * 8bits/Bytes = 256kbit/s
 > 
 > You are getting 50% of your nominal speed, that's not particularly
 > unusual.

Actually if you figure at 10 bits/byte you'll get a much closer estimate
of true maximum speed.  On a 512kbps link you'll rarely see more than ~
51.2Kbytes/s even on download tests, similarly ~150Kbytes/s @ 1500kbps.

So 33Kbytes/s is closer to 64% of maximum, and as you say is not unusual
on a heavily loaded site, or over international links.  K being 1024, of
course, which is what fetch reports, with k (bps, bits/s) being 1000. 

cheers, Ian