Fios & DSL Speed: How Many Users Affect It?

[Newtons Apple]

I got a question.. DSL, and dialup.. the bandwidth that you get is affected by the amount of users online at the time correct? Generally the more users in your area that are using DSL the smaller the bandwidth will be available to you, reducing your speed?
does the same apply to fios and fiber optic connections? How does this works in DSL? what is happening in the wires that slows the speed down?

 

[jedishrfu]

the usual speed culprit is the server machine that you are linked to. if others are using it heavily via game play / downloads / video streaming... then it will slow down for everyone. Another culprit is a bad line that sometimes drops bits causing a retransmit which means your effective rate had dropped. A third culprit may be your own router which just runs slower than your line. A fourth may be your kid whos playing games on another home computer that sends out thru your home router.

There are internet speed programs that can tell you where the bottleneck may be.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/technology-explained-understanding-speed-the-internet/

 

[cmmcnamara]

I'm not exactly sure of the physics behind all of it, but I know that all Internet providing services are subject to slow down depending on the number of users online at one time. However FIOS in a majority of tests seems to be immune to this because according to the tests, the low latency of fiber connections coupled with the fact that each of Verizon's FIOS hubs are limited to 32 subscribers essentially places a limit on the amount of slow down that can occur.

 

[wuliheron]

Another growing problem is bandwidth throttling. With the rise in popularity of such services as Netflix and BitTorrent ISPs have taken to intentionally reducing your internet access in order to squeeze as many dollars as they can. For example, if most people are willing to pay $40.oo/m just to read their email and occasionally surf the web it is in the company's interest to throttle the access of the smaller percentage of people who regularly download movie and games or whatever. They can limit a user's access by up to 99%.

This has become the de facto alternative to surrendering network neutrality or, in other words, allowing the ISPs to outright censor the web or charge people extra for using specific services like Netflix.

 

[LudusRex]

Yes, the number of users online can affect the bandwidth and speed of both DSL and Fios connections. This is due to the fact that these types of connections use a shared infrastructure, meaning that multiple users are using the same network resources at the same time. As more users are added to the network, the available bandwidth is divided among them, resulting in slower speeds for each individual user.

In the case of DSL, the speed is affected by the number of users because the connection is transmitted over traditional telephone lines. These lines have limited bandwidth and can only handle a certain amount of data at a time. As more users are added, the available bandwidth is spread thinner, resulting in slower speeds for each user.

On the other hand, Fios and fiber optic connections use a more advanced infrastructure that is capable of handling larger amounts of data. However, even with these advanced technologies, the number of users can still affect the speed. This is because the network resources are still shared among all users in a particular area, and as more users are added, the available bandwidth is divided among them.

In terms of what is happening in the wires that slows the speed down, it is essentially a matter of data congestion. When there are too many users trying to access the network at the same time, the data packets can become congested and take longer to reach their intended destination. This results in slower speeds for users as their data has to wait in line to be transmitted.

Overall, the number of users online can certainly affect the speed of both DSL and Fios connections. It is important for internet service providers to regularly upgrade and expand their network infrastructure to accommodate the growing number of users and prevent data congestion.