App Store Software Update

[Elbert C]

I'm trying to download the latest update, 6.1.6, for Safari. My connection is slow but looking at Activity Monitor's Network tab it shows the data received being lost during the download, see screenshot. I'm using a 2012 Mac mini running OS X 10.8.5 behind a wireless router connected by an ethernet cable and a satellite dish for internet connection via starband. Is there anything I can do to speed up the download or is it App Store's end that's slow?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

I am not sure, where the lost data is shown there, but the App Store downloads are quite fast on a fast connection.
I could download from it with 3 to 5 MB/s when doing so.

And your download connection is quite slow, it is around 50 KB/s, which means, that 1 MB takes 20 seconds under optimal circumstances.

But the screenshot of Activity Monitor also reveals, that you currently are not receiving any data, at least when the screen was shot.

 

[glenthompson]

Satellite internet has a problem with very high latency times. The signal has to go 22k miles to the satellite then the same back to the base station. The reply takes the same distance. If you assume the ground portions operate instantly a request reply has to travel about 90k miles. That's ½ second. If the file transfer protocol requires acknowledgement before sending the next packet it can take a very long time with the high latency. Satellite does better with streaming protocols where data is sent but doesn't expect to be acknowledged.

 

[Elbert C]

I am not sure, where the lost data is shown there, but the App Store downloads are quite fast on a fast connection.
I could download from it with 3 to 5 MB/s when doing so.

And your download connection is quite slow, it is around 50 KB/s, which means, that 1 MB takes 20 seconds under optimal circumstances.

But the screenshot of Activity Monitor also reveals, that you currently are not receiving any data, at least when the screen was shot.

I took the screenshot during the download when it was coming down in short little bursts. AppStore showed it would take over an hour to download. Anyway, right after I posted this the data started to come down in a steady stream and I got it all within 10 minutes or so.

Satellite internet has a problem with very high latency times. The signal has to go 22k miles to the satellite then the same back to the base station. The reply takes the same distance. If you assume the ground portions operate instantly a request reply has to travel about 90k miles. That's ½ second. If the file transfer protocol requires acknowledgement before sending the next packet it can take a very long time with the high latency. Satellite does better with streaming protocols where data is sent but doesn't expect to be acknowledged.

Thanks for the informative reply, glenthompson.

 

[interstella]

I use satellite for my connection and my provider has its own web page for speed tests as the normal ones aren't usually much good for satellite connections. Does your ISP not do this?

Mind you, that speed is lousy by any measure. I get 20 Mb/s at quiet times and 7-10 MB/s at busy times but I'm on KASat, which is faster than most as it's a fairly new satellite.