OS X and internet speed

[i.shaun]

Just wondering if anyone knows: Does OS X limit internet connectivity at all?


I have just taken an ethernet cable and hooked it to my PS3, and changed DNS servers to something better -- my results at speedtest.net have gone way up.


Originally speedtest.net would display about 4.25 Mb/s download speed on wireless -- now it displays 20.0 Mb/s That's a HUGE boost.






Now. . on the iMac, I have done the same, only difference being that it isn't a single Ethernet cable. I manually spliced the wires like I've done before to change the ends that were missing. The mac displays 3.06 Mb/s



What's going on here? I heard windows limits connections to "10 half open connections" or something like that (not too sure what that even means) -- so I was wondering if OS X does a similar thing.



Another possible problem is the splice, but I did it twice with different ends, so I couldn't have missed a wire or anything. Is it possible that I'm using ends that aren't designed for that speed? I kind of thought an ethernet cable was an ethernet cable -- the wires inside were all the same, matching colors too.

 

[MacDawg]

I don't think OS X throttles down or bottlenecks your connection in anyway
Not by design at least

I think there are plenty of other variables involved here


Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[i.shaun]

I did another couple tests with the PS3/iMac

I used the Ethernet cable from the PS3 that was registering 20.0 Mb/s on the mac -- and vice versa.



The one originally connected to the PS3 which read 20.0 Mb/s download speed was at a high of 3.84 download speed on the iMac.



The one that was on the iMac (the wire with crude splices in it) registered 15.0 Mb/s on the Ps3. Then another test it was down to 6 Mb/s -- that's still double what it was showing on the mac!




What was determined is:
-One ethernet cable is clearly lacking speed, most likely from the crude splices done to it.

-The iMac Definitely slows down internet speed as it brought a wire from 20 Mb/s to 3.84 Mb/s

 

[jabrowntx]

If you haven't done this yet, you may want to try to disable IPV6 unless you are specifically using it. You may at least "feel" a difference.

 

[i.shaun]

If you haven't done this yet, you may want to try to disable IPV6 unless you are specifically using it. You may at least "feel" a difference.

Well it helped, but not by much haha

From 3.84 to 3.85 Mb/s download speed.


There's gotta be some setting somewhere for this. . It can't be the Airport Extreme, as the PS3 is connected to the same router. The cable may be lacking speed but it can go up to at least 15 Mb/s


I have the OS X firewall enabled if that counts. No options enabled except for "network time".

 

[i.shaun]

No other ideas? What are other people's results at www.speedtest.net? My mac seems to cap it at 3.85 Mb/s download speed

 

[Cboss]

I've gotten into the 90Mb/s with my MacBook. I don't think it's the computer, probably something else.

 

[i.shaun]

I've gotten into the 90Mb/s with my MacBook. I don't think it's the computer, probably something else.

the cable that I got 20 Mb/s on was used on the mac for several tests and only came up to 3.85 Mb/s



The cable currently on the mac seems to have trouble and can go to a max of 15 Mb/s but it too is capped at 3.84 Mb/s on the mac.




If it's not the mac, I'd like to know what it is because the same wire on the PS3 goes to 20 Mb/s -- that tells me it's not the router, and it's not the cable -- it's the mac.

 

[LurchNC]

I ran the test and I'm getting 6Mb/s, which is what I'm paying for, so it's good. lol

 

[old-wiz]

are you sure your internet connection really supports that speed?

 

[i.shaun]

are you sure your internet connection really supports that speed?

it should, I'm on high speed, and the Ps3 can get that speed to that indicates that the router is capable, the wire is capable, and so is the connection. It appears that the problem resides on the mac end, but I am at a loss as to what can cause such a slowdown.



Maybe I should turn off my firewall or something. . .