Verizon DSL "throttling" downloads?????

[Gene_J]

I am using Verizon DSL in the LA-CA area and am experiencing major download speed problems. The download graph is basically a straight horizontal line which seems to indicate an artificial download ceiling. I believe the stickies refer to it as "throttling"

I experimented by alternatively pausing downloads and discovered after pausing a file (or files) the downloading speed of the remaining unpaused file(s) always stoped increasing in speed when they reached that seemingly predefined barrier. Nothing ever goes beyond the barrier, even though my download speed is 10x (a true 1.5 megabit line) what I can get with uTorrent.

This problem occurs regardless of the number of files being downloaded

I am using an AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ (2.8GHz 2x 1M L2) processor with 4 GB of RAM; 1 terabyte of available disk wired to a single dedicated line which was only running uTorrent. . . . every other nonessential program was closed during my "little" test.

The port being used, 6346, is functioning properly and the router was configured for uTorrent.

Any suggestions as to where the problem may be?

Thanking everyone in advance.

Gene

[Switeck]

What upload settings are you trying to use?

And is your connection symmetric (just as fast up as down)?

[Gene_J]

Switeck,

I've tried everything from 1 to 30kb per file. The unlimited upload setting seems to significantly reduce download speeds.

The connection is asymmetric.

As a footnote, a few years ago, prior to focusing on the ISPs in the music and movie litigation, download speeds ran at the physical limits of my connection and I was only using a P4. Recently, as you may know, Verizon was brought into litigation and forced to disclose IP addresses.

Thanks for your help,

Gene

[Ultima]

It's funny that you should mention how a P4 worked fine before, as your current processor/motherboard are suspect.

[Gene_J]

Ultima,

No, it's not funny. But it is a clue.

As you read, this "ceiling" is a recent occurrence. Without using Empirical Research 101 and just looking at a few variables, one can surmise that it's not the machine . . . and probably not the uTorrent software.

It would seem, based on conjecture only mind you, the problem is somewhere between the person sending the data and my machine.

Not to change the topic but, was it in Sweden several weeks ago an experimental internet system was set-up that transmitted 5gBytes in slightly over 4 seconds? Interestingly, they used only current technology to construct the system.

[Ultima]

Regardless, you should probably make sure that you've got the latest drivers installed for your chipset :/

And I didn't mean funny in a literal sense (more like interesting), but whatever, I guess it's just a spoken thing that doesn't carry over well when in written form.

[Gene_J]

Ultima,

No it's that I have the world's driest sense of humor. Plus, I have a hard science background, so levity does not creep into these "little" research projects as I take the projects much too seriously. At least that's what I've been told.

Sorry.

I updated the drivers and software shortly after I noticed the problem. But I have not experimented with the available ports and have not encrypted the data.

Gene

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The question I should have started with is:

Is there any evidence indicating Verizon throttles downloads???

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