How can I verify my ISP internet speed?

[Karl Pielorz]

--On 08 July 2003 20:35 +0900 Rob Lahaye <lahaye at users.sourceforge.net> 
wrote:

>
>
> Hi,
>
> I have my FreeBSD PC connected to the internet via ADSL with PPPoE.
> My ISP claims my speed is 2 Mbs. Is there a reliable command on my
> FreeBSD system to double check the internet speed?
>
> I ask this, because when I complain, the answer is always that the reason
> for slow network is due to the slow response of the sites I access. Is
> this situation I find it difficult to verify who is right.

I used to use 'bing' (look in the ports collection) for doing this [I don't 
know how much 'in favour' it is these days] - but just remember this kind 
of this is never going to be that 'accurate' with stuff like ADSL - 
especially when you're at the end of what might be a long IP food chain 
(many hops)...

It could be your ISP, it could be contention at your local Exchange, it 
could be contention at any point from you to the remote system (Try a 
traceroute and see what that says about ping times to the various hops).

The other thing to bear in mind (without wildly defending your ISP :) - is 
that just because you have 2Mbs the other site may not have 2Mb's to supply 
you with :-) [Plus most countries ADSL services are condended 20, or 50:1, 
or have at least some kind of local contention].

Failing all else try searching around a bit with a search engine, e.g. 
google for other tools / tests etc.

-Kp