When my ISP says their DSL download speed is say 1.5MB, will that number vary with different computers or should that not matter (as long as it's not a 386 !!)

As long as the ISP's minimum requirements are met, will download speeds be the same as someone with say a Pentium4 that's maxed out, and if not, why ???

Your download speed will be split evenly between machines. However, your download speed also varies based on the upload speed of the other side.
So it doesn't matter if you "can" download at 1.5MB, if you are downloading from a server which is "uploading" at 50K, you'll only GET 50K.

On the other hand, if you download from a site like Fileplanet, you can get speeds like 1.5KB/s. Which is pretty fast upload speed, you'll get all that.

In my area, the cable company throttles your connection, mainly upload speeds. They say I get 256k upload, but I'll never get that much. However, on my downloads, I can pull as much as I got.

Anyways, if you get 1.5MB, it won't matter the computer, as long as the computer is fast enough to keep up. Which they would be. But if you have 10 machines behind a router, they will attempt to split evenly. At least I'm pretty sure!

Thanks for the reply. I guess I wasn't totally clear with my question but your last sentence got at what I was asking. I simply wanted to know if you hooked, alternately a Pent I and then a Pent4 to the same DSL connection (and downloaded the same file), would the Pent4's download speed be faster or would they be the same ?

Well as long as the Pent I's components are capable of accepting 10mbit connections, like the P4 has 100 mbit, then they will probably get the same speeds. However the P I probably has slower components and will not be able to keep up with the P4.

Thanks poertner !

P.S. 3557 posts ???? DAMN !!!!

LOL, Phantasm has over 6000.

I've been around since 2001 or so. It's a great site, I wouldn't be anywhere else

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