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Rick Riley · Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:56 pm Post subject: Internet Speed - Fastest Browser?

After dealing with Comcast today (not a terribly unpleasant experience} I decided to run a speed test to see what I'm getting. As part of www.speedtest.net there is an ad that says, 'Too Slow? Test again with a faster web browser', which carried the Google Chrome icon. I'm an IE user, and while I realize a lot of people would say I'm using a dinosaur, I tested the other three that I know of, to see if that's true. My results using my local Comcast hub as my test website...

IE 10 - Download 50.05 Mbps / Upload 5.98 Mbps

Google Chrome - Download 33.32 Mbps / Upload 5.99 Mbps

Firefox - Download 31.49 Mbps / Upload 5.89 Mbps

Safari - Download 49.58 Mbps / Upload 5.94 Mbps

Don't know if you will find this interesting, but since most of us deal with large files, rather than waste my time on my own, I thought I'd share it with you.
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Bruce · Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:10 pm Post subject:

I'm Comcast also in the Portland area and with Firefox on my Mac, hard wired not wireless I got:

Download 67.05 Mbps
Upload 12.12 Mbps

Pretty good these days.

I've been paying for the better speed ($78/month?) but now wonder if it's worth it. Upload speed is the only thing that matters to me for sending big files, but I've discovered nice things to do while uploading if it's taking a while.

B
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Bish · Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:22 pm Post subject:

Interesting... there may be overhead in a browser when using Speedtest... but most of my big file uploads are done via FTP (CyberDuck) and not actually via a web browser. My biggest web-based file uploads are usually audiobooks. It would be interesting to know if the slower browser is flattening at the top, or giving a slower across-the-range speed. I always found that Speedtest was misleading as it's not a real world test. I'm running about 30Mbps upload on the test, but when sending files, I wouldn't expect to get anywhere near that.

Just for S&G, I did the test on Firefox and Safari (to the same server)

Firefox 116/36
Safari 117/37

No differences there.
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Deirdre · Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:25 pm Post subject:

9-10-13
Comcast, South Berwick, Maine
Safari
ping 12ms
23.51 Up
4.65 down

Chrome
ping 27ms
23.31 up
4.72 down

But frankly, checking your speeds within a browser is just a way to check the ballpark speed. Most of us use an ftp client to do the uploads and client downloads.
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Bailey · Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:25 pm Post subject:

If this is a Dinosaur...

Rick Riley · Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 4:09 pm Post subject:

vkuehn · Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 4:54 pm Post subject:

Until the current point in development of the Internet, I have always assumed that the speed of your connection/ISP was more critical than anything that your browser can do to it or for it.

I keep multiple browsers on my system. Some discussion forums like one browser better than another. Same for websites in general. (A truly good and professional web builder tests on ALL browsers and fixes the web site so it will "play nice" with any browser that comes calling.

I haven't taken the time to track it down and neuter it, but everytime I load IE, a pop-up window informs me that I could speed up browsing by turning off plug-ins. And then it lists two minor plug-in I have which I consider useful or essential. I want to face Redmond WA and scream at the top of my lungs: Your stupid help pop-up slows me down more the the two plugs ins. How do I turn of your NAG SCREEN????

I know many people are as passionate about which browser to use as they are about which car to buy, or which sports team to follow, but I can't see enough speed difference in the various browsers to worry about it.

Ed Fisher · Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 9:43 pm Post subject:

You might try this site.

http://www.testmy.net

I understand they use larger files for the test. Which should (in theory) give you a more accurate "real world" measurement.

I also find that if things get "sluggish" that a simple power off for 30 seconds of my modem and router. Then re-power the modem. Wait until it has completed it's cycle and ALL Lights are lit up and appear steady. Then re-power the router. Shortly you should be flying again.
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Jeffrey Kafer · Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 10:09 pm Post subject:

the browser has very little to do with raw download speeds, if anything. It just opens up a connection and it let's the download do its thing. it's kind of like saying that one car is faster at falling off a cliff than another car.

Where browsers compete in "speed" is in page rendering, CSS, javascript, and HTML5 performance.
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Yonie · CM Joined: 31 Aug 2011 Posts: 906

Chrome or Firefox for performance that matters. I ain't using no IE dinosaur.

Jen Gosnell · Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 1:49 am Post subject:

Eh, I dunno Yonie.The browsers are always at war trying to out-optimize each other performance-wise. IE may be a granddaddy, but I've had friends whose sole job assignment was to make that sucker beat Chrome (or Browser X or Y) in the kinds of performance that Jeff was talking about. It's like cellular networks - there isn't really a static answer over months or years as to which is faster or better optimized for factors A, B or C. They just keep clawing away at each other for some level of incremental edge and, rarely, make a significant if fleeting leap to the fore. Get Lost

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Scott Pollak · Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 4:59 am Post subject:

I know the question Rick posed was whether there was a FASTEST browser, but as to which browser is the BEST?

It's the one that works best for you.
They all have their pros and cons. I personally became a Chrome guy a couple of years ago, but that doesn't mean it's any better (or worse) than IE, Firefox or Safari. Occasionally I'll use all of them from time to time. And truth be told, there are still one or two sites out there you have to use IE for (or Firefox) because it doesn't 'recognize' Chrome.
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Yonie · CM Joined: 31 Aug 2011 Posts: 906

Chrome is bestest!

Gon' be sulking in the corner now. Don't nobody whisper none of that IE nonsense to me.

Lee Gordon · Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 1:16 am Post subject:

I was always an IE user until IE 9 came out and, for some reason, my browsing slowed to a crawl, so I switched to Chrome. This thread prompted me to try speedtest with Chrome, Firefox and IE and, somewhat to my surprise, the fastest times were achieve with Internet Exploder.
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jsgilbert · Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:06 am Post subject:

With regards to uploading files, most of us using FTP clients might not realize that there are huge speed differences from one to another. Some of the free one's actually put a "governor" on upload speed, artificially forcing it slow, so you'll pay the $30 or $40 for thier paid version of the software/ service.

Using 5 different FTP servers over a period of three days, on the same files, the slowest averaged less than 50 mps, while the fastest was close to 320 mps average.

The winner in my case was a free one called "Coffee Cup" FTP server. I am using it on a Windows i7 quad computer, with 16 gigs of ram, using ComCast's premium internet service. "Coffee Cup" is also available for the Mac. I don't use the Mac for uploading, so I don't know how well it performs.
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