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Every-time i download something from he internet my speed is somewhat 400 kbps to 700 kbps. I have a 1mbps net connection . Why am I not able to use entire net speed. Is this problem related to any hardware issues?

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Your download speed is limited by a couple of things:

  • Server speed (that you are downloading FROM)
  • Network speed
  • Disk speed (speed you can write to your drives)

You are most likely limited by the server speed. Also, depending on your connection, your 1mbps is probably "max" speed. I.e. if all conditions are favorable. Heavy traffic on your ISPs network could drop that number.

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Correct. A lot of people forget (or simply don't know) that no matter how fast your connection is, if the server at the other end (or the network, if heavily loaded) can only send you stuff at half that speed, that's all you're going to get. – MetalMikester Aug 31 '10 at 18:59
Thanks, @MetalMikester. Questions like this seem to come up here a couple of times a week. Related is "why can't i transfer at 1Gbps on my home network?" – JNK Aug 31 '10 at 19:01
Note that the quoted 1Gbps (or whatever) is the theoretical maximum network speed. In actual use there's interference and overhead from various sources that can impact that number. Also, especially for WiFi, the stated speed is shared so you'll see less than half that when moving files between two WiFi devices. – Chris Nava Aug 31 '10 at 20:03

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