View Full Version : 100MB Capacity and USB connection question.
Basically when I connect my Cable Modem to the computer and then click on the active connection to see the techy stuff, it shows the speed as 100.0MB, does that mean my area has the capability to go up as far as 100MB? (Before it used to 29.0MB,last year that is)
I'm on 2MB and speedtests show my speed right at this moment as 1.9MB thats through speedtest.net and my pc.
Also what is the maximum speed you can recieve when you use a USB as i've been told that if you do not use a ethernet cable it only carries up to a certain speed.
Thankyou
SteevieNiteHeat
30-08-2008, 00:07
Basically when I connect my Cable Modem to the computer and then click on the active connection to see the techy stuff, it shows the speed as 100.0MB, does that mean my area has the capability to go up as far as 100MB? (Before it used to 29.0MB,last year that is)
I'm on 2MB and speedtests show my speed right at this moment as 1.9MB thats through speedtest.net and my pc.
Also what is the maximum speed you can recieve when you use a USB as i've been told that if you do not use a ethernet cable it only carries up to a certain speed.
Thankyou
No, this is just the link speed of the network card ie, if you connect it to another pc, the maximum transfer would be 100Mb (10MegaBytes/s) but just because it says 100Mb does not mean that's your internet speed :)
Oh thankyou!
Oh I know thats not my internet speed lol was asking if that means that my local area can support those speeds. But you have answered that now anyway.
Nope all it means is that your ethernet card in your pc can handle 100Mb...so say if Virgin Media start doing 100Mb then you will get that speed but like u said your on 2Mb so you will only get that speed to which you've subscribed. :D
I dont have an ethernet card, my pc doesnt have an ethernet point either, thats why I use a USB cable. What is the highest speed you can go with a USB connection?
I dont have an ethernet card, my pc doesnt have an ethernet point either, thats why I use a USB cable. What is the highest speed you can go with a USB connection?
Buy one. The £5~ you pay for it will be worth every penny.
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132468
Buy one. The £5~ you pay for it will be worth every penny.
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/132468
Not if he's only on 2Mb.
I think USB ports are very slow in this case, only managing 5Mb or so.
whydoIneedatech
30-08-2008, 09:02
USB is only capable about 6/7 mb you really need to get a NIC card because it will give you a better and cleaner connection, plus USB connections are unsupported by Virgin.
USB1 is capable of 12Mb and USB2 is 480Mb, All of the modems are USB1, the Ambit256 and 255 I believe do not have a USB port. It's why you can NOT get XL(20Mb) via a USB modem but instead you need an ethernet connection to the modem
Zhadnost
30-08-2008, 10:13
Also not fogetting that if you use the USB port, the network connection will be using a lot more of your computers runtime.
(personally I'd rather grab a S/H intel 10/100 card for £2, then use a new Realtek card though).
USB is only capable about 6/7 mb you really need to get a NIC card because it will give you a better and cleaner connection, plus USB connections are unsupported by Virgin.
and crap.
No, this is just the link speed of the network card ie, if you connect it to another pc, the maximum transfer would be 100Mb (10MegaBytes/s) but just because it says 100Mb does not mean that's your internet speed :)
Sorry to be anal but Mb = Megabit (100Mb/sec = ~12.5MB/sec) :p:
EDIT: oh you said 10..... well ignore me then haha
whydoIneedatech
30-08-2008, 18:48
and crap.
In what way???
Better to put reason.;)
USB1 is capable of 12Mb and USB2 is 480Mb, All of the modems are USB1, the Ambit256 and 255 I believe do not have a USB port. It's why you can NOT get XL(20Mb) via a USB modem but instead you need an ethernet connection to the modem
It's also worth noting that these are maximum burst speeds, you will rarely get these kind of numbers as a sustained throughput.
IIRC USB bandwidth is also shared with other devices (and not necessarily only shared with USB devices). I'm 100% sure about this though - I may be misremembering it!
Ed.
It's also worth noting that these are maximum burst speeds, you will rarely get these kind of numbers as a sustained throughput.
IIRC USB bandwidth is also shared with other devices (and not necessarily only shared with USB devices). I'm 100% sure about this though - I may be misremembering it!
Ed.
Either way it's still a maximum of 12Mb and hence answers the OP's question :p:
Either way it's still a maximum of 12Mb and hence answers the OP's question :p:
Agreed. I only added my comment because, based on the theoretical maximums, a USB1 connection would not act as a bottleneck to VM's 10Mb service. In reality it probably would.
Ed.
Zhadnost
30-08-2008, 20:38
Just to be a pedant.
USB 1.0 = 1.536 Mbit
USB 1.1 = 12 Mbit
USB 2.0 = 480 Mbit
USB 3.0 = 4800 Mbit (only available in demo hardware atm.)
Either way, USB devices rely a lot more on the host machines resources.
USB1 is capable of 12Mb and USB2 is 480Mb, All of the modems are USB1, the Ambit256 and 255 I believe do not have a USB port. It's why you can NOT get XL(20Mb) via a USB modem but instead you need an ethernet connection to the modem
USB2 can only reach 480Mb in bursts. It averages (I believe) less than 100 meg.
This actually the major difference between USB and Firewire. Firewire can reach 400 meg and sustain that speed.
Thanks for all your recommendations!
I shall get rid of the USB as soon as I buy a new laptop, might as well!
In what way???
Better to put reason.;)
limited throughput being the main reason...
Zhadnost
31-08-2008, 09:01
USB2 can only reach 480Mb in bursts. It averages (I believe) less than 100 meg.
This actually the major difference between USB and Firewire. Firewire can reach 400 meg and sustain that speed.
Which of course depends on the variety of Firewire. (There are 100Mb, 200Mb, 400Mb, 800Mb, 1600Mb and 3200Mb varieties).
USB2 can only reach 480Mb in bursts. It averages (I believe) less than 100 meg.
This actually the major difference between USB and Firewire. Firewire can reach 400 meg and sustain that speed.
FIrewire also has more in common with LAN aswel, the controlling hardware is on the device rather than relying on the host systems resources like USB. That always made me wonder really why more modems, routers etc didnt have firewire ports instead of USB, the only reason I could come up with is that firewire is generally not standard hardware in a PC, though it is sometimes integrated into motherboards it is generally an aftermarket option and until recently was rarely included in builds from the big manufacturers such as dell unless you are buying more high-end. This obviously makes it less widespread unless we're talking laptops.
whydoIneedatech
31-08-2008, 15:05
limited throughput being the main reason...
Still no clearer as to limited throughput.
USB is not supported by Virginmedia and has not been for around 18 months anyway, you may have noticed that the Ambit 255/256 only come with a Ethernet port fitted, so any discussion as to the merits for and against USB no longer matter as you have no connection if you receive a nwe modem and have no NIC fitted.
Which is weird as the business modems (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/33619125-ntl-business-2050-cable-modem-problems.html)come with a USB port even for the 20Mb service ;)
whydoIneedatech
31-08-2008, 15:12
Which is weird as the business modems (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/33619125-ntl-business-2050-cable-modem-problems.html)come with a USB port even for the 20Mb service ;)
That is due to the models being supplied still having them, when new models appear they will no longer have USB.
All previous Virgin modems were supplied fitted with USB ports, but as Virgin no longer support USB they bought their new modems with only Ethernet fitted saving money at the same time.;)
Still no clearer as to limited throughput.
USB is not supported by Virginmedia and has not been for around 18 months anyway, you may have noticed that the Ambit 255/256 only come with a Ethernet port fitted, so any discussion as to the merits for and against USB no longer matter as you have no connection if you receive a nwe modem and have no NIC fitted.
USB doesn't support anything beyond 5mb? case in point.
Still no clearer as to limited throughput.
USB is not supported by Virginmedia and has not been for around 18 months anyway, you may have noticed that the Ambit 255/256 only come with a Ethernet port fitted, so any discussion as to the merits for and against USB no longer matter as you have no connection if you receive a nwe modem and have no NIC fitted.
USB has limited throughput, particularly if the machine is doing a lot of processing simply because USB relies on the system's CPU to process the data coming through the connection. Firewire doesn't have the same problem because it requires that any processing it needs done is done by the firewire chipset. This means that Firewire is (comparitively) more expensive than USB because the chips need more processing power.
FIrewire also has more in common with LAN aswel, the controlling hardware is on the device rather than relying on the host systems resources like USB. That always made me wonder really why more modems, routers etc didnt have firewire ports instead of USB, the only reason I could come up with is that firewire is generally not standard hardware in a PC, though it is sometimes integrated into motherboards it is generally an aftermarket option and until recently was rarely included in builds from the big manufacturers such as dell unless you are buying more high-end. This obviously makes it less widespread unless we're talking laptops.
I think the reason that firewire is not in use on more PCs is partly because of the cost thing (above) and partly because Intel are a major backer of USB (but not firewire) and, as such, I suspect they have been gently pushing PC manufacturers toward USB.
nope , its been long known in the computer industry the reason FireWire* isnt seen as much as USB* is the licence fees that apple ask for.
FireWire costs something like 25c for every system produced to licence.
USB uses a flat fee system of something like $1500
or is it now around $2600 a year, i forget, and AFAIK that one off cost is still potentially for ever and on a sliding scale for gross product.
as for the speeds its pritty simple, the word your looking for is DMA (Direct Memory Access),
USB client devices do not use DMA and so are slower, also to slow them down even more they can only talk to their connected host, If you want to get data from one device to another, the host has to read it from one client device and write it to the other client device, in simple terms, the data has to be transferred twice.
however FireWire uses DMA and can transfer data from any client/server device on the bus to any other client/server device with only one data transfer without the need for a host controller to interprete and store the data along the way.
its true the firewire chipset is slighty more cost, but thats due to economy of scale disadvantage to USB , thats were the licence fees came in.
of the two, firewire* with its DMA capabilitys is the better tech option and you can buy external hubs and boxes to put your devices into on the open market, however, Esata came along and made both firewire* and USB* reduntent for storage devices, only its licence fees are once again holding that back today, (will they never learn the lessons).
its interesting that some VM tech? whydoIneedatech is saying USB isnt supported anymore, did you forget VM are still to this day supplying the blue USB-to-Ethernet dongles to any customer that does not have an internal ethernet connector onboard.
thats still cheaper and quicker for VM than opening the customers case and pluging in a generic real and cheap RTL ethernet card into a spare white PCI slot from an insurance coverage POV, so thats why they do it today.
whydoIneedatech
01-09-2008, 16:21
its interesting that some VM tech? whydoIneedatech is saying USB isnt supported anymore, did you forget VM are still to this day supplying the blue USB-to-Ethernet dongles to any customer that does not have an internal ethernet connector onboard.
Virgin no longer supply these devices and stopped at the same time they stopped supporting USB via cable.
If you have one and it fails it will not be replaced and fitting an Ethernet card is the only other no wireless way of connecting your PC.
How do I know this? Because I have had to tell customers who have called in with that device what I have printed above.
Virginmedia no longer support connection via a USB port on your machine direct from your modem.;)
We are not talking about Wirelessly connecting a PC either that is a separate issue.
Also remember that you do not even need to use a USB dongle to get your PC wireless.;)
popper said:"did you forget VM are still to this day supplying the blue USB-to-Ethernet dongles to any customer that does not have an internal ethernet connector onboard."
How do I know this?, last friday i personally helped a friend that was getting VM installed get online, and the VM tech handed me one of these very same official blue USB-to Ethernet devices directly out of the back of his van.
infact he had loads of these devices in little white cardboardboxs as mostly people didnt need or want them but he's carryed these for a very long time now.
it might be different in your Knowsley part of the VM network, but here in the baguley/NW section the teams are still supplying these USB devices if asked, or are required to complete an install, after all VM are renting you the kit not asking you to buy and own your own Cable kit from any EU wide cable kit vendor (mores the pitty, PCI DVC-C cards being far better for the tech PC owner than any VM supplyed STB OC).
"Because I have had to tell customers who have called in with that device what I have printed above.
"
"Virgin no longer supply these devices"
sure, but if that same customer is from around here and potentially anywere BUT your part of Knowsley, your currently giving them bad/wrong advice based on what some local manager told you perhaps, but as can be seen in reality thats not the case everywere.
sure, a non USB Ethernet card is a good investment and having them consider buying one on these grounds is just fine,officially telling a customer VM dont supply these USB and the customer finding out later they do doesnt look to good on the company or the person that told them this and they will remember
for the OP, the reason you are seeing this auto negotiated 100Mbit speed is because all broadband modems be they cable or *DSL are made up of several parts, the WAN part is what speed you pay for (before STM), and the part your seeing, the LAN part auto speed.
you can talk to the LAN part at that 100Mbit speed, that then bridges the two parts the LAN to the WAN and uses the far lower speed you payed for etc from that point on so its slowed down before it even passes off your desk when its going to the WAN (web) part.
Well I got my modem replaced in May of this year,but as I said I am planning to get a new O/S anytime soon and once i've done that I will upgrade to higher speeds as then I can use the ethernet connection.
whydoIneedatech
02-09-2008, 23:22
A VM tech handed me one of these very same official blue USB-to Ethernet devices directly out of the back of his van.
in fact he had loads of these devices in little white cardboardboxs as mostly people didnt need or want them but he's carryed these for a very long time now.
sure, a non USB Ethernet card is a good investment and having them consider buying one on these grounds is just fine,officially telling a customer VM dont supply these USB and the customer finding out later they do doesnt look to good on the company or the person that told them this and they will remember
We as a company no longer support or issue these devices and therefore they are not trained out to Tech Support staff and for that reason most agents will have no idea what that device is if you call in with a problem with it, so if a Tech is handing them out then he is giving out old stock from his van which is an unofficially sanctioned item, so it negates the above comment that the customer will remember that Tech Support said we no longer issue them, they will actually remember that it was the Tech that gave them a device that we no longer support!
If this item goes faulty where will they get a new one from? certainly not from Tech Support as we do not have this device listed, so your friend should have asked for a couple of more devices from that Tech or fitted a NIC.
Also if a customer rings in and asks for the driver disk for that device then they are out of luck as we no longer stock them either.
So accepting and using a totally unsupported device that was given to you by a Tech means that Virgin are at fault, I think not!
Ken Underwood
05-09-2008, 22:22
No, this is just the link speed of the network card ie, if you connect it to another pc, the maximum transfer would be 100Mb (10MegaBytes/s) but just because it says 100Mb does not mean that's your internet speed :)
Sorry steeviemate I don't think 10mB is ever = 100Mb
tomjleeds
06-09-2008, 01:52
Sorry steeviemate I don't think 10mB is ever = 100Mb
True, and technically there is no mB, but I'll gloss over that one ;) 100Mb is theoretically 12.5MB, but realistically less.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Underwood http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/33638039-100mb-capacity-and-usb-connection-question-page-3.html#post34632761)
Sorry steeviemate I don't think 10mB is ever = 100Mb
tomjleeds (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/members/4660.html) True, and technically there is no mB, but I'll gloss over that one ;) 100Mb is theoretically 12.5MB, but realistically less.
actually,Technically and in reality kB kibiByte, mB mebiByte etc does exist, and its got its own official standard and everything as set by the IEC standard prefixes.
In January 1999 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999), the International Electrotechnical Commission (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Electrotechnical_Commission) introduced in an addendum to IEC 60027-2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60027) the prefixes kibi- (kibibyte (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibibyte)), mebi-, gibi-, etc..
but you both misread SteevieNiteHeats comment anyway, he actually said
10MegaBytes/s which after overheads and tcp/ip ACKs is pritty close to the max 100Megabit/12.5 MegaBytes throughput of the official standard.
sure you dont have to use tcp/ip for the protocol, but thats what 90%+_ of traffic uses over 100Mbit Ethernet so its a valid round No.
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