Poplar Proxies don't reach 3 meg speed - Page 2

mrlipring · 26-03-2005, 02:48

I regularly get 350KB/sec from HTTP, and always get that kinda speed from FTP and NNTP. Obviously, FTP and NNTP aren't dependent on the proxies.

The occasions that i don't get full speed from HTTP, i'll assume the webserver can't spit it out that fast.

I haven't done extensive tests on the same file over and over again, at different times of the day, to ascertain if i regularly get the same speeds from the same servers.

it definitely looks like some proxies are faster than others, though. I don't know the areas you've spoken about, what's the difference in population density (and cable takeup?) in the areas?

Have you tried using a download manager (like at www.intelligentdownloadmanager.com ) to see if you can speed things up on the slow proxies. that'll be able to tell you if the proxies can handle the traffic or not. Might be that some proxies are setup to limit the speed of an individual thread, but this can be circumvented by downloading a file over 4, 8, or even 16 threads.

IanUK · 26-03-2005, 08:41

Quote:

I regularly get 350KB/sec from HTTP, and always get that kinda speed from FTP and NNTP. Obviously, FTP and NNTP aren't dependent on the proxies.

The occasions that i don't get full speed from HTTP, i'll assume the webserver can't spit it out that fast.

So do I if I specify virtually any proxy other than my default Poplar one, and I also get full speed from FTP and NNTP (especially now I tweaked my Rwin).

I'm still convinced that the Poplar Proxies are misconfigured or just can't handle a 3 meg connection, this problem is only going to get worse as speeds get higher and higher

cheers

Ian

Chrysalis · 26-03-2005, 09:10

Well I can tell you proxies that are not capable of 3mbit

Transperent proxies in leicester (not necessarily all of them but certianly never got above 150kB on none specified)
Nott-cache1
Glfd-cache3
Colc-cache6

Colc-cache2 and Colc-cache1 are both fast (over 330kB)

downquark1 · 26-03-2005, 10:15

tryed the colchester ones and I'm now getting 70kb each on 3 downloads from fileplanet

th'engineer · 27-03-2005, 09:30

Could it be the load balancing software and not the proxies.

I know on my tests to the manc ones it changes even specifying same proxy.

If you remember the load balancing software falls over all the time.

Even associates say its bobbins.

I think they need to sort it again the proxies are always NTLs achelles heal

downquark1 · 27-03-2005, 12:24

Just posting more evidence:

I have 3 downloads coming from the same fileplanet server, the one going through my regular manchester proxy immediately went to 20KB. I then switched to the col-1 and started 2 more, those are coming through at 88KB and 112KB.

IanUK · 27-03-2005, 15:08

Downloaded some Theme's from wincustomize.com, same old story - 109k at max from Poplar Proxies, 320k-350k from Hersham & Colchester, did this many times always the same speed differences.

Surely several NTL tech's have seen this thread by now, their silence is sadly deafening - I think there is nothing that can be done, the proxies at Poplar (and apparently some other places) are just inferior to others, this isn't just on some sites but nearly *all* sites

It doesn't seem to be a network issue as the speed is there and available but the proxies are capping, hey maybe thats how NTL will enforce the caps

heh

Cheers

Ian

ian@huth · 27-03-2005, 17:48

I suppose that if a lot of customers start specifying proxies when they experience not being able to connect to some sites and leave that proxy set then eventually some proxies will become congested and lead to speed degradation. The more customers that have their speed increased, the more that congestion may occur.

mrlipring · 27-03-2005, 17:49

has anyone tried multithreaded downloads yet? Just to see if the proxies are capable or not.

IanUK · 27-03-2005, 19:01

Multithreads (2 or 3) on Easynews http site brings in the full speed on the Poplar Proxies, but single thread on the other proxies brings in full speed all the time.

So I'd guess the Poplar Proxies are capable of the full speed, but are somehow throttled whereas most of the other Proxies are not.

Strange and annoying, yet another proxy related problem it seems

I wish they'd just get rid of them as Freeserve/Wanadoo did...
__________________

Could be a coincidence, could be a reason - the proxies I always get full speed from (Colchester/Hersham/Swansea) appear to be Inktomi and most others (including Poplar) are NetApps - this is according to Robins page here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d...cache.html#ntl

Could this be the reason, the Inktomi Proxies can handle 3 meg speeds and the Netapp ones can't ?

Cheers

Ian

Ignition · 27-03-2005, 19:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanUK

Could this be the reason, the Inktomi Proxies can handle 3 meg speeds and the Netapp ones can't ?

No, the NetApps are meatier boxes. Load related perhaps.

That list is out of date. Swansea is definitely not Inktomi.

Chrysalis · 28-03-2005, 01:51

Well ideally NTL should be looking at this issue and if they have no quick fix then morally they should be disabling all the proxy servers that cant handle the load. (perhaps disable for all top tier customers only)

Ignition · 28-03-2005, 07:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

(perhaps disable for all top tier customers only)

Heh, find me a way for different tiers to be differentiated at the proxies and I'll be happy to suggest this.

IanUK · 28-03-2005, 14:49

How about suggesting they fix the Poplar Proxies

Chrysalis · 29-03-2005, 04:59

Ignition the only way I could think of is when dhcp server is assigning ip's it gives a specific range to top tier customers then that range is bypassed the proxies on a access control list.

If this isnt possible then really the proxies should be disabled until they are capable of not degrading the service.

IanUK its more then just poplar.