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FTP: Speed Issue for downloads. Any ideas on cause?

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 10:23 am
by simonmlewis
I have a really big problem that is foxxing everyone concerned.

The FTP Host is on a dedicated server.
I can upload large files at 200-400kb/s.
But when I download, it's only at 11-15kb/s.

If I download from another hosting FTP server, it's at full speed on Fibre. Around 700kb/s.

If I connect to this problem server from someone elses computer (in another country!), it's downloading at 150kb/s.

I have reinstalled Filezilla.
Tried so many things.

If I view the 900kb image in my browser, it loads in a second. Yet via FTP it takes ages.

The ISP has said there is no restriction on that server. And from their end they tested it, and it's so fast they don't get to see the speed.

WHAT COULD BE THE CAUSE?

Re: FTP: Speed Issue for downloads. Any ideas on cause?

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 10:39 am
by simonmlewis
Is there a key difference between downloading an image from a folder on a server via FTP software, and downloading it from the site via a browser?

Re: FTP: Speed Issue for downloads. Any ideas on cause?

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 12:45 pm
by requinix
* Could it be that the first FTP host throttles downloads?
* When you connect through the other person's computer, are you connecting to them and then connecting to the FTP server? That'll cripple your speeds, especially when their computer is far away.
* FTP downloads will be just the raw file data, but HTTP downloads could be more complicated. For images there's probably not enough of a difference to matter.

Re: FTP: Speed Issue for downloads. Any ideas on cause?

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 3:25 pm
by simonmlewis
They have confirmed they don't do this throttling.
When I use the other person's computer, I see them over logmein, and then use their computer to connect to FTP; that method I see they get around 150kb/s. compare that with my 11kb/s.

So why would there be such a vast difference in speed between entering the full URL of the image and see it instantly (900kb), and downloading via FTP and it doing so at 11kb/s?

Re: FTP: Speed Issue for downloads. Any ideas on cause?

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 4:46 pm
by requinix
Is your ISP futzing around with the connection? That's the only thing I can think of that would reliably give you and only you slow speeds.

Re: FTP: Speed Issue for downloads. Any ideas on cause?

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 4:50 pm
by simonmlewis
But get this: if download from other FTPs, its very fast!

Re: FTP: Speed Issue for downloads. Any ideas on cause?

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 7:31 pm
by Eric!
What type of ftp session are you using? ftp? sftp? ftps? TSL over ftp? Have you tried other connection types?

Your server host provider might be running an ftp proxy that is causing you problems. If they are testing it from inside their own network they might not experience the proxy problem. Likewise other connections might not have a problem with the proxy depending on how it is dynamically routed.

You'll probably have to elevate the issue with your host and get someone to monitor your traffic because it sounds like it is a problem with the host to me.

Re: FTP: Speed Issue for downloads. Any ideas on cause?

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 5:06 pm
by pickle
You've verified it's not your account by using the same account on another computer.
You've verified it's not your computer nor your ISP by ftp-ing to another server.

The only 2 things I can think of is:
  1. maybe your ISP is throttling access from it's clients, to your FTP host/range of IP addresses. Do you have another computer you could try? Do you know someone else on the same ISP you could try?
  2. Maybe Filezilla has something in the saved session for that FTP server that limits download speeds? I'm not aware of any beyond restricting the number of connections, but you never know. Try a different client.

Re: FTP: Speed Issue for downloads. Any ideas on cause?

Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:58 am
by simonmlewis
Got some new suggestions that could be causing the problem.

I have a TV package called YouView on my Fibre Optic account.
It runs on port 5354, which I am told is a multi tasking port?!?!

I have the 'hosts' file running in: C:\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

When I run netstat -a, it sometimes runs it on 5354, but not always. And this problem has only started since installing YouView.

Could this be the cause??
How do I change the PORTS that the "localhost" runs on?