Internet Speed Inconsistent

[SHOUTINGPIRATE]

Hi,

I am experiencing a strange issue where my network speed seems to be dependant on load. I have 1GB from Virgin, with the hub in modem mode and Google WiFi and I am experiencing this both wired and wireless.

If I am downloading something to my Steam Deck wirelessly, phone wirelessly or my desktop which is hardwired I seem to average around 50-150mb/s, however as soon as I run a speed test on Google WiFi via the Google Home App all of my download speeds jump up to 600-1gb depending on wired or wireless. It will sit at this level for a few minutes before dropping down to around 200 for another few minutes before dropping back to the original speeds. So to download anything I find myself having to run speed tests to keep the workload and speeds up.

Anyone ever experienced something similar? Is there a "bandwidth saving" mode for Virgin or the modem I am missing? I will also ask this question of the Google forums.

Thank you,

[jpeg1]

Any form of speed test is invalid when the Hub/modem is dealing with other downloads. The indications depend entirely on how the modem relates two or more entirely different types of traffic. 

[SHOUTINGPIRATE]

Hi jpeg1,

Thank you for the information, is there a way to accurately measure the speed then? And how does it explain the speed going on the client devices when running speed tests?

[jpeg1]

The speed test will try to take the full network bandwidth for itself.  It cannot measure the speed taken by another device. 

[SHOUTINGPIRATE]

Another part of this, I can transfer from my local PC to another device and achieve 500-600mb/s but if I then take the same device and download something from the Internet, the speed is low until I read speed test. It is looking like Virgin are doing some form of softcap while there is no strain on the bandwidth, which I understand but I would just like to know what I need to do to keep these Internet speeds high without running the speed test every time I want to use the full bandwidth.

[jpeg1]

How are you measuring the speed before you use the speedtest? 

[SHOUTINGPIRATE]

Between devices iperf3, which is consistent regardless of external download speed. But for the speed test I am using Ookla and Steam Downloads, both hardwired on WiFi. I can watch my Steam Downloads speed go up as Speed Test is ran, then stay high and drop back down until it is run again.

Thank you,

[jpeg1]

If you run speedtest during a Steam download, all bets are off. Neither reading will be valid for reasons explained above.  I can only speculate that the Steam connection with its remote server is disrupted by the abrupt changes in bandwidth when the speedtest is running.

What I can be sure of is that the apparent changes in download speeds are due to what is happening on your side of the Hub rather than on the VM side. Can't you just forget the meaningless speed tests? 

[legacy1]

I would think your own router is causing this to not make your stream download hog the bandwidth 

[Client62]

I agree, this matter is about how the Google WiFi handles multiple loads & deals with Wi-Fi congestion.