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download bar showing wrong speed

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I have been downloading much stuff lately. When I look at the download progress, it will tell me that the file is downloading at anywhere from 100KB/s to 140KB/s However: 1) If I actually time how long it takes for the file to progress 1MB, it takes 20sec to 24sec 2) If I look at windows resource manager, it tells me firefox is pulling 45,000B/s to 56,000B/s (44KB/s to 55KB/s) 3) A download add-on that calculates the average speed during download is reporting the files were averaging 49KB/s to 55KB/s. 4) The site I am downloading from is supposed to be limiting me to 50KB/s.

All the alternate methods which I can use to calculate my download speed indicate that firefox is reporting a downspeed 2 times faster than what is actually occuring. Furthermore, firefox is reporting an estimated time remaining that is not nearly correct.

Given that the website I am downloading from is supposed to be limiting me to 50KB/s, I was confused by how firefox was reporting over 100KB/s. Overall, the inaccurate firefox reported speed is causing much consternation with regards to scheduling of resources.

What might account for the inaccurate reported values?

I have been downloading much stuff lately. When I look at the download progress, it will tell me that the file is downloading at anywhere from 100KB/s to 140KB/s However: 1) If I actually time how long it takes for the file to progress 1MB, it takes 20sec to 24sec 2) If I look at windows resource manager, it tells me firefox is pulling 45,000B/s to 56,000B/s (44KB/s to 55KB/s) 3) A download add-on that calculates the average speed during download is reporting the files were averaging 49KB/s to 55KB/s. 4) The site I am downloading from is supposed to be limiting me to 50KB/s. All the alternate methods which I can use to calculate my download speed indicate that firefox is reporting a downspeed 2 times faster than what is actually occuring. Furthermore, firefox is reporting an estimated time remaining that is not nearly correct. Given that the website I am downloading from is supposed to be limiting me to 50KB/s, I was confused by how firefox was reporting over 100KB/s. Overall, the inaccurate firefox reported speed is causing much consternation with regards to scheduling of resources. What might account for the inaccurate reported values?

All Replies (7)

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"indicate that firefox is reporting a downspeed 2 times faster t" what are you using to calculate this? I do not know of a feature that Firefox measures download speed.

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Some download managers display that and more.


Separate Issue; Your System Details shows;

Installed Plug-ins

Adobe PDF Plug-In For Firefox and Netscape 10.1.16 Adobe PDF Plug-In For Firefox and Netscape 15.9.20069
Having more than one version of a program may cause issues. You must remove the older programs. Then get the current full installer.

Adobe PDF Plug-In For Firefox and Netscape: Adobe Reader Version 2015.009.20069 Note: McAfee Security is offered in the download.

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guigs said

"indicate that firefox is reporting a downspeed 2 times faster t" what are you using to calculate this? I do not know of a feature that Firefox measures download speed.

Immediately to the right of the icon that opens my bookmark is a tiny icon that indicates the the status of a download, usually as a time remaining. I can click that icon and look at the progress of ongoing or finished download. That pull down window offers a chance to "Show All Downloads". Clicking that opens a new Firefox window called "Library" and watching the library in real time gives me a report of the download speed in KB/s and time remaining. ASAIK this is a base feature of Firefox. This feature is currently reporting in incorrect download speed and time remaining.

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I suspect that indicator was added to Firefox by the Download Status Bar extension. You might want to ask about that in this support thread for Download Status Bar. http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=2782661&sid=b7cd02f10cf6d75e750f7319ea35ca17&start=1335

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FredMcD said

Some download managers display that and more.

Separate Issue; Your System Details shows;

Installed Plug-ins

Adobe PDF Plug-In For Firefox and Netscape 10.1.16 Adobe PDF Plug-In For Firefox and Netscape 15.9.20069
Having more than one version of a program may cause issues. You must remove the older programs. Then get the current full installer.

Adobe PDF Plug-In For Firefox and Netscape: Adobe Reader Version 2015.009.20069 Note: McAfee Security is offered in the download.

I removed these two plugins and activated one by Zeon. I'm happy I did that, but it isn't Firefox Library window is still reporting the wrong numbers. I wonder if the Library window is from some other plugin I have had for a very long time.

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It would seem that people are having a hard time understanding what I am looking at to get my download speed. So I have attached a screenshot. I have removed every download addon, every blocker addon, every redirect addon. And yet I can open Library, click on Downloads and see what Firefox is reporting as a download speed. Also in this screenshot is my Resource Manager showing what Windows thinks I am pulling down. Again, all addons related to downloads and so on are removed. And there is a reported downspeed. In this case, it is tracking with what Windows thinks I am pulling.

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And in this screenshot, the Resource Manager is showing a certain rate of pull while Firefox is reporting something completely different. Now obviously, something about whatever I am downloading is coming to me in bursts. I will have to figure out why. But Firefox is not reporting the correct speed, and more importantly not reporting the correct time to complete because Firefox is not accounting for the bursts. Again, no download addons, no blockers, no redirectors. Same Firefox setup that I used to download a video file in the previous post.