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Chances are when you signed up with your ISP they offered you service at 5mb or 10mb. However, the service you actually get is often quite different. In the real world you're unlikely to get the upper limit of your connection speed all the time.
Worse, some ISPs are actively shaping their networks -- prioritizing certain traffic, services and users at the expense of others.
But before you get up and arms about your speed or the overal quality of you connection you first need to know what your connection speeds are. To find out, and to help you detect any traffic shaping on your ISP, we've put together this handy guide to network testing.
== Testing with an online service ==
The quickest and easiest way to test your connection speed is using one of the countless online speed tests. We've found both [http://www.speedtest.net/ Speed Test] and [http://www.dslreports.com/stest DSL Reports] (dont' let the name fool you, DSL Reports can test any type of connection) to both provide reliable results.
== Software to monitor your connection speed ==
Obviously heading to an online speed test everyday is not the most practical way to monitor your bandwidth speed. For that we recommend network monitoring software.
For Windows users there's [http://ispmonitor.be/software/ ISP Monitor], [http://www.bwmonitor.com/ Bandwidth Monitor] and others which all offer full monitoring tools, and in some cases background widgets that give you a quick overview of your current speed and can even log your speed throughout the day.
For Mac users we recommend [http://www.islayer.com/apps/istatmenus/ iStat Menus], a suite of tools which includes a network speed monitor that sits in the menu bar and gives you a nice, at-a-glance way to keep an eye on your connection speeds.
== Testing for traffic shaping ==
Speed isn't the only potential problem your ISP is dishing up. So far we've focused on web traffic, but what about BitTorrent, FTP and other common internet protocols? Many ISPs are already employing traffic shaping tools that slow down your torrent traffic to make room for what the ISP's consider more "legitimate" traffic.
If net neutrality advocates are successful, traffic shaping and other nefarious ISP tactics will be illegal. In the mean time, to find out of your ISP is using such tools you can download a complete test suite from Google.
Measurement Lab, a joint venture between Google and others offers a [http://www.measurementlab.net/measurement-lab-tools suite of tools] that can help you detect network shaping, check BitTorrent traffic and determine whether your ISP is degrading the performance of a certain subset of users, applications, or destinations.
== Future Outlook ==
With any luck the future of connection speeds is headed only one direction: up. At the same time there's an ongoing battle between those that believe all traffic is equal (the net neutrality movement) and those that don't (ISPs).
It's too early to say who will win the net neutrality fight, but if it is the ISPs expect the web, and your connection speed, to suffer.
artwork: The tubes of course: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wheresmysocks/205710716/
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