Why can't I download 'large' files ?

[OFSO]

OK, here's my problem - been like this for two weeks.

I have a WiMax connection (Iberbanda SA of Spain) running at around 1 Mb/s both uplink and downlink, and a ping of 73. Internet text, PPRuNe etc all works fine.

However when I try to download files of more than about 1.5-2megs, the download stops at around this figure. Examples include .jpg files and YouTube, where the little red line stops after about 1/3 of the download depending on file size (obviously).

The situation is the same on my Firewire connected PC (WIN XP) and my WiFi connected Acer Aspire One netbook (Linux/Fedora). Disabling the WIN firewall or AVG doesn't make any difference.

To me, having a good (if slightly slow) broadband connection somehow doesn't fit with being unable to download larger files.

All suggestions as to what's wrong gratefully received and contemplated......PM me if you like.....

R

[mustpost]

Does seem rather small, was going to suggest ISP limit, but that's tiny and ridicuklous, especially on all 3. "been like this for two weeks." seems to indicate a call to them?

[OFSO]

Having looked at everything else I went back to my router last night and changed primary and secondary server settings from the USA to Europe and it's now vastly better. I have no idea how the settings changed (if they did) to the US servers - may have been default values reloaded after the days without electricity during the great snow outage last month.

I avoid calling my provider since they speak Castiliano and I speak Catalan !

[bbrunton]

I suspect the problem is bandwidth overloading.

I bet you are using FTP protocol to download. The FTP protocol is very susceptable to timeout.

I would recommend that you start a ping to the download site at the same time as you download. I bet the ping time varies quite a bit. Be sure to use ping -t if you are using windows ping. That will keep the ping going continously. You can also use tracert to try to determine where the bottleneck is in the route to the download site.

If indeed that is the problem, there is not much you can do about it but contact your provider, tell them what you have found, and complain.