Every speed test shows 20Mbps actual download speed is locked at 2.5Mbps

[kieran3570]

Over the past moth I've been trying to figure out why our download speed is capped at 2.5Mbps, I've tested with multiple high speed file hosts over Wi-Fi and ethernet on three different devices and with each one the download speed won't pass 2.5Mbps, consistent 2.49Mbps most of the time. Our package says that we should have 20Mbps+, every speedtest I've done (Google speedtest, speedtest.net, BT Wholesale speedtest) says we get 20Mbps, but in practice the number never passes 2.5Mbps (for the entire network).

The confusing thing is that I ran a speed test with a network traffic monitor open on my computer and the speed test said 20Mbps while the monitor had a consistent 2.5Mbps.

I've contacted BT support three times, I've had an engineer out, both the engineer and BT support said that the line is fine and that 22Mbps is coming through the wall; the router displays a downstream of 22Mbps, I even swapped out the router for a TP-Link one, it still displays a downstream of 22Mbps but the actual speeds (as tested on multiple devices over ethernet and Wi-Fi) are locked at 2.5Mbps.

I seriously have no clue what could be causing this, any ideas?

Thanks

[licquorice · Accepted solution]

Are you sure you aren't confusing Mbits and MBytes, there are 8 bits in a byte? File downloads are usually expressed in MBytes whereas speedtesters report Mbits/s.

2.5 MB = 20Mb

[kieran3570]

Is there any clear distinction? Does Mbps always represent megabits or megabytes?

This image is from my router settings page.

[licquorice]

b is bits B is bytes. Routers and speedtesters always report bps whereas file transfers usually show Bps. Where are you seeing 2.5Mb/Bps?

[kieran3570]

Okay that makes a lot more sense then, my network monitor says MiB/s, speedtests say Mbps.

Thanks for clearing that up!