November 29, 2005 7:45 AM PST

Apple Broadband Tuner 1.0 (#2): Most report increased throughput; Reduced throughput speed for some; Uninstall instructions

by CNET staff

General synopsis: Works well for most users with higher-speed Internet connections. The improvements might be unnoticeable or non-existent on some lower speed DSL lines.

We suggest that most users with unfettered Cable or high-speed DSL connections install this update, as the success rate at improving throughput is relatively high, and a an uninstaller is built in (for instructions on uninstalling, see below).

After installing the software, you may want to clear your browsers cache and possibly restart your Mac -- though neither step should technically be necessary.

Despite the improvement for most users, some users still report better performance with third-party shareware utilities like BroadbandOptimizer 1.5.

Most report increased throughput Most readers installing this update discovered a noticeable increase in network speed -- both page loading as well as file transfer speed. As is to be expected, the biggest gains come on very high speed connections when linking with very high bandwidth servers.

MacFixIt reader Mike Phelps writes:

"Just installed the 'tuner.' No problems with installing, and there is a noticeable speed increase. Pages load about 1/3 faster for me. I'm running a a PowerBook with Airport Extreme. So far, so good!"

Several users made use of online bandwidth benchmarking facilities before and after the patch. MacFixIt reader Brian writes:

"Tested at speakeasy.net before: 1111 kbps Down, 648 Up. After patch 1272 Down, 736 Up."

A poster to VersionTracker, espek, writes:

"Great results! Connecting to a server in Seattle, WA from Washington, D.C. the results (from speakeasy) speak for themselves!

(Before) Download: 1837kbps
(Before) Upload: 281kbps

(After) Download: 5700kbps
(Before) Upload: 355kbps

Other readers write:

"Noticeable improvement in my download speed after installing Broadband Tuner 1.0. Tested on several web pages to make sure I wasn't imagining it. Using 10.4.3 on a G4.

"I can only give subjective feedback as I haven't timed any scientific way before and after. But I love the broadband tuner patch! All internet access?including iTunes seems snappier. Noticeably so! I see no down side to the patch as you have an option to remove it if it doesn?t work! Thank you Apple!"

Reduced throughput speed for some Because not all connections are suitable candidates for the changes in buffer and data chunk transfer sizes that Broadband Tuner makes, some users report degraded performance after applying the patch.

Arne Berglund writes:

"Tested my speed (at dslreports.com) before install at my office, where we have a lightning fast connection. The test gave me 9787 kb down, and 7400 up. Installed Broadband Tuner 1.0, then retested. (Did not reboot, as it did not prompt me to do so.) Several tests all showed massive speed LOSS, averaging 40%. I ran the uninstaller, and tests gave results in the same ballpark as originally. I trashed it from my work machine. (G5 1.8 dual, 100BaseT connection, OS 10.4.3, 1 GB RAM.) May try it on my home machine which is on a 6Mb cable connection."

Another reader writes:

"It doesn't seem to work well with Charter in Bham, Al. Before my bandwidth was around 1.3 MB down and after around 550 kps and then uninstall and it goes back up. Pinged several web sites before and after install and the average stayed the same."

Another reader writes:

"I'm using the CNet Broadband Meter with Safari 2.02 on a G4 PowerBook running 10.4.3. I measured my Comcast connection over AirPort before installation at 7,325 kbps. I then installed Apple Broadband Tuner, and measured it again at 1,415 kbps! Not good. I restarted and measured it at 1,054, 1,435 and 1,536 kbps. Really not good. I then ran the Uninstall Utility, and measured it at 5,698, 7,145 and 7,132 kbps. Others are getting speed increases, but with this configuration, I'm getting dramatic decreases."

Another reader adds:

"When I installed the tuner my internet connection slowed down from 600KB/S to 430KB/s. Then I uninstalled the patch, and it went back to 600KB/s. While it was installed, I also had some trouble with 4-way chat in iChat AV while I had 3 video chat streams going; one of the videos would randomly stop. When I uninstalled Broadband Tuner everything worked OK. Tried this three times -- same results."

Startup problems A handful of users reported problems starting up after applying the patch -- probably caused by a failure of some other Mac OS X component either triggered by the restart or inadvertently caused by the patch.

One reader writes:

"On a 2.0GHz dual G5 running latest Tiger updates, a restart brought up the deathscreen. The only way to get the machine running again was to unplug/ replug the AC power cord. Fixing permissions, uninstalling and then reinstalling the tuner, and then fixing permissions again seems to have it running okay.

Another adds:

"How do I get rid of this stupid thing? My machine won't start up after I installed it."

Instructions for uninstalling In order to uninstall Broadband Tuner 1.0, simply re-run the installer, and proceed to the "Installation Type" section. You should see that the "Broadband Tools Uninstaller" option is selected.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

Previous coverage: