Apple Broadband Tuner 1.0 (#3): What type of connections the update will optimize best; More reader results

What type of connections the update will optimize best Though Apple indicated that the Broadband Tuner patch was designed for high latency connections, the company has now become more explicit about which connection types will benefit most from the patch -- specifically fiber optic connections like Verizon's burgeoning FiOS offering.

Apple added a statement to the Broadband Tuner's download page stating that the patch is most effective for "very high speed FiOS based Internet connections that have a high latency."

Users with satellite connections, which generally suffer from long ping times, should also see significant benefit.

You can check your connection's latency entering the following command in the Terminal, then pressing return

• ping a.root-servers.net

If you see a relatively high response time (above 80 milliseconds), you will most likely see benefits from the patch.

More reader results That said, users continue to report varying results with a number of different connection types. It appears that for some users, benchmarked throughput decreases even though a genuine increase in page loading response time is apparent.

Bill Haney writes:

"Have noticed a very sizable speed increase in loading pages. Seems to work great!"

Some users see no changes after applying the patch. Dave Steinberg writes:

"I have two computers on the same Comcast cable line. A Dual 2 GHz on ethernet, and a powerbook 1.5 ghz on a 802.11g Belkin router. Both machines gave the same upload (about 295 kb/sec) and download (about 4100 kb/sec) results on repeated attempts. I installed broadband tuner only on the 2.0 GHz machine and then compared the two machines speeds. Both continued with the same speeds, with and without broadband tuner."

Some users report only a an increase in upload speed with the patch. Matthew Dahlquist writes:

"At my office I have an Xserve G4 acting as router/firewall/NAT between our internal private network and the outside world. Our internet connection is 3Mbps symmetrical wireless point-to-point. Before installing Broadband Tuner I tested my personal PowerBook G4 (867) at http://www.speakeasy.net/. Then I installed Broadband Tuner on the Xserve and retested. Here are my results:

Before:

• 1868 kbps up
• 2697 kbps down

After:

• 2730 kbps up
• 2795 kbps down

Greg Thoennes compares Broadband Tuner with the shareware tool BroadbandOptimizer:

"Broadband Tuner gave me an average of 7.4% increase in download speed and 4% increase in upload speed. I did the uninstall, then installed Broadband Optimizer 1.5 to check the difference. The Optimizer returned a 5.3% download increase and a 1% Upload decrease. Speed tests were conducted using Speakeasy and results did vary, test after test, so the averages are quoted here. We're using a wireless Motorola antenna running about 3Mbps. Dual 867 G4, Ethernet/Airport XServe access, 2Gb RAM, dual monitors, 3 external Firewire HDs, external DVD/CD RW."

Problems with some downloads Meanwhile, we have some unconfirmed reports of interrupted podcast downloads after applying the patch.

One reader writes:

"After installing broadband tuner my itunes podcasts hang. I tried speakeasy to see if my performance changed. it just sat there -- no speed test. Uninstalled and everything is back to normal. I am on Adelphia.net"

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

Previous coverage:

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

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