# Upload/Download speeds and AOL **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 25, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503 "2003-02-25T23:23:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503/1 "2003-02-25T23:23:45Z")
Two questions here: 1. Does uploading something affect your download speed? Or are they two totally different piplelines? And does the situation change if you have a modem or T1, etc…? 2. I have T1 or Lan access to the internet (I don’t know which, but i don’t think it matters). Why is it that when I sign on to America Online, uploading attachments in email takes place at about the speed of a dialup connection? Is that AOL’s fault? If I upload something onto the internet it’s extremely fast. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503/2 "2003-02-25T23:39:49Z")
aeropl ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503/3 "2003-02-25T23:41:53Z")
1. It depends on your connection. In most cases, you only have a finite amount of bandwidth available, and uploading a file will reduce download speeds by a corresponding amount. This is the case with a dialup modem. 2. Unless you’re spending at least $400 a month, you certainly don’t have a T1. LAN (Local Area Network) simply refers to a network of computers at one locations. Perhaps you have ISDN, DSL, or Cable? ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503/4 "2003-02-25T23:41:57Z")
Could i have a more descriptive answer? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503/5 "2003-02-25T23:47:45Z")
Disregard my last post, I posted that when only your first was up. 1. Okay, so the total bandwidth of a modem is 56 kpbs? Then why is it that one can only upload up to 33.6 kpbs? 2. I live on campus at a major university, and I get my internet from the campus network. Would that be ethernet? The Cnet bandwidth test usually has it going at over 2 Mbps. What about America Online situation. Do they limit upload speed for some reason? ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503/6 "2003-02-25T23:54:39Z")
Well that was odd:) I bumped backspace (back in my browser), clicked stop…I don’t know why it posted 😕 On a standard v.90 modem, downstream bandwidth can max out at 56.6kbps (limited to 53.3 due to FCC regulations), and upstream bandwidth can max out at 33.6kbps. The new v.92 modem standard increases maximum upstream to 48kbps, as well as improving compression, error correction, and decreasing dialup times. On a campus network, there will be a large amount of bandwidth that is shared among all of the users, or perhaps even the entire college. A T1 is 1.45mbps, so we know that your college has at least two T1s available. Depending on how much other stuff was sucking down bandwidth when you ran the test (servers, other users), the college might total a T3 (45mbps) or even more. Bandwidth is most likely shared between upstream and downstream. I assume you’re using AOL’s “Bring Your Own Access” plan, right? They’re to blame. Their e-mail servers are probably overloaded, or may just be capped at the average speed they’d expect from a dialup user. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503/7 "2003-02-26T00:04:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FDISK \* > \*\*I assume you’re using AOL’s “Bring Your Own Access” plan, right? They’re to blame. Their e-mail servers are probably overloaded, or may just be capped at the average speed they’d expect from a dialup user. \*\* I use AOL over a broadband connection, and experience fast upload and download speeds, so it may not be their fault. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503/8 "2003-02-26T00:13:53Z")
Well, since **aeropl** is getting fast uploads and downloads from other servers, that indicates the fault is on AOL’s end. I believe they have many servers located throughout the country, perhaps those in his area are configured differently or more highly loaded than yours. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503/9 "2003-02-26T00:33:56Z")
Possibly. I wonder… **aeropl** , are you experiencing slow uploads throughout the day, or just at a particular time? ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503/10 "2003-02-26T00:49:31Z")
I use AOL’s “ISP/LAN Connection” Option. One year of AOL was included with my computer so I use that to connect rather than dialup. It’s obviously much faster. The slow uploads seem to occur throughout the day. It still downloads email attachments pretty fast though. So I will email AOL and see what’s going on. Thanks everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503/11 "2003-02-26T01:09:20Z")
If you have campus network access, why use AOL at all? ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503/12 "2003-02-26T01:28:43Z")
Because everyone likes slow service, bad tech support, and being disconnected constantly. Duh. Actually, I got a year free of it so I tried it, and so now I don’t want to change my email. I don’t like going to [aol.com](http://aol.com) to get my mail either. Plus, I’ve gotten used to the bright childish colors. Another couple of months and I’ll cancel the account. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upload-download-speeds-and-aol/157503/13 "2003-02-26T02:31:04Z")
I was wondering if it had something to do with masochistic tendencies. Anyway, carry on:)