What is wrong with this speed test?

Factual Questions
1

My ISP’s website provides a speed test, and I’ve noticed that if my computer seems sluggish, sometimes that problem improves when I got online and do their speed test.

(It downloads a 100k file from the server 3 times and then averages)

But I think it’s rigged. Here are my latest results:

Test 1: 81600/Kbps Test 2: 89.4/Kbps Test 3: 95.3/Kbps

Their comparison:
Modem 56/Kbps — [here you have to imagine a bar instead of lines, sorry]
ISDN 128/Kbps -------
ADSL 256/Kbps ---------------
T1 1.5/Mbps ------------------------------------------------------------------------
You 27/Mbps -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

or, in other words, I am off the charts! Going faster than a T1!

I don’t think so. I really don’t see how a best score of 95.3/Kbps translates into 27 Mbps. What’s going on here? Are they just trying to make me think my computer is NOT running slow?

For the record, I have DSL.

I’m going to try this test again. But meanwhile, if anyone can enlighten me as to the real efficacy of speed tests, please do.

2

I am not going to draw any lines this time. Suffice it to say that this time, I am not outperforming a T1 (sure, and I really was outperforming it last time. Right.)

Test 1: 119/Kbps Test 2: 124.6/Kpbs Test 3: 98.9/Kbps

Average 114/Kbps.

Slow. But this one at least accurately represents how my computer seems to be running, i.e., about half the speed it ought to be.

3

Try this site: http://www.dslreports.com/stest.

(And if you ever want to try drawing lines again, use the


 tag. I believe it uses a monospaced font.)
4

It might be that your ISP has incorrectly set up the test so that your downloading a cached version rather than a live version. That would explain your ridiculously fast transfer speeds.