Different speeds on different computers

This is really weird. I have a iMac 28" Core 3i, Mac OS X (10.6.8) as well as a MacBook Pro 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.6.8).

I am using UWClub. I'm in Pimlico, London, UK. Apparently they're having problems here recently

I've done multiple tests on the internet speeds and the MacBook is running much faster. The iMac is running really slow. Especially on Chrome. I have the latest version of Chrome. The same broadband connection through Airport. I have restarted multiple times.

The laptop is OK the iMac desktop is terrible. Particularly upload speeds. It doesn't make sense the iMac, if anything is more modern and should be faster. But they both should be the same speed, really.

How can this be?

You are, I would guess, running wireless. You can never evaluate the broadband connection properly without a wired Ethernet connection. Can you check to see what speeds each PC is connecting at? Is one restricted to 802.11b at 11Mbps for example?

Try changing wifi channels... Sometimes helps...

Thanks for the replies.

Running the speed tests concurrently on the two computers. http://uwclub.net/speedtest/

Laptop is 8221kbps Dowload and 587 kbps Upload
iMac is 532kbps Download and 88 kbps Upload

Concurrently? That's the way to screw it up!

Well I got the same results when I run the test one after the other.

Hi Robcubbon
I have once had a similar problem after a lot of research and brow beating I discovered that the cause was a piece of software running, once I had removed the offending culprit I was back to normal. But it took a while to find and the software which turned out to be a utility loaded by the manufacturer ….which had squawked, Hope this may be of some assistance.

Thanks, I've looked around for possible causes like that but I haven't found any. It's a relatively new computer.

Need to rule out wireless as the issue, i.e. use ethernet first

I did that and through ethernet the connection was good.

However, I have now changed the channel on the router and the upload and download speeds are look much much better!

Fingers crossed but looks OK now.