BT Speedtester

Some years ago there was a discussion on here as to whether or not the BT speedtester used a "normal" route or bypassed the ISP completely and went direct to the relevant server� but I can't find the thread. It may be that I've used the wrong search terms, though more likely it was scrubbed off long ago.

As I recall, it was said that some connections went direct to the server but most didn't, ie it was a standard http request via the ISP. I can't remember what determined the difference, my recollection may well be wrong and anyway things may have changed since then!

Can anybody elucidate the current position?

I'm specifically interested in the BTw tester on an FTTC connection with IDNet, but if the general case can be reasonably simply explained I'd appreciate the information.

Do you mean when you altered the routers login details to run various tests ?

This was, was back in good old fashioned ADSL Max days.

No doubt I have the wrong end of the stick !!!

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

Do you mean when you altered the routers login details to run various tests ?

No, no changes to anything on either the router or the computer- just enter the url and hit enter.

I'd forgotten about that one with a different login� does it still exist?

In reply to a post by Zarjaz:

Do you mean when you altered the routers login details to run various tests ?

This was, was back in good old fashioned ADSL Max days.

No doubt I have the wrong end of the stick !!!

The tests are still used on ADSL2+ and VDSL2 products, it will ask for this when the download speed is a lot lower than your IP profile.

I looked for BT documentation on this a couple of years ago and could no longer find it . It used to be readily available, so either I was looking in the wrong place or it's another thing they have either scrapped or no longer wish the public to know. If t is still the same, ISPs will of course know.

As I remember it there were three stages.

Stage 1 is what we all use.

Stage 2 the ISP had an option to set it up to route differently within their own routers, or more directly from them to the BT test server.

Stage 3 went from the BRAS to the test server and never touched the ISP's systems.

Edited by RobertoS (Sat 26-Oct-13 11:40:01)