Incoming kbps Doesn't Match Download Speed

[MyDesktopBroke]

I know next to nothing about how internet speed is calculated, but right now we're paying for ATT DSL with a 1.5 mbps tag. When I go to my router summary, it says "incoming: 1534 kbps, outgoing 384 kbps," which lines up with the 1.5 mbps ATT advertised.

But I only get 150 kb/s download speed, 160 kb/s tops.

Is this how it's supposed to work?

OS X 10.5.8, 2Wire router, ATT "1.5 mbps" DSL.

 

[belvdr]

I know next to nothing about how internet speed is calculated, but right now we're paying for ATT DSL with a 1.5 mbps tag. When I go to my router summary, it says "incoming: 1534 kbps, outgoing 384 kbps," which lines up with the 1.5 mbps ATT advertised.

But I only get 150 kb/s download speed, 160 kb/s tops.

Is this how it's supposed to work?

OS X 10.5.8, 2Wire router, ATT "1.5 mbps" DSL.

Bandwidth is measured in bits per second (in the old days, it was called baud).

1544 kbps = kilobits per second

Downloads are typically measured in bytes per second, where 8 bits = 1 byte.

150 - 160 KBps = kilobytes per second

1544 kbps / 8 bits per byte = 193 kilobytes per second maximum

It sounds/looks normal to me.

 

[MyDesktopBroke]

Thanks, I thought it was all kilobytes.