Advice On Using Steam

Steam

Steam is a digital distribution service owned by Valve. Originally created to distribute its own games, Steam has since expanded to become the de facto standard for digital distribution of PC games, and supports community features, downloadable content and achievements. Starting 2010, Steam now offers Mac games as well.

Advice On Using Steam

#1 Edited by Jonny_Anonymous (444 posts) - 9 months, 20 days ago

I'm trying to download Steam on to my laptop and it asks what internet connection speed I have with the list:

Modem - 56K
DSL>256K
DSL >768K
DSL/Cable>2M
Cable/Fiber>10M

How do I find out what my connection speed actually is?

#2 Posted by ajamafalous (10584 posts) - 9 months, 20 days ago

speedtest.net

But really, I don't think what you pick for that option matters at all. I believe it's just so that when you go to install something it can give you an average ETA.

#3 Posted by Inkerman (1335 posts) - 9 months, 20 days ago

Yeah, it's all about that ETA, so if you care about accuracy, maybe that would matter, but otherwise it doesn't.

#4 Posted by Jonny_Anonymous (444 posts) - 9 months, 20 days ago

@ajamafalous: Ok thanks, what part of that is my actual connection speed though, all I can seem to find is upload and download speeds?

#5 Posted by mnzy (2826 posts) - 9 months, 20 days ago

Your download speed is meant by that.

#6 Posted by IrrelevantJohn (519 posts) - 9 months, 20 days ago

download speed is what you should look at.

#7 Posted by Devildoll (616 posts) - 9 months, 20 days ago

just put it on the highest. it doesnt matter that much.

#8 Posted by Jonny_Anonymous (444 posts) - 9 months, 20 days ago

@ajamafalous: @Inkerman: @mnzy: @IrrelevantJohn: Ok thanks guys

#9 Posted by shinboy630 (865 posts) - 9 months, 20 days ago

I think Valve may take this into account as part of their hardware surveys, but don't quote me on that. Then again, that affects them more than you so it's not a big deal.

#10 Edited by Tennmuerti (6807 posts) - 9 months, 20 days ago

The thing that annoys me about internet speeds is that everyone (providers/test aps/etc) uses bits.

When in fact file sizes are always in bytes.

#11 Posted by Subjugation (4328 posts) - 9 months, 20 days ago

@Tennmuerti said:

The thing that annoys me about internet speeds is that everyone (providers/test aps/etc) uses bits.
When in fact file sizes are always in bytes.

No kidding. ISPs advertise with "50 megs fast" connection which would lead the less savvy person to believe they would be downloading at 50 megabytes/second, when in reality it is megabits. It's pretty deliberately misleading by omitting information.

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