Downloads from Steam are noticeably delayed.
Downloads from Steam are noticeably delayed.
Kids are complaining about slow steam downloads. I checked the PC—everything looks fine, connected via a 2M cat 5e to the router, cables are solid, and no one else was using the internet. I spent hours trying to figure out how to match Mbps with MBs (really confused why tech folks do this). Speed tests from Ookla show average download speeds around 50 Mbps, which works for most things, but Steam can’t get past 7.3 MB/s from any local server. Doing the math: 7 divided by 0.125 equals 56—so my connection seems fine. Is it possible I’m hitting the limit? Or did I just waste hours searching online? I checked the CPU is off (2 cores at 12%), and the drive is a Samsung 980 NVME, so I think I’ve covered everything. It should be as fast as the internet allows. Thanks for your help—I really need someone to get this working so I don’t lose my mind.
As mentioned before, you're receiving typical performance levels. A 50Mb/s download speed is not impressive when you think about the size of modern AAA titles.
These are the expected download rates you should notice. At 7.3MB/s multiplied by eight, it comes to about 58.4mbps. My connection is quite close to what’s listed, usually capping around 6.5 to 7MB/s in Steam. Modern games are increasingly large, so downloading a big file—say tens of gigabytes—can take several hours. A game the size of 25GB might need about an hour at those speeds. The fastest option would be switching to a more robust internet plan from your provider. Alternatively, it might be wiser to encourage patience. With some preparation, you can begin the download while doing chores or homework. If others on the network are experiencing slowdowns while you stream games, you can adjust Steam’s download limits. In the downloads settings, look for a throttle option; this will slow the file transfer, helping other users stream without lag. The speed you set should balance your needs—keeping streaming smooth for Netflix or YouTube while the game loads. At these speeds, limiting to 5MB/s (possibly up to 6MB/s) should let you watch Netflix or YouTube on another device without interruptions, though it will extend the game download time by about 30%. For a more hands-on approach, you can also control your router’s speed settings through its manual, depending on your specific model. The details change based on your router’s instructions, so checking the manual is essential.
Everyone has verified you’re receiving the highest possible speeds. I recommend navigating to Steam Settings → Downloads and setting it to show download speeds in bits per second. This simplifies comparing actual performance against your ISP’s limits without any byte conversions.
I tried to press a button to stop doing math, but I can't remember if it worked. The PC went to the wood shed and let both barrels stay there.