Typical MSFS Download Speed

[Wolfsun]

A little back ground: I have a 1Gbs Internet connection. I typically get download rates from steam of 160 to 220 Mbs. I knew that MSFS was a 120+ GB download (actual is 126GB). At 160 Mbs that meant 1.2 GB dl per minute which with the typical ups and downs one can expect would mean approximately an hour and 45 minutes or so to dl 126GB. Not a big deal.

So I bought MSFS expecting maybe 1.5 to 3 hours or so to dl it. Imagine my surprise when the DL speed I was getting worked out to a 39 hour download. (I watched the DL for half an hour - very stable at 7 Mbits/sec)

DL canceled and MSFS refunded. It took barely more than an hour to get the refund - fastest refund I ever got from STEAM!

I wrote that 7Mbs dl speed off to MSFS being on sale and a busy day.

Then I found out that the dl was coming from MS servers and not steam servers and read multiple threads and reviews written when MSFS wasn't on sale all complaining about slow downloads.

Since it was reviews and forum threads one knows that only those with slow downloads were doing the complaining.

AND that is why I'm asking what the typical dl speed is. Was it as widespread as it appears or is it just a case of the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

I want MSFS - enjoyed the hell out of FSX and expect I'd enjoy MSFS just as much - but I'm not spending 39 hours to dl it.

3 or 4 hours - <shrug> I can deal with - 39 hours - no way.

What dl speed did you get? Is 7 Mbits/sec typical. If not what is typical when MSFS isn't on sale?

[Mondyrocks]

I normally get anything up to 200mbps (I'm on 400mbps fibre)

The sim downloads, for example, 300 different files.
The download for each file starts slowly and then builds up speed.
If it's only a small file, the speed doesn't get a chance to get very fast.

Also, after each file is downloaded, all downloading is stopped while each file is unpacked.
This happens sequentially, with each file, so file 1 downloads, the download stops, it unpacks, then file 2 and so on, until all files are completed.

The only thing I can think of, as to why they chose this method, rather than download everything in one go and then unpack, is to enable more people to download at the same time.

With over 2 million pc players, you can imagine how much pressure is on the server if all players want to download an update, all at the same time and azure servers or not, they will still struggle.

This isn't an ideal situation but it usually works ok.

The last update for me, on my laptop, was 104gb, plus an extra 20 odd from the marketplace and it took about 3 hours to download and unpack......

[AugustsEve]

I usually get around 100 from MS, not too bad.

[whitbymermaid]

I'd say 7 Mbits/sec is a blockage at your end. Mines pretty slow at 40, I'm using super fast fibre, but still the old copper wire from the street side cabinet to the house, so I think there's no problem with the MS servers, just my neighbourhoods old infrastructure.

[Narf]

I'm on a gigabit connection, too, and I usually get between 50 and 180 Mbit/s. So I have my doubts that the problem here is on the server's end, more likely to be a routing issue on the ISP's side.

[yorran]

I'm on a 500mb/s fibre download speed, and I usually get around 200mb/s for big chunks upon FS update. Small files are another problem, as discussed before.
That is fine with me, as I can still do something else while updating. I consider myself lucky in regard to the infrastructures, especially how far I am from MS servers.
Latency is another problem though, but not in FS, it's not a PVP MMORPG XD

[Wolfsun]

Originally posted by whitbymermaid:

I'd say 7 Mbits/sec is a blockage at your end. Mines pretty slow at 40, I'm using super fast fibre, but still the old copper wire from the street side cabinet to the house, so I think there's no problem with the MS servers, just my neighbourhoods old infrastructure.

Appreciate the response but - not my end. I get 880 to 950 Mbs using speed test. Like I said in my OP I get 160 to 220 Mbs typical steam dl. In addition Origin DL's run 400 Mbs typically. Not my connection or my ISP. It's Microsoft.

[Wolfsun]

Originally posted by Narf:

I'm on a gigabit connection, too, and I usually get between 50 and 180 Mbit/s. So I have my doubts that the problem here is on the server's end, more likely to be a routing issue on the ISP's side.

Hmmm....
Hadn't considered that it could be a routing issue from ISP to MS Servers.

Any suggestions on how to test that? How to approach my ISP (cox communications) and get them to look into it?

[yorran]

Originally posted by Wolfsun:

Originally posted by whitbymermaid:

I'd say 7 Mbits/sec is a blockage at your end. Mines pretty slow at 40, I'm using super fast fibre, but still the old copper wire from the street side cabinet to the house, so I think there's no problem with the MS servers, just my neighbourhoods old infrastructure.

Appreciate the response but - not my end. I get 880 to 950 Mbs using speed test. Like I said in my OP I get 160 to 220 Mbs typical steam dl. In addition Origin DL's run 400 Mbs typically. Not my connection or my ISP. It's Microsoft.

Speed tests are unreliable, they choose some hub near you and make up some numbers with that.
If it were on microsoft, wouldn't you agree we'd all have the same numbers ?

As your following question in the thread, I'm not too sure what to do, except use a VPN, or change your provider. This is really fine-tuning your input, and that requires knowledge of the available infrastructures. Maybe ask around in your neighbourhood ?

[Manwith Noname]

I've had update downloads come close to my max speed but also like a dripping tap. SU5 was possibly the worst download experience I have ever had. Mostly I would say on average I expect about 50-60% of what I have available, not using the in game time weighted read out but direct network measurements.

[MisterFrag1]

Slow downloads have been an issue from the very beginning, and Microsoft / Asobo don't seem to care -- there has never been a mention of a forthcoming fix in one of the updates.

I'm also on fiber and am currently downloading the DLC updates at 7.4 Mbps. The mandatory update of the basic content, plus three DLC packages adding up to about 6 GB (compressed) will take about an hour total this time.

I have had to re-install the entire simulator before after foolishly using the "Verify installation" option in Steam, which trashes your installation (don't know if that's fixed yet). That took the better part of five days(!), and the entire time the graphics card was maxed out while doing nothing more than displaying download progress. Stoopid!

Edit: It's downloading the Premium Upgrade DLC now, and the speeds have dropped below 3 Mbps. 😒

[Manwith Noname]

Originally posted by MisterFrag1:

...(don't know if that's fixed yet).

It isn't. Microsoft still supply a script that runs an application to delete your game content.

[Wolfsun]

I ran speedtest.net (what I use) with my VPN connected to a server in Seattle - that's where MS is - I think though it's possible their server farm is somewhere else. Download speed (keeping in mind this is thru a VPN - NORD) was 554 Mbs. I don't get that from Dallas usually which is only a couple of 100 miles south of me. Indications based on that are my 7Mbs dl wasn't due to an ISP routing issue or a blockage at my end.

Too many players are complaining about slow downloads and not just on steam either.

It's Microsoft.

Originally posted by yorran:

Originally posted by Wolfsun:

Appreciate the response but - not my end. I get 880 to 950 Mbs using speed test. Like I said in my OP I get 160 to 220 Mbs typical steam dl. In addition Origin DL's run 400 Mbs typically. Not my connection or my ISP. It's Microsoft.

Speed tests are unreliable, they choose some hub near you and make up some numbers with that.
If it were on microsoft, wouldn't you agree we'd all have the same numbers ?

As your following question in the thread, I'm not too sure what to do, except use a VPN, or change your provider. This is really fine-tuning your input, and that requires knowledge of the available infrastructures. Maybe ask around in your neighbourhood ?

[yorran]

Originally posted by Wolfsun:

I ran speedtest.net (what I use) with my VPN connected to a server in Seattle - that's where MS is - I think though it's possible their server farm is somewhere else. Download speed (keeping in mind this is thru a VPN - NORD) was 554 Mbs. I don't get that from Dallas usually which is only a couple of 100 miles south of me. Indications based on that are my 7Mbs dl wasn't due to an ISP routing issue or a blockage at my end.

Too many players are complaining about slow downloads and not just on steam either.

It's Microsoft.

Originally posted by yorran:

Speed tests are unreliable, they choose some hub near you and make up some numbers with that.
If it were on microsoft, wouldn't you agree we'd all have the same numbers ?

As your following question in the thread, I'm not too sure what to do, except use a VPN, or change your provider. This is really fine-tuning your input, and that requires knowledge of the available infrastructures. Maybe ask around in your neighbourhood ?

I aknowlege your research, but how can you explain that I get about 200mb/s for any update on the other side of the planet, in the south hemisphere ?
No, it's not MS, not this time.

[Manwith Noname]

To be honest, you can't say it isn't Microsoft's fault as much as they can't say it is. The only way you can come remotely close to dismissing the server is by both downloading from the same one at the same time and even that doesn't rule it out 100%.

[yorran]

I will also add that I didn't mention MS datacenters, as I infered that I'm getting updates from Seattle, which might not be accurate.
That being said, I still need that sub cable going all the way around west Africa to Europe in any case.