300MB/S Internet, but steam downloads take hours, why?

[SP2244]

Are there setting to increase speed... what is the point of paying for fast internet, when seems nothing can actually download to those speeds?

[Zekiran]

... You're asking this literally on the day when most people will be starting to download their holiday gifts.

[Autumn_]

Are you installing onto a PC with a dual core and hard drive?

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

My copy/pasta...

Read and try everything...

Programs Which May Interfere with Steam

Spyware, Malware, Adware, or Virus Interfering with Steam

Troubleshooting Network Connectivity

Try all download servers until you find one with speeds you are happy with.

There are over 130 to try.

Any server near me was slow as dirt. Nearest does not always equal faster.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=9498-WPDF-3220

Today, Vancover was better for me. Yesterday, Rio was better (odd, ain't it?). Btw... I'm on the East Coast.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2313407722

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2301936988

And this earlier today...

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2334197208

Also consider traffic.

[Cathulhu]

Which is why choosing a different download region, especially one that is less active right now, can usually fix the issue with slow downloads.

Luckily there is this thing called timezones because it's not the same time across the globe as the Earth is not flat.
Just try a download region where people are asleep, computers are off and download servers less active.

[SP2244]

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

Which is why choosing a different download region, especially one that is less active right now, can usually fix the issue with slow downloads.

Luckily there is this thing called timezones because it's not the same time across the globe as the Earth is not flat.
Just try a download region where people are asleep, computers are off and download servers less active.

Steam Servers should have algorithms that do this for you to manage traffic flow .... like when connect, decide transfer rates and backlog, instantly calculate optimal connection - done. Is same way old time sharing works with controller ...... I think it is hidden setting or something else, for purpose of them managing the whole system easier. You might get a little boost if jump around , but likely waste more time doing it, .... this should be 10x faster and that is much bigger jump in performance vs. picking the best server in US to link to. I think they are purposely regulating it at lower levels... throttled way down.

[Snapjak]

No they don't. They choose the closest server. YOU have to tell Steam to use another one.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Number things can be a factor.

- Network infrastructure issues, or even pathway to server issue.

- If using VPN, may cause issues.

- If using DNS service depending which one may cause issues.

- If using 3rd party software to manage incoming, and out going traffic, or even affecting apps behavior may cause issues.

- If house hold having to many people hogging connect can affect performance, or even area having high traffic could overload area hub performance.

- If using custom firewall, and blocking thing could affect performance.

- If there issue with Steam client files, such as corruption, could try redownload client files or opt into Steam beta. If you delete Steam files, visit where you install Steam, delete everything except for "Steamapp" folder, and "steam.exe" file, once everything deleted, just run steam.exe and it will redownload Client.

Things you can try, is changing download region, you can try Canada - Toronto see if that improve anything for you. If you were using DNS service, either try another one, or turn back to default.


For information of understanding, the differences of MBps, and Mbps.

MBps = Megabyte per second
MBps = Megabit per second
1 MBps = 8 Mbps
8 Mbps = 1 MBps

Your advertising speeds.
37.5 MBps = 300 Mbps
300 Mbps = 37.5 MBps
Please note you're not guarantee those speeds by your ISP for all services online.

[SP2244]

Originally posted by Dr.Shadowds 🐉:

Number things can be a factor.

- Network infrastructure issues, or even pathway to server issue.

- If using VPN, may cause issues.

- If using DNS service depending which one may cause issues.

- If using 3rd party software to manage incoming, and out going traffic, or even affecting apps behavior may cause issues.

- If house hold having to many people hogging connect can affect performance, or even area having high traffic could overload area hub performance.

- If using custom firewall, and blocking thing could affect performance.

- If there issue with Steam client files, such as corruption, could try redownload client files or opt into Steam beta. If you delete Steam files, visit where you install Steam, delete everything except for "Steamapp" folder, and "steam.exe" file, once everything deleted, just run steam.exe and it will redownload Client.

Things you can try, is changing download region, you can try Canada - Toronto see if that improve anything for you. If you were using DNS service, either try another one, or turn back to default.


For information of understanding, the differences of MBps, and Mbps.

MBps = Megabyte per second
MBps = Megabit per second
1 MBps = 8 Mbps
8 Mbps = 1 MBps

Your advertising speeds.
37.5 MBps = 300 Mbps
300 Mbps = 37.5 MBps
Please note you're not guarantee those speeds by your ISP for all services online.

Thank you, but mine is very basic, just me , not sharing with anyone my bandwidth , secure and about 350MB/s AT&T Fiber, tried different location no improvement. Just does not make sense when my bandwidth went up 6x but my steam download are still same as before.... got to be some constraint option hidden in the setting somewhere ... not having same issues when downloading massive drivers from PC video card, takes some time, but few minutes.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

I doubt AT&T selling 2.8Gbps data plans for consumers, you might want to recheck your plan there, just saying.

Also wanted to let you know two things, you can switch between MBps, and Mbps display for download via your Steam settings. Steam > Settings > Downloads > Check, or uncheck box for "Display download rates in bits per second."

The other thing is that depending on the game, be download parts of the game from other servers, which could be slower downloading parts, or pick up speed at some point, but this vaires on the game in question, I do download games upwards of 85MBps / 680Mbps on my fiber network, but it can vary on certain games.

But best of luck finding the root cause of the issue, as it's hard to say what can affect your speeds exactly in your case.

I can leave this here if you want to give any of these a try, or look at. Again best of luck.

- Modem / Router need a reboot.

- If you did anything in the Modem / Router settings, check your work to ensure it wasn't causing problems.

- Can try flushing your network, open command promt as admin, and give this a try.
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O4qOzFngjys

If not working still try these in order, then restart, and test.
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew

[Zekiran]

AT&T doesn't offer 300mbs, it's 300 mbps. It's very different than you expect it to be...

[SP2244]

Originally posted by Zekiran:

AT&T doesn't offer 300mbs, it's 300 mbps. It's very different than you expect it to be...

wow, the need to correct my typo... dude, get a hobby!

[Autumn_]

Originally posted by SP2244:

Originally posted by Zekiran:

AT&T doesn't offer 300mbs, it's 300 mbps. It's very different than you expect it to be...

wow, the need to correct my typo... dude, get a hobby!

There's a large difference between MB/s and Mbps.

300MB/s is 2,400Mbps, 8 times the speed of 300Mbps.

I also don't think he was correcting your typo, just informing you that you are thinking of the wrong speed (in the event that you did misunderstand.)

[Zekiran]

It's not a typo - it's a very very common mistake to believe that Mbps is MBs.

You're hardly the first. But the problem here isn't MY reading comprehension or my 'correcting you' - it's that your impression of those numbers is based on YOUR error of thinking it's one, when it is in fact the much smaller other.

[AG]

Years later and he still isn't the only one. Steam is notorious for bad downloads. I have 1G fiber and a 60GB can take hours to download on Steam. Ubi, EGS or EA,10-15m. Hell, Steam Deck downloads faster than Steam on Windows for me. I've reinstalled, changed drives.

Now I learn to deal with it, mostly trigger any big downloads overnight and hope it's done by the AM. And no, it isn't any faster then either.

[Wayne]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.