[Bug-wget] Re: is there option for a minimum speed-limit??

[Matthew Woehlke]

visco wrote:
> While using wget I came across a situation where either I need to have a
> minimum bandwidth speed or give out an error like timeout ... Does such a
> feature there in wget

Three things regulate the speed of any network communication.

- First, how fast the other end will send you bytes. There is nothing at 
all you can do about this except ask/bribe/threaten the person at the 
other end to arrange for their end to send faster.

- Second, you have limited inbound bandwidth. If you have other 
connections competing for bandwidth, it's possible they can starve a 
connection (especially if your pipe is small, e.g. ppp over POTS[1], 
such as you have with a dial-up ISP). While QoS[2] settings might help 
here, I am not aware that wget has any means to set that, and you would 
likely do better with bandwidth shaping anyway.

- Third, a client can manipulate TCP windows to intentionally throttle a 
connection. This is how wget can attempt to limit download speed. (By 
"attempt" I don't mean it doesn't work, just that is is like cruise 
control on a car; it won't perfectly hold you at a desired rate. 
Especially it can't do anything to /improve/ speed if either of the 
first two factors are the limiting factor.)

If you aren't using a rate limit, wget will download just as fast as it 
can, taking the first and second factors into account.

IOW, if your problem is congestion on your end, then you'd do better to 
look into bandwidth shaping. Otherwise there is nothing you can do 
without the cooperation of the other end of the connection.

(1: Plain Old Telephone Service)
(2: Quality of Service)

--
Matthew
Please do not quote my e-mail address unobfuscated in message bodies.
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Never give up on learning