Creating a Speed Test Mirror

Thank you for your interest in creating a Speed Test mirror. It allows users to test from different geographic locations, and helps reliability by distributing the bandwidth. We'd be glad to add more international mirrors as well. We'll help you with some exposure and links back to your site in return. Adding a mirror requires that you have a web server, and some quality available bandwidth (20+Gb transfers per month, preferably burstable bandwidth).

Adding the mirror involves simply creating a separate directory on your server, and uploading a few test files to it. The upload portion of the test currently requires PHP support, however it is not a requirement for a mirror. Hosting a mirror will only use some bandwidth (currently mirrors use less than 1Gb per day on average), it will not have a significant impact on server load.

Here are the three simple steps to create a mirror:

1. Download and extract the files from this archive: sg.zip

2. Create a separate directory on your server (called "speedtest" for example ;)), and add all the extracted test files to it... ("sg.php" is only a redirect required for upload testing; the other files are simply random test data of exact sizes).

3. Once you have uploaded the files, please , ICQ (383-4989), or PM me letting me know that your mirror is up so we can add it to the list, usually within a day. Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have as well. Once the files are uploaded, please send me the following information about your mirror:

Test Mirror Name:    [usually your website url, whatever you want it named       ]
Server location:     [server physical location, if known. Example: Tampa, FL, USA]
Test files address:  [Example: http://www.speedguide.net/speedtest/              ]
Link URL (optional): [if you'd like links back to your site provide the URL      ]
Upload test:         [Yes/No? Needs server with PHP, and the sg.php file uploaded]
Monthly bandwidth:   [speed test limit, or unlimited. Example: max 100GB/month   ]
Any additional info: [Example: server on a T3 pipe at the BtN Access Tampa DC    ]

By adding a mirror server, you'd help make this free tool better for all users. You will also get links back to your site in a couple of places - the tests mirrors list, the test results (when someone tests using your server), and the mirror stats pages. Most importantly, it would be great if users to have the ability to test their line speed from many different geographic locations...

If you have any additional questions or concerns, just and I'd be happy to address them.

Thanks,

Philip

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Notes:

Hosting a test mirror requires some traffic, you should tell us if you'd like it limited to a certain amount (for example 20Gb/month, or 100Gb/month) and if it ever reaches that limit, it will stop forwarding users to your server for that month. In addition, there are algorithms in place that allow for distributing the allocated bandwidth equally throughout the month.
If we determine that your host is too slow and unable to handle testing a broadband connection, we reserve the right not to add it to the list.

It is possible to use your own test files of different sizes. The smallest one has to be about 100KB, and the largest at least 5MB. Also, files have to be highly compressed (zip files, or mp3s work well). You also have to let us know with the exact location, file names and exact file sizes so we can configure it on our end.

Some mirrors only measure download line speed, others both directions.

The SG speed test transfers nearly uncompressable data.

Web-based speet tests are just an estimate of the slowest link between you and this particular server. Tests are dependent on many factors, such as time of day, congestion on the path at the time, your ISP's backbone/connectivity, your allocated bandwidth, the particular node you're on, the state of the Internet at the time, latency, moon phase ;), etc.