The article lays the blame at ACK packets...
“”" So how do Netflix customers send so much data today? The answer is mostly in “ACK packets,” Deeth said. Signifying “acknowledgement” that data has been received, ACK packets are part of the TCP’s (Transmission Control Protocol’s) three-way handshake that connects client devices to servers over the Internet. The third step of the process has the client (i.e. a Netflix subscriber) sending acknowledgement back to Netflix’s servers. These ACK packets are so numerous that they can sometimes interfere with downloads. Internet service plans with upload speeds that are much smaller than download speeds exacerbate this problem, Sandvine wrote in its fall 2011 report. “If upstream is so heavily utilized that ACKs fail to reach the sender, then TCP responds by backing off its sending rate, which to the subscriber means reduced downstream speeds and will ultimately manifest as a downgrade in video quality,” Sandvine wrote. “”" > On Nov 21, 2014, at 1:38 PM, Steve Smith <sasm...@swcp.com> wrote: > > Roger - >> But I have no idea what I could be sending Netflix that occupies 1/4 the >> bandwidth that I get from them. Are they watching me on my web cam or >> something? > Yeh Nielson owns all your facial responses and what kinds of dressing you put > on your popcorn whilst watching movies ;) > > The upstream bandwidth IS a mystery... one assumes that someone else less > given to idle speculation on such topics than I has already sussed this out a > couple more levels of indirection?! > > At first I assumed that Netflix (like YouTube) had some kind of "upload > capability" but I'm pretty sure I'd know that if it did... and it would > mostly just be cute cat videos and people popping pimples. > > > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com
