Internet Pipeline Question

[RazB]

hey guys....we have a T1 line at work that gets throttled if we have more than 10 users or so hitting it. We now have a situation where we'll be posting a page to our site (we host our own) that may be hit relatively hard for a short span of time (2-3 weeks) for information (200 page PDF).
Questions:
How will that affect our internal users when external sites start downloading?
How will it affect external users if more than say 50 people hit the site during the same time frame?
If there is an issue, is there anything we can do?

Thanks, any info will be appreciated..

 

[Fardringle]

A T1 is 1.5mbps upload and download. 10 users sharing that link means each user gets about 150kbps. Hosting a web site on that link with NOTHING else running on it would probably be OK. Hosting your web site AND having 10+ users overloading the link at the same time is asking for headaches.

Putting 50 people on a single T1 is only a viable option if most of them never use the Internet at all. If all 50 try to use it at the same time, they will end up sharing 30kbps each (slower than early 1990's dial-up).

In short, don't do it unless you have absolutely no other alternative, and know that if you do, everyone using the connection will hate you.

If you really can't upgrade the connection, at the very least host that PDF file somewhere else so it isn't adding to the problem. Put it somewhere like Google Docs, Microsoft SkyDrive, or any of the hundreds of other file hosting services.

 

[Mushkins]

You're hosting a website on a T1? I'm pretty sure most cellphones have access to more bandwidth than a single T1 line these days. Is there a particular reason you're using a T1 for this instead of say, FiOS or business class Cable?

 

[RazB]

You're hosting a website on a T1? I'm pretty sure most cellphones have access to more bandwidth than a single T1 line these days. Is there a particular reason you're using a T1 for this instead of say, FiOS or business class Cable?

our company is in liquidation and we haven't been able to change anything in awhile...And there are users here that will use their phone instead of the work computers for web access LOL...

 

[RazB]

A T1 is 1.5mbps upload and download. 10 users sharing that link means each user gets about 150kbps. Hosting a web site on that link with NOTHING else running on it would probably be OK. Hosting your web site AND having 10+ users overloading the link at the same time is asking for headaches.

Putting 50 people on a single T1 is only a viable option if most of them never use the Internet at all. If all 50 try to use it at the same time, they will end up sharing 30kbps each (slower than early 1990's dial-up).

In short, don't do it unless you have absolutely no other alternative, and know that if you do, everyone using the connection will hate you.

If you really can't upgrade the connection, at the very least host that PDF file somewhere else so it isn't adding to the problem. Put it somewhere like Google Docs, Microsoft SkyDrive, or any of the hundreds of other file hosting services.

Am I to understand that even if we didn't have the PDF on our servers, there's an issue with outside users accessing our .com site? Also...and forgive my ignorance, is there a separate pipe for incoming vs outgoing traffic? What I'm getting at is I'll assume that someone hitting our website is outgoing from our servers whereas we're downloading (incoming) content.

 

[Mushkins]

Am I to understand that even if we didn't have the PDF on our servers, there's an issue with outside users accessing our .com site? Also...and forgive my ignorance, is there a separate pipe for incoming vs outgoing traffic? What I'm getting at is I'll assume that someone hitting our website is outgoing from our servers whereas we're downloading (incoming) content.

Correct, PDF or no you'd probably have better results hosting the website on a cell phone. That T1 is completely inadequate for what you're trying to use it for, might as well be leasing two cans and a string from your ISP.

People using the company internet and people accessing your website at the same time will affect speeds for both in your current configuration.

Leasing a T1 is also typically more expensive than even a residential cable internet connection.

 

[RazB]

Correct, PDF or no you'd probably have better results hosting the website on a cell phone. That T1 is completely inadequate for what you're trying to use it for, might as well be leasing two cans and a string from your ISP.

People using the company internet and people accessing your website at the same time will affect speeds for both in your current configuration.

Leasing a T1 is also typically more expensive than even a residential cable internet connection.

Thanks for info...I had a feeling it was bad news.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

I'm guessing you are paying at LEAST $400 a month for that T1, you can easily get a business class cable line for $100 that has far more bandwidth

 

[Railgun]

I'm guessing you are paying at LEAST $400 a month for that T1, you can easily get a business class cable line for $100 that has far more bandwidth

There's a reason companies go bust.

 

[jumpncrash]

besides the liquidation deal, you could lease a dedicated server with unlimited bandwidth for a month for like 80 bucks, if you didn't need unlimited, 5tb is around 40 bucks for slightly inferior hardware

 

[stlcardinals]

I'm guessing you are paying at LEAST $400 a month for that T1, you can easily get a business class cable line for $100 that has far more bandwidth

I'm guessing that the company might be in a rural area. Cable isn't available everywhere you know.

 

[Mushkins]

I'm guessing that the company might be in a rural area. Cable isn't available everywhere you know.

All the more reason the webserver shouldn't be hosted on premises