# How Bad is Dialup Internet in 2025?

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-qyNFjZaQs
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/T-qyNFjZaQs
Generated: 2025-12-06T18:33:25.168+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Dial-up internet in 2025 is painfully slow, often clocking in under 60 Kbps, making modern web browsing virtually impossible, as demonstrated by the 17-minute load time for a single YouTube video and the failure of a simple Wikipedia request, although download managers and disabling images offer minor relief.

**Key Points:**
- The primary test showed downloading a 17-minute YouTube video took over 17 minutes, indicating speeds around 56 Kbps (53 down/48 up kbps with 1.5% packet loss in Chrome DevTools throttling).
- Attempting to load the Wikipedia main page resulted in a timeout error (ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT), illustrating the difficulty of accessing even basic text-heavy modern websites.
- The 56K modem speed (53/48 kbps) used in the test is 50 times slower than the minimum 3 Mbps recommended by Netflix for basic HD streaming.
- The presenter found that even older, text-based games like Ultima Online (designed for 200kbps latency) took 41 seconds just to enter the universe when throttled to 56K speeds.
- The video highlights that 163,401 US households still used dial-up as of the 2023 census data, suggesting a small but existing user base.
- The presenter successfully loaded the LTT store and Wikipedia page only after disabling image loading in Chrome settings, confirming that modern, image-heavy sites are unusable on dial-up.
- The video concludes by suggesting that companies like DeleteMe, which help remove personal data, might be the only viable online activity for those stuck on such slow connections.

![Screenshot at 00:05: The host demonstrates the severe latency by holding a 56k modem to his mouth while discussing the slow speeds, symbolizing the frustrating limitations of the ancient technology on modern internet.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/T-qyNFjZaQs/00-00-05.png)

**Context:** The video explores the current usability of 56k dial-up internet in a hypothetical 2025 scenario, using modern web services and games to demonstrate performance limitations. The host, Jordan Block (guest host in this segment), sets up a StarTech 56K USB Dial-up and Fax Modem and uses Chrome's Developer Tools to throttle a modern connection down to 56K speeds, comparing the experience to the late 1990s/early 2000s internet era. The video also features Linus Sebastian (in an inset window) and a sponsor segment for DeleteMe, a data removal service.

## Detailed Analysis

The video demonstrates the extreme difficulty of using 56k dial-up internet in a modern context, concluding it is virtually unusable for anything beyond basic text communication. The host, Jordan Block, uses a StarTech 56K USB Dial-up Modem to test modern websites and games under a throttled 56K connection (approximately 53 Kbps download, 48 Kbps upload, 250ms latency, 1.5% packet loss, as configured in Chrome DevTools). A simple test of loading the Wikipedia main page timed out (ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT) because of the slow speed and reliance on modern assets like images. Loading a YouTube video took over 17 minutes just to buffer the first 2 minutes of content. When testing gaming, the old MMO Ultima Online took 41 seconds just to enter the universe, and attempting to load a video resulted in a 'Connection to server timed out' error, illustrating the latency issues. The host notes that 163,401 US households still use dial-up according to 2023 census data. To make modern sites even remotely usable, the host disabled image loading in Chrome settings, which made text-only sites like Wikipedia load faster, though still slowly. The video contrasts this with modern needs, noting Netflix recommends at least 3 Mbps for HD video, which is about 50 times faster than 56K. The segment concludes with a sponsor message for DeleteMe, emphasizing that privacy concerns are now a major topic, even when internet infrastructure (like fiber optic deployment) has failed to reach many areas.

### Dial-up Hardware & Setup

- Host uses a StarTech 56K USB Dial-up Modem
- Modem simulates 56K speeds (53 down/48 up kbps) via Chrome DevTools throttling
- Testing setup includes a modern PC and a red rotary phone for thematic effect

### Web Browsing Performance

- Wikipedia main page results in ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error
- Loading a 17-minute YouTube video takes over 17 minutes to buffer 2 minutes
- Disabling images in Chrome settings allows text sites to load marginally faster

### Gaming Performance

- Ultima Online (1997) loading takes 41 seconds to enter the universe
- Attempting to play Vendetta Online results in 'Connection to server timed out' error
- Playing modern games is effectively impossible

### Data Comparison

- 56K speed is 50x slower than Netflix's minimum 3 Mbps HD recommendation
- 163,401 US households still report using dial-up according to 2023 census data

### Sponsor Segment (DeleteMe)

- Promotes data removal service for personal data sold by data brokers
- Offers 20% off with code LTT

### Conclusion

- Dial-up is impractical for modern web/gaming, but still used due to lack of infrastructure or poverty in some areas

![Screenshot at 00:01: Host excitedly announces receiving mail, setting up the theme of old technology.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/T-qyNFjZaQs/00-00-01.png)
![Screenshot at 00:05: The host holds up a 56k modem, which is visually superimposed over his mouth momentarily, referencing the archaic technology being tested.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/T-qyNFjZaQs/00-00-05.png)
![Screenshot at 00:12: A graphic shows the US map made of screens, relating to the discussion about information highways and internet access.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/T-qyNFjZaQs/00-00-12.png)
![Screenshot at 00:24: A picture of the cast of The Flash standing around an AOL tombstone, illustrating the 'death' of dial-up culture.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/T-qyNFjZaQs/00-00-24.png)
![Screenshot at 00:56: Chrome's Task Manager showing network utilization, highlighting the extremely low 12 Kbps Network I/O during the speed test.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/T-qyNFjZaQs/00-00-56.png)