Internet options for a gamer out in the sticks!

Andybtsn

Andybtsn

Andybtsn

Don
Joined
23 Oct 2005
Posts
44,478
Location
North Yorkshire
Hi guys,

For the past year I've been using a wireless solution for my internet that is supposed to achieve up to 20mb DL and UL, it does reach these speeds during the day with a ping of around 40ms but in peak time the speeds dip down to around 4mb with a ping of around 150ms+

I can only ever game on an evening and that ping just is horrific for online gaming. My question is if I went back to standard ADSL that achieves a whopping 2mb (!) would my ping be better? The exchange is around 2 miles away if that. Where my wireless point connects to is 10 miles away.

I don't really download anything in house, no streaming or anything I just want a good ping.

Fibre might be here next year but not holding out to be honest, pretty ridiculous I can only hope for speeds places had around 15 years ago!

Thoughts?
 
Yes, your ping would be perfectly good for online gaming. However, if anything decides to start downloading while you're ingame, it's going to become unplayable.

If it's just you using the internet and/or you can control what's downloading, then 2Mbps is absolutely fine for online gaming. You should see pings similar to someone meters from the exchange (speaking from personal experience, 10+ years of gaming on a 512Kbps line just a couple of years ago).
 
Well I was considering purchasing a Netduma R1 router as well which seems useful so as you say all bandwidth goes to my online gaming and nothing else. I can then also see if any other device is downloading etc. Fortunately it's only me and my wife who could download as the kids aren't old enough to know whats going on so that manageable!
 
Then you'll be absolutely fine :)

Updates could be a bit painful if you're using Steam or something, but if you can leave your machine overnight, then just do them then.

Don't know how I managed with 512Kbps for 10 years, but I did! I could game all day without a problem when the family were out :p
 
Steveocee said:
Compared to what?

It'll be faster than DSL.
Have a reasonable tech team.
Should be lower ping times than DSL equivalent to where you are.
Click to expand...

Well this is who I'm currently with:

http://www.clannet.co.uk/

I don't know if thats deemed a fixed solution or not. They are a small company and have a very reliable service and support but speeds just don't help for gaming.

Thanks for the info, Craig.
 
I used to game on 512kb (and less) back when I played MOH:Allied Assault on-line and the original Counter-Strike and I used to get low pings between 30~40.

It's just the patch updates that were a pain!
 
I would argue 2mbit wasn't necessarily enough for all gaming. Especially when the up will be less again. It depends what games you are playing. Dayz/Arma for example is said to use around 350kbytes/sec so you're on the limit there. The fixed wireless companies are a good option, a lot of villages here in Lincolnshire use them. Depending on the location of your house, you could consider what I am going for. Search "500m wireless options" in this forum.
 
I've contacted a few fixed wireless solutions tonight seeking their opinion on pings on an evening. The issue with what I'm with currently is because it's a shared service everyone uses it on an evening and it just makes it useless for me. I'm not sure other wireless companies operate in the same way?
 
Andybtsn said:
I've contacted a few fixed wireless solutions tonight seeking their opinion on pings on an evening. The issue with what I'm with currently is because it's a shared service everyone uses it on an evening and it just makes it useless for me. I'm not sure other wireless companies operate in the same way?
Click to expand...

The ones I know of are on shared services. I think house 1 has a receiver then several houses connect to that. And so on.. When I contacted them about pings, they wouldn't give me a straight answer.
 
It sounds like you're already using a 'fixed' wireless provider (aerial/CPE mounted on the house as opposed to something like a 4G dongle in your laptop). I seriously doubt that your area would have more than one provider serving it.

All services will be contended. Assuming you have a phone line then ADSL will be a relatively small cost, and you can try load balancing it with the wireless services according to the traffic type.
 
I suppose I could run both services, good idea. I could downgrade my wireless from Gold to Silver and then get an ADSL service for the gaming? Best of both worlds, switch to the wireless for downloads etc
 
I live really in the middle of a forest in the lake district (my neighbours are cows and sheep) with the exchange around 3 miles away plus a couple of hundred metres downhill.

I have a BT home line with 2 to 6 mbps down and 0.3 up which is the max I can get with any provider. However given that I am the only user I get perfect 40ms ping to london servers all day every day. It's perfect for gaming.

I also have access to a BT Business line with gets 5mbps down and 0.3 up. However it's a crowded line so rubbish for gaming but I can use it for downloading and streaming data whilst using the other for games.
 
Depends on what is most important to you, really.

ADSL is great for pings (better than fibre depending on the distance) because of the lower freq. used along the copper so its resistance to noise preventing DLM from increasing it unnecessarily.
 
Why is a 150ms ping a problem? I used to game with that all the time when playing Aces High on their servers in America back in the day.
 
Quartz said:
Why is a 150ms ping a problem? I used to game with that all the time when playing Aces High on their servers in America back in the day.
Click to expand...

Because if you have 150ms pings then gaming on say, a server in London, your moves will be 3x slower to register than average.

Try playing counter strike like that.
 
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