56k Ping Optimisation Guide
- Thread starter Sumanji
- Start date
from my (poor) memory when i used to game on 56k the right setup could get a ping of under 200.
Used to force the modem to connect at 33.6k and dial up the same isp as the server (ie nildram for jolt). I remeber being a LPB when i bought my diamond external modem.
Old serial port modems are still the best for ping, if you can find one the diamond is still the daddy afaik. The US Robotitcs are faily good and Hayes are okay, ISA internal modems are okay but PCI and USB are crud.
Also remember to disable hardware and software compression.
Edit, with the above setup i could do a windows ping in under 100msec to BBC!
Used to force the modem to connect at 33.6k and dial up the same isp as the server (ie nildram for jolt). I remeber being a LPB when i bought my diamond external modem.
Old serial port modems are still the best for ping, if you can find one the diamond is still the daddy afaik. The US Robotitcs are faily good and Hayes are okay, ISA internal modems are okay but PCI and USB are crud.
Also remember to disable hardware and software compression.
Edit, with the above setup i could do a windows ping in under 100msec to BBC!
Software compression isn't necessarily a bad thing since part of the problem with modems (on top of the high latency) is the low bandwidth. The latency overhead from s/w compression is very low and will not effect ping greatly.
The most important tweak you can do, is to get a decent modem in the first place. ISA modems such as the Pace 56k tended to be the best and this is the only modem I know capable of sub-85ms pings (ignoring impractical tweaks like disabling error correction). However, most computers with ISA slots tend to be too slow for modern games so the next best option is probably an external one, the Diamond mentioned below were quite highly regarded and could ping around 100ms.
PCI modems aren't inherently bad, it's just that the vast majority tend to be software 'winmodems'. Pure Hardware PCI modems are OK.
To be fair though I haven't gamed on modem for about 4.5 years now, so the modem market may have changed now. Not sure what v92 modems are like, they might be worthwhile due to the increased upload speed.
ISP also plays quite an important role, due to the wide range of different kit various ISPs use. This can make a difference of up to 30ms, for example with my best isp I pinged around 83-90ms, compared to say another one giving 110+.
There are various connection strings you can use as well, for example people with a poor phone line would sometimes limit the speed at which they would connect. This ensured that the line wouldn't re-train midgame causing a huge lockup. So if for example, your line was capable of 48000 speed, you might limit the connection speed to 46667 instead.
If you are serious about gaming you should look at getting broadband, or if that isn't available in your area, then ISDN. ISDN is capable of sub-20ms pings which is pretty decent albeit not quite up to cable/dsl standard.
The most important tweak you can do, is to get a decent modem in the first place. ISA modems such as the Pace 56k tended to be the best and this is the only modem I know capable of sub-85ms pings (ignoring impractical tweaks like disabling error correction). However, most computers with ISA slots tend to be too slow for modern games so the next best option is probably an external one, the Diamond mentioned below were quite highly regarded and could ping around 100ms.
PCI modems aren't inherently bad, it's just that the vast majority tend to be software 'winmodems'. Pure Hardware PCI modems are OK.
To be fair though I haven't gamed on modem for about 4.5 years now, so the modem market may have changed now. Not sure what v92 modems are like, they might be worthwhile due to the increased upload speed.
ISP also plays quite an important role, due to the wide range of different kit various ISPs use. This can make a difference of up to 30ms, for example with my best isp I pinged around 83-90ms, compared to say another one giving 110+.
There are various connection strings you can use as well, for example people with a poor phone line would sometimes limit the speed at which they would connect. This ensured that the line wouldn't re-train midgame causing a huge lockup. So if for example, your line was capable of 48000 speed, you might limit the connection speed to 46667 instead.
If you are serious about gaming you should look at getting broadband, or if that isn't available in your area, then ISDN. ISDN is capable of sub-20ms pings which is pretty decent albeit not quite up to cable/dsl standard.
Soldato
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Sorry but are you insane? 
. I used to game on 56K, but now there's no way I'd consider going back from ADSL 
.
US Robotics Serial Fax Modem > * tbh
.
. I used to game on 56K, but now there's no way I'd consider going back from ADSL .US Robotics Serial Fax Modem > * tbh
.Not for me, I'm on 4MB cable
For a mate who's stuck in his mum's house until September... pinging about 250 to DoDS servers right now, and I get <20 to the same ones!
Getting a new modem isn't really an option, just looking for a quick short term fix to get his pings on the right side of 200!
Suman
For a mate who's stuck in his mum's house until September... pinging about 250 to DoDS servers right now, and I get <20 to the same ones!
Getting a new modem isn't really an option, just looking for a quick short term fix to get his pings on the right side of 200!
Suman
Soldato
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Well pretty much anything can slow down 56k, it could be the modem, the cable, the line, the software, etc etc .
.