Wireless Gaming

Sleeve · 28 Dec 2010 at 18:13

Bought a Netgear wireless adapter to use in conjunction with my Belkin router, when i get my new build delivered on Thursday.

Who games wirelessly? Are there any drawbacks? I have a 10m ethernet cable which i could use instead, but would rather not.

OpenToSuggestions · 28 Dec 2010 at 18:14

Wireless can work flawlessly or it can be a huge PITA.

It depends on the location on the equipment and the walls/ceilings it is going through.

Sleeve · 28 Dec 2010 at 18:20

Well, my router is on one side of my living room and my pc is on the other. Literally maybe 5 metres apart...

My laptop runs perfectly well wirelessly so I'm hoping it'll be the same situation.

OpenToSuggestions · 28 Dec 2010 at 18:22

Should be fine then

.

Sleeve · 28 Dec 2010 at 18:26

Lets hope so, 20mb Virgin cable is the one

The Deuce · 28 Dec 2010 at 18:39

I play wirelessly and it's a right pain, or maybe I just suck..lol

SupermotoMX · 28 Dec 2010 at 19:01

i had a wireless connection (intel something 300mb's N pci card) its great for wow ect, but when playing cod and other similar FPS games the latency issue was really noticable, so i ran a 50m ethernet from top of my house to the bottom, now things are playable, no matter how many different wireless routers are about in my neighbours houses

jake108 · 28 Dec 2010 at 19:55

If you can avoid wireless then best use wired. There has been cases where wireless has been brilliant and then all of a sudden - due to outside interference - gone. If you can I would recommend home plugs or any other method apart from wireless for gaming. Wired preferred if you can, otherwise home plugs.

LiamJ · 28 Dec 2010 at 20:36

Most of the time, wireless is absolutely brilliant, just as good as any wired connection. The only problem is consistency. Interference can cause random packet loss, which can be a killer when gaming. If you're only 5 metres away from your router, this should be no problem at all, though.

Swiftlegend · 28 Dec 2010 at 20:46

I play over my wireless network, i'm on the other side of the house, and one floor up, i play cod etc.... and many other games. On english Cod servers my latency is never above 100 if no downloads are on, normally around 60 which is fine for me. I don't find it any issue at all (along as you have the right wireless adapter *cough* WN311B that kept disconnecting me, bought a Linksys USB stick and works great!). Btw my broadband is max 1.5mbps with tiscali lol.

Walsandrew · 28 Dec 2010 at 22:06

i always see people saying how much worse wireless is than wired for gaming. but personally i have never seen any evidence. gamed on wired and wirelss for many a year. competitibe rts, rpg etc and it has never effected me.

VeNT · 28 Dec 2010 at 23:49

I have hells own job over wireless
thats though two walls and a floor tho
over 5m I'd be tempted to get a wire.

OLDPHART · 2 Jan 2011 at 10:50

Hi, wireless gaming no, for what it takes buy a RJ45 cable[measure up] just tuck it under the edge of your carpet from router to PC a 5 minute job. Google about £4 > 10mtre RJ-45, more secure, just as easy set up, etc. l know quite a few people with ADSL, they have tried wireless for gaming, etc, been more trouble then what its worth. No problems when converted to cable, ISP's push it as its slighlty easier to set up then running cable's, if all goes well.

Duke · 2 Jan 2011 at 10:59

I would avoid wireless for gaming, especially as you can run a cable so easily.

thebigak · 2 Jan 2011 at 19:42

If you know what you are doing and are willing to test different configurations you can get wireless working pretty much flawlessly, but there are so many potential issues that most people can't be bothered. Some wifi adapters have an option called 'gaming mode' in the control panel properties, Ralink models for example. Also bear in mind that many routers experience packet loss and inconsistent connections when you are too close to them, not only when you are too far. Read on smallnetbuilder for advice and reviews, very good site. It is possible to get a very good ping wirelessly if you have the right hardware. I remember seeing a comparison on tomshardware of different routers and the Linksys model they were testing had the lowest latency.