Verizon HomeFusion

[Gustav]

Anyone have any experience with this service, or Verizon's 4G LTE network in general? Is it good/reliable enough for gaming online? (I hope I can even get to start crashing some planes into the ground around here, eventually. )

We are seeing about having one of their techs out later this week to check what kind of 4G signal we actually get here, and hopefully to install HomeFusion. (The lady at the store said we had a really good chance according to her map.) A neighbor let me use their hotspot long enough to do some tests on speedtest.net a couple weeks ago, and it looked pretty promising.

I do know it will be a lot better than what I currently use now. (Hughes HN9000, Modem's LAN and transmitter seems to be slowly dieing.  )

[ACE]

Verizon is very nice to game on in my opinion.  I get really nice connection with no lag all the time.

[gyrene81]

when you did that speedtest, did you happen to do a packet loss test as well? those mobile wireless technologies are great for basic web use but for gaming, it's about like satellite, quirky and unreliable.

considering the costs, data limits and commitments you have to make for that homefusion...i'd look for something else. do you fall within their service area for fios?

[Gustav]

I do not fall into the coverage area for FiOS, Cable, or DSL. It really boils down to Wireless, Satellite or Dial-up. (They basically ran FiOS right past our neighborhood to feed the cell towers, however, they have no plans to expand FiOS much more for home use.)

I didn't think to do a packet loss test when I was borrowing that hotspot. I did notice with the speedtest pings always stayed at around 70ms between here and Richmond, VA (~50 miles).

I do agree on the price, HomeFusion is pretty expensive for their 30GB plan. Comes out to $130 a month for 30GB, Taxes, and their service repair program. A two-year contract seems pretty common for Wireless and Satellite, however, so that's not a big problem. The lady did say we get a 14 day trial period when its installed before we go into contract, and that if they do change the plans' data amounts or price we could change the plan as we wanted. (Granted, Verizon's Early Termination Fee is less than we payed to get Hughes installed in the first place.)

[ACE]

If you can get 4G signal at your place I would go with it.  I understand where people could see it having packet loss and what not.  Honestly my Verizon never has any problems. I get under 100 ping to AH servers from TN. 

[gyrene81]

anytime you do a speed test, also do a packet test. i generally do multiple checks more than 100 miles away, east, west, gulf and dallas...sometimes canada.

[Gustav]

Well, I do remember out of amusement doing a speed test to Australia, came back at about 350-400ms

Well I just got an email from them, they should actually be out here tomorrow morning. I will see about posting up the speedtests and run some packet tests as well once its set up.

[Babalonian]

Well, I do remember out of amusement doing a speed test to Australia, came back at about 350-400ms

Well I just got an email from them, they should actually be out here tomorrow morning. I will see about posting up the speedtests and run some packet tests as well once its set up.

Whenever I get a rural service call and they say this, I promise to have dinner ready and waiting for them.  Good luck   If it doesn't work out, look around at newer/modern satellite internet, you want one that uploads and downloads via the dish/satellite.

[Gustav]

Just got finished with installation, the guy was probably one of the most awesome technicians I have yet to deal with.

The Speed test seems pretty consistently 10-11Mb/s down and 6-7Mb/s up.

Couldn't do a Pingtest properly yet, It may be due I am using my laptop as a bridge for now cause I don't have a Ethernet cord long enough. but its nearly constantly around 55-60ms with a 3-5ms 'jitter' to all the local test sites.

So far, its so much better than Hughes's service. 

[ACE]

It will be 110% better than Hughes net. Thats what I switched from. You'll enjoy it. just be careful with your data cap..

[Gustav]

Yea, I am hoping its not a concern as my old router was telling me the house's usage per month ranges around 15-25GB a month, so 30GB gives some leeway with that.

Also is there a reason the packet loss test doesn't complete on pingtest.net? it keeps saying something about a firewall may be blocking it.

[ACE]

No idea bud. 

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Yea, I am hoping its not a concern as my old router was telling me the house's usage per month ranges around 15-25GB a month, so 30GB gives some leeway with that.

Also is there a reason the packet loss test doesn't complete on pingtest.net? it keeps saying something about a firewall may be blocking it.

It also requires Java so if you have it blocked the test won't work.

[shotgunneeley]

I also have to use wireless satellite connection due to my rural location. We switched from Linksys to Exede by DirectTV a couple months ago.

The connection quality is unreliable. I frequently have to reboot the main router for it to find connection. Signal strength can be weak with 2 out of 5 bars being the norm. Connection for the game varies - most of the time it works but I do have frequent connection loss and lag episodes. Just the other day I was getting multiple discos within a minute of logging on to the game. For me, this comes in the form of "instant deaths" - being fatally injured before I even know I'm getting hit. Always happened on FPS games too where I could go from full health to dead within half-second from a pistol that normally takes 5-6 hits for a kill.

As far as gaming goes, I've never had a connection service other than wireless. Is DSL/Cable everything I hoped and dreamt it would be?

[gyrene81]

As far as gaming goes, I've never had a connection service other than wireless. Is DSL/Cable everything I hoped and dreamt it would be?

cable can be, but there can be times when you want to call the provider and give them a few choice WTF? words.

dsl is nothing more than fast dial-up in disguise. it's more reliable than satellite or 4g, but there are still variables that can affect it. distance from switching station, age of telco wire in the house, age of telco junction boxes and wire from the house to the box, etc...etc...etc...