A good new and a bad new

[Pepe]

The good one: I know why an WinXP Athlon 900MHz 512MbRAM Radeon 8500 Ati Card is doing under 20 fps. in a clear sky no enemy environment  (under 10 fps, as low as 4fps in smoked aifields or furballs)

The bad one: The problem lies in the 3com USB ADSL Modem. It was provided by my ISP when I switched to ADSL. Again a good and a bad new. The good one: it was for free. The bad one: it is a discontinued product, so no support, no drivers, no nothing. It eats 40% of processor. I mean, all switched down, just WinXP running, and processor is running 40% of its capacity (according to taskmanager)

Soooooo.....solition-wise, I think my only real chance is upgrading (I'm starting to hate this word) to a DSL router. No use in complaining to the company (in Spain, this is definitely not the way to go, or, better said, it's the useless way to go). Since after upgrading my video card, and buying another joystick (X36 combo just passed over) my financial resources are rather dried up for entertainment purposes, I guess I will be less time online than usual. AH is pretty much unplayable for me currently

Switching to Falcon 4.0 in the meantime...of course, not online  

Cheers,


Pepe

[Seeker]

Sorry to hear that, Pepe

Do you want me to hold your scenario slot open for you?

[bikekil]

Pepe!
are you sure that you recognizeg your problem correctly?
i have about 37fps at "clear sky flight" with no problems at PIII550, 256RAM and old TNT2 32MB Video card. i'm flying 800x600 screen resolution @ 16bit colour. i have no problems with performance... i'm 99% sure that's the other reason here. i cannot tell you what exacty it is, but i can't believe that is's coused my 3com modem... try to do some more research... maybe unplug/uninstall moden and chcek it?
maybe something it wrong with your drivers... i dunno.
wish you have more pacience and luck with it bro!

maybe this can help a bit

[straffo]

What about saying to your ISP that ALL your USB port are fried and so you cannot use the modem anymore and ask for an ethernet modem?
Not a big lie (used it myself )
And an Ethernet card is about 15/20 Euros.

[Skuzzy]

Sorry to hear that Pepe.

I have to wonder if it is a conspiracy .  Any ISP knows that a USB based cable/DSL modem will kill any chance to have decent game play over the Internet.
Most ISP's hate online gamers due to the amount of time they continue to suck up resources.  Online gamers tend to be more vocal about connection problems than the typical WEB surfer.  Gamers also tend to download more files that are also larger.

Me, well,  I really like online gamers as clients.  The overall bandwidth consumption is really small and they are usually to busy playing to call and get support.  They also tend to be more computer savvy, which cuts down on support calls, and when they need support it is usually a very short call.
Of course, that assumes you run a network correctly and get connect issues under control quickly.

It is a rather unfortunate situation.  As USB is built into all modern computers, it makes it easier to give away USB based modems so the ISP does not ahve to mess with Ethernet.  

I hope you get it resolved Pepe.  Good luck.

[Pepe]

Seeker,

I told Wilbuz I can't make it for sure, neither this or the easter week frame, because I'm on hollydays.... Had a hard time with wifey negotiating the whole thing, and having this Saturday free for 2nd. frame, instead of starting our hollydays....after first frame was postponed, she "insisted" (you know what I mean) in leaving Madrid this very Friday, since I won't be finishing the whole event....  I think I have some opportunity to make it on easter weekend, but being not sure about that, I think it's better for all leaving my spot free for anyother. If I am back Sat 30th, you can bet I will be a walk on  



bike killa,

Unfortunately I'm quite sure. It's a driver problem. Some guys are trying to make independent ones, but it's a well known problem here in Spain. No XP drivers for this thinghie, and no support from 3com, since it's a discontinued product.


Straffo,

You sure know how these things work around Europe, let alone Spain...If you tell them you fried your USB ports, they will probably tell you it was your fault to put them in the pan



Skuzzy,

You are probably right, as usual.  


After thinking and thinking (an unnatural thing for me  ) I think I've come to a solution:  I will be   * VEEEERY  GOOD *  these hollydays. Sure my wife will make no objections at buying yet another electronic senseless apparatus   (how I hate democracy)

Cheers,

Pepe

[Nemo]

Originally posted by Skuzzy

I have to wonder if it is a conspiracy .  Any ISP knows that a USB based cable/DSL modem will kill any chance to have decent game play over the Internet.
Most ISP's hate online gamers due to the amount of time they continue to suck up resources.  Online gamers tend to be more vocal about connection problems than the typical WEB surfer.  Gamers also tend to download more files that are also larger.


It is a rather unfortunate situation.  As USB is built into all modern computers, it makes it easier to give away USB based modems so the ISP does not ahve to mess with Ethernet.  

 

I'm just starting to do some research on getting cable/dsl.  Most
people I know have the USB based modem.  So, Skuzzy, what's
the best way to go?

Thanks,
Nemo

[Skuzzy]

Ethernet is the best way to go for a cable/DSL modem.  Lowest amount of overhead, with a decent Ethernet card anyways and highest throughputs.

It really is rather funny.  I see guys/gals put enormous efforts and expense into thier computer system to get the most frame rates they can, then handicap thier systems with a USB based cable/DSL modem.  The logic in this just simply escapes me.

Consider this;  In a general scenario, a USB modem will generate about 4 times as many interrupts as the same data over Ethernet will.  Then you have the seriously slow USB interface to deal with versus the PCI bus.  Added altogether and your system just loses an enormous amount or processing power.

[SKurj]

Skuzzy....

In many cases the consumer has no choice as to which modem they get saddled with...

I wonder if its the fact that the ISP co's can get USB modems cheaper because they don't have to supply a NIC as well...


I won't lettem pry my ethernet based cable modem outta my hands no way!!


SKurj

[chaunc]

Do you have a small computer icon in bottom right of screen that flashes during connection?  If so turn that dang thing off by going to "dial up connections" and highlight the dial up (even though you dsl your system may be "dialing" the modem)...once you have highlighted the icon that says the dsl dial up you right click properties and look for a box that says "show connection icon in taskbar and turn that thing off"  I recommend that anybody do this with any modem.  It is pure connection hog because it samples the bit rate.

Hope this helps.

Chaunc

[minus]

strange ,  but  i sugest you to check  MB driver updates , 40 % of CPU resource  is it just to much and not realy comon

if your modem use PPPoA is it some universal   driver around who suposed to work with many type of usb adsl modems give a try on that also

[Pepe]

Just as an update:

Instead of an expensive DSL router, I bought a removable chassis for HD's (really cheap). I freshly installed a W98 on an old 540 Mb HD. Installed AH, and old drivers for my ADSL modem, Dx8.1, pressed start button, clicked on AH, went online.....aprox 60 fps in clear sky, 30 aprox on take off, never under 20fps, even in smokey fields.

Cheers,