Dial up vs DSL/Cable Question

[Fishu]

 

Originally posted by Wingnut_0:
The faster the better!  Packet loss is a multitude of problems that aren't just because you have a DSL line vs. dial up.

Thats why you shouldn't use DSL of some kickass poor company  

Got to use DSL from one which has good connections.

[Grizzly]

"Sorry, but anyone that says it is better to have a slower connection for online play is just full of bull. How could having a higher ping time make for better game play?"

It doesn't. What is most important for games like AH is a consistant, smooth flow of data. Higher speed is secondary and results in less lag between two planes. If a connection is choppy, fast and then slow, or has pauses you get warps. Worse yet is if you lose data.

Modem connections on poor quality lines will be less consistant with higher speeds. Slowing the connection will sometimes help with the warps. But the tradeoff is that you get a greater lag between plane positions which make range inaccurate and the bogie not being where you see him.

grizzly

[Fishu]

 

Originally posted by Grizzly:
It doesn't. What is most important for games like AH is a consistant, smooth flow of data. Higher speed is secondary and results in less lag between two planes. If a connection is choppy, fast and then slow, or has pauses you get warps. Worse yet is if you lose data.

This exactly is the problem with some cable modems, when latency bounces up and down..
though, DSL usually keeps very stable latency..

I would personally prefer DSL over cable modem for gameplay, due to more stable connection.
Though, DSL downside is that it might cost alot more as well.
There are some exceptions when cable modem is better, but chance for those are like one out of hundreds, it seems.

for AH, I believe that DSL is best solution for home end user.

[Westy]

 Thanks guys. That's what I already thought. It's not the issue it's been made out to be eslewhere. This isn't a LPB favouring game like RogueSpear or Half Life.  DSL/Cable does give you a faster and steadier connection to your ISP's pop (point of presence) which is where you connect to your ISP. but after that your packet, my packet, his packet all travel the same internet at the same speed and incurring the same problems. No one at the head of the line here for paying more to thier ISP let me assure you.
 I have 8 years experience with MCI, Cable&Wireles and WorldcomUUNet in the IP dial up, frame relay and IP back bone services and I'm just surprised at the misconceptions and out right fallacies there are spewed out there all the time.

 Add in Winblowmodems, lousy phone lines and homes using cordless phones and you wonder how any one with dial up can play. Yes. Cordless phones and baby monitors can screw with your dial up connection even if you are on a second line. It's the dirty RF from them.

 I do not have DSL or cable conection directly to Applink and HTC's servers. Damn. Now I am getting a bit jealous at Indian though...  But Verizons DSL is looking better as the quaility of my new ISP for cable modem service gets worse. I've been having spikey sessions and just over all generally bad net connects the last week. All over, not just to HTC's servers.

 No need to say who the author was behind that post but I'll just add he does not like AH and probably for what the damage it has done to the numbers in the game he plays. He does make a good effort to slander AH at most occasions. Which is a shame. We were friends once. Aquaintances at best now.

 I just wanted to hear opinions from players who've been around more than just a couple of two week sessions and that did not already have an anti-AH disposition.  I truly wasn't looking for positive or negative although I already felt I knew the answer.

added note:  It almost goes without saying that the gaming industry can't stand still and design for folks with Pent 166's. Same thing with internet technology. It has to evolve too and it can't sit still for folks who still use dial up modems when there are other choices around. Course, PC upgrades and DSL cable have a higher $$$. But they are available choices for most people.

 Hi ICE  

  -Westy

[This message has been edited by Westy (edited 03-04-2001).]

[Jigster]

I hardly ever see microwarps...it's either smooth or it's furbar'd.

Guess I'm in pretty good shape because I can hit Applink in 5 hops from Houston, at 115ms latency avg. which has been that way for about 3 years with Earthlink (only reason I haven't switched)

- Bessy

[janneh]

ISDN here, 180ms.
Compared to 56k modem I've had, ISDN rocks.
No warps.

[Seeker]

Since beginning AirWarrior I've gone from a 28K, to 56k, to ISDN to ADSL all in pursuit of the perfect connection.

I've gone through dam near every tweak and set up guide there is.

And it's never, ever made a difference.

The fact is that you can have a 6" pipe straight from the back of your P.C. to your ISP running at 400 bar to force those packets through the ISP's letter box, you're still screwed the first bad router you come to. Kind of like using a Ferrari from the house to the train station, only to find it's British Rail anyway....

There's lot's of tweaks modem users can check out to ensure their set up is optimized, but then it's out of your hands.

However, the permanent style of connections (such as ASDL) make a major difference to your surfing and downloading, and even the way you look at and use your PC. Suddenly online Video and audio are a reality, here and now, not just some thing in the P.C. mag as you leaf through to the modem set up pages.....

Westy, no need to get religious on an unbeleiver, some RR types just can't adjust..

[-ammo-]

Cable modem here, converted from an at best 51K dial up connection. My connection quality has improved immensely. I hardly ever see an blurps or lag.

ammo

[mrfish]

i have dsl now - i switched from a 56k modem and notice absolutely no difference.

now EVERYTHING else goes a million times faster, when i am downloading something from the net it is just ridiculously fast but really expected more out of dsl for game play

[Fishu]

 

Originally posted by mrfish:
i have dsl now - i switched from a 56k modem and notice absolutely no difference.

now EVERYTHING else goes a million times faster, when i am downloading something from the net it is just ridiculously fast but really expected more out of dsl for game play

DSL helps to fix up lost packets faster and can use more bandwidth for other games.

[Westy]

"Westy, no need to get religious on an unbeleiver,..."

  No problem there. The suject actually had good merit but sometimes peoples "opinions" ares wrapped in an ulterior motive.  His posts was not so much a complaint as it is just down right derogatory, bogus and misleading. A post I felt should be asked here in case there was some unheard from sub-culture who felt they were 2nd class custoemrs to the DSL/cable folks.  The originator of that clap trap above lurks here and so do a number of others. He's read the contrary testimonies and opinions so my "yob" is done  


"some RR types just can't adjust.."

 lol. RR in mind for sure.

 Well. Now we can rest easy knowing we'll not have to debate PERKING CABLE/DSL USERS!!

   

 -Westy

[hblair]

 

Originally posted by janneh:
ISDN here, 180ms.
Compared to 56k modem I've had, ISDN rocks.
No warps.

Dial-up here.
137 ms.  

[Nath-BDP]

Posted by war-dog:
 

So guys like Nath that think an ADSL is best for AH doesnt know much about online gaming.

Ummm... there are other games out there other than Aces High m8. Maybe it's YOU who doesn't know much about online gaming?

I sure would rather have DSL than 56gay for playing quake or another ping-based FPS...

------------------
Nath_____
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"
 

A captured Bolshevik pilot once stated, "In battle, the fighters with the green hearts are generally in the minority. But when they're there, things realy heat up. They're all aces!"

[This message has been edited by Nath-BDP (edited 03-04-2001).]

[NUTTZ]

Westy, Skuzzy had some great write-ups and answered alot of my questions regarding my DSl. I've been using Verizon DSL since april, you'll need to really do some home work. If they are still offering USB DSL forget it. I had the USB modem and it blew chunks, worse than a 56k dial up. I now have the Westell external, hooked to a PCI netgear card, It's much much better, but still studdered. You will read in the verizon manual how to make an IP address to correct this. Now my DSL rocks!!!!!!


NUTTZ

[Westy]

rgr Nuttz. I followed that in the Connection forumn. My cable has been awesome, till they went out of business and the replacement ISP is not up to par imo. the problem with Verizon, imo, is they are great or they sukk bad. It's blakc and white with not much gray in between. And I've heard far more complaints than praise for thier DSL and thier customer service around here than good comments.

 Should my cable get worse I'll have to re-think that option. Soon as I they have the $35/mo  special right now. Fee install, setup etc.

-Westy