Boosting Internet Connection Speed

[Raiden]

As some of you might know, I play online multi-player video games from time to time and enjoy them thoroughly. However, it seems that as of late, my connection has been causing me to lag out of chat and even game play. I was wondering if someone here might have some tips and/or tricks on boosting the connection speed...

Here is some information about my connection...

Speed Test:

http://www.speedtest.net/result/504752834.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

Thanks!

Shane

[Raiden]

This is an hour later. What's the deal?

http://www.speedtest.net/result/504771078.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

Shane

[blueeyes]

Connection bandwidth is seldom the real killer for multiplayer application. They rarely use more than a handful of megabits per hour, and most use so few that they can work on 56k levels of bandwidth.

The bigger issue is latency. 483 ms is close to half a second, and that's going to be pretty obvious for most humans in live play. Ideal results are around or 200 ms.

The biggest issue would be dropped packets. Clearwire is a wireless bandwidth selection, generally applied in large towns or cities. Unfortunately, wireless communications have an inherent risk of lost communications significantly higher than that of normal communications. Wide area wireless communication has the added downside of bandwidth and frequency multiplex allocation dependent on concurrent use, so having a large number of other users at the same time can change results dramatically.

There are a number of methods that may help. Please make sure that your Clearwire router is in a safe part of the building, above ground level, and away from any nearby microwave ovens, large steel plates, or cordless phones. Without doing so, you risk encountering significant interference, resulting in packet errors and retransmission delays. If you connect to the router over a wireless local connection, such as 802.11g, consider switching to a wired connection, or at least make sure that your computer has a good connection and is using the more recent drivers for your wireless card. If you use a separate router and modem, contact your ISP for information on how to set the modem to bridge mode; if both devices are set in route mode the layered NAT/PAT can result in disconnects.

[Raiden]

There are a number of methods that may help. Please make sure that your Clearwire router is in a safe part of the building, above ground level, and away from any nearby microwave ovens, large steel plates, or cordless phones. Without doing so, you risk encountering significant interference, resulting in packet errors and retransmission delays. If you connect to the router over a wireless local connection, such as 802.11g, consider switching to a wired connection, or at least make sure that your computer has a good connection and is using the more recent drivers for your wireless card. If you use a separate router and modem, contact your ISP for information on how to set the modem to bridge mode; if both devices are set in route mode the layered NAT/PAT can result in disconnects.

Okay...

In a safe spot, check. I was talking with Klark and we both thought that this might have something to do with my current router since the signal is not generated in my room with my PS3 and iMac. Would that have anything to do with it? I've been looking at this one thinking that a 802.11N would be better for me.

http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-WNR2000-Wireless-N-Router-Black/dp/B001AZP8EW/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=pc&qid=1244495483&sr=1-14

I'd really hate to go to a wired connection considering that I'd have to have wires all over the floors and whatnot.

Thanks,

Shane

[blueeyes]

The distance any wireless signal transmits decreases its received power, typically falling off as a square of the distance. Walls or physical objects, as well as any background noise, will make that worse. Reducing the distance between the nodes on the local wireless network may help.

If that's not possible, a better router and antennas will increase the power sent. Better antennas may be another choice, as well. You'll usually get less performance out of an n-standard router than advertised, since most receiver devices are still on g-standard, but the additional antennas and better chip sensitivity would help.