inherit
233889
0
Aug 24, 2023 5:39:54 GMT -8
STLUEE
1,165
June 2016
stluee1
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Post by STLUEE on Mar 23, 2020 11:42:12 GMT -8
So, I was thinking of changing providers. For me, I would be ok for at&t.I heard its bad for gaming(my daughter)She will be moving out next month and I will go back to low income internet.What is a good speed for gaming?
Thank you.
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inherit
29252
0
Sept 6, 2012 15:46:49 GMT -8
Derek‽
28,652
August 2004
kajiaisu
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Post by Derek‽ on Mar 23, 2020 17:08:38 GMT -8
That depends on what you mean by “for gaming”. There are three factors you have to take into account when choosing a service provider, all of which can play a role in gaming, depending on your needs: latency, bandwidth, and monthly cap.
Latency is the actual speed of the connection as measured in milliseconds, the lower the better. It determines how long it takes a packet of information to travel to and from a server. In terms of gaming, low latency is crucial for games that require constant updates to every other online player in a session, such as where your character is positioned, where they’re aiming, and which buttons/keys you’re pressing. Not all games update at the same speed, but the lowest latency is almost always an advantage these days. The farther you are from your ISP’s nearest hub, the higher the latency you’ll experience. Rural connections are never great, but they can be sufficient. Never choose a satellite internet connection.
Bandwidth is a term you’re probably familiar with, but it’s often misunderstood. It isn’t the actual speed of the connection, it’s how much data can be sent per packet burst. It’s measured in megabits per second (not megabytes; 1 megabit = 1/8 megabyte) and as long as the connection is about 1.1 Mbps (notice the lowercase “b” signaling a bit instead of a byte with an uppercase “B”) or more you’ll be able to participate in most online games without too many hiccups. Where bandwidth really comes into play these days is in regards to downloading games, which have ballooned in size to about 100+ GBs for some of the largest ones. The bandwidth determines how quickly the game will download. Buying physical copies of games won’t always save you if a necessary update is 20+ GBs, but it can ease the pain of the initial installation.
The monthly cap is a limit on how much data you can use within a calendar month. It’s not usually a 100% total cutoff if you exceed the limit, but rather a drastic throttling that occurs until the beginning of the next month. You can also end up throttled if you use too much data within a 24-hour period, even if you haven’t reached your monthly allowance yet. All ISPs impose caps of some sort, even if they claim otherwise. What that cap is and how badly you can end up throttled depends on your service plan. Be advised, blowing well past your cap can lead to complete service termination, but it’s highly unlikely you’ll reach that particular threshold. Large game downloads can be problematic if you get throttled. Online gameplay shouldn’t be affected too badly unless others in the house start using the internet to stream videos or other intensive activities.
The one aspect I didn’t list, and which can’t be as easily accounted for in a sales pitch, is true network stability. It doesn’t matter how low the latency is, or how much bandwidth you’re afforded, if the connection is unstable and unreliable. Interruptions can cause data packets to be lost, making online gaming frustrating and maybe getting you booted from sessions. In addition, it can slow download progress or even stall downloads completely.
Asking GT which ISP is best won’t get you a useful answer, I’m afraid. We don’t know what is offered in your area or how reliable the service will be. I’ll accept DSL if I have to, but my experience in Ohio is that it’s rather spotty in rainy or windy weather. Cable is more reliable and my preference, but I also don’t get the 100Mbps starting speed Spectrum likes to tout (I’ll get maybe 70-80 on a good day, averaging maybe 50 on most days, which is perfectly fine for my needs). None of that information will be particularly useful to you.
Any terrestrial, subscription-based service should have adequately low latency for gaming. Latency above 100Mbps is awful and will almost certainly have an impact on performance; sub-50 will work well; sub-20 is best. I wouldn’t pay an ISP a dime for less than 12Mbps of bandwidth, which is what you might get in rural areas.
Stay far away from satellite service. Far, far away. 22,000+ miles away.
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inherit
233889
0
Aug 24, 2023 5:39:54 GMT -8
STLUEE
1,165
June 2016
stluee1
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Post by STLUEE on Mar 23, 2020 17:52:05 GMT -8
wow thank you! To change to another service I need a $100,so I may as well keep charter.When people love out of my house, I don't mind a slower cheaper speed. Thank you again.
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inherit
76165
0
Jul 1, 2018 21:15:48 GMT -8
Beckea
Relax with a good book!
930
April 2006
purplescraps
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Post by Beckea on Mar 23, 2020 21:16:58 GMT -8
So, I was thinking of changing providers. For me, I would be ok for at&t.I heard its bad for gaming(my daughter)She will be moving out next month and I will go back to low income internet.What is a good speed for gaming? Thank you. What service do you have at the moment? STLUEE.
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inherit
233889
0
Aug 24, 2023 5:39:54 GMT -8
STLUEE
1,165
June 2016
stluee1
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Post by STLUEE on Mar 24, 2020 17:04:44 GMT -8
Charter Spectrum.Its %81 a month, pretty expensive.
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inherit
76165
0
Jul 1, 2018 21:15:48 GMT -8
Beckea
Relax with a good book!
930
April 2006
purplescraps
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Post by Beckea on Mar 24, 2020 21:57:02 GMT -8
STLUEE : I have Charter Spectrum as well and yes it is but for my area, it is the cheapest. I was going to change as well but when I found out that they are the cheapest. I was not happy, but I called them and they gave me a discounted price or gave me a special offer. Maybe call and see what they can do for you because every time I did they worked with me.
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180565
0
Mar 27, 2024 17:05:47 GMT -8
User 180565 is taking donation
I forgot you were a person
10,420
June 2012
keenk
Pink Stars
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Post by User 180565 is taking donation on Mar 26, 2020 6:51:20 GMT -8
Anything above 100mbps should be enough for 2-5 people in a household
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inherit
76165
0
Jul 1, 2018 21:15:48 GMT -8
Beckea
Relax with a good book!
930
April 2006
purplescraps
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Post by Beckea on Mar 26, 2020 11:05:59 GMT -8
Anything above 100mbps should be enough for 2-5 people in a household True.
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