senny22 wrote: ↑05 Jul 2020, 08:10
Also, about the gaming VPN suggestion, how would a VPN help with latency jitter? what is it that you bypass by using a VPN? Do you have any specific VPN recommendation?
Gaming VPN is simply a band-aid around crappy backbones. You might not need a gaming VPN if your ISP peers with really good backbones or existing gaming backbones.
Yes, VPN adds overhead, but if it gets you on a low-jitter backbone "most of the way" between you and servers, then WIN-WIN.
I have no recommendations because it's often very route-specific. You will have to test all of the gaming VPNs for your specific Internet routes to your gaming servers. You may find that at least one gaming VPN is lower-jitter than your existing ISP default routing between you and the server.
- Sometimes lower packet latency than ISP backbone
- Sometimes higher packet latency than ISP backbone
- Sometimes lower packet jitter than ISP backbone
- Sometimes higher packet jitter than ISP backbone
Ideally you want low latency AND low jitter. But there are also situations of "more packet latency, but lower packet jitter". And there are also "less packet latency, but more packet jitter".
If I
had to pick poison, I'd take higher packet latency in exchange for lower packet lag-jitter. At least skills can successfully latency-train for a fixed-latency, because you can compensate for hitbox lagbehind effects. But latency jitter creates jittering hitbox registration (unpredictable hitreg). Sometimes latency
consistency is more important than latency lowness.
For benchmarking loaded latency versus unloaded latency, you have to be careful of ping tools -- ICMP, TCP, UDP. Preferably you want a game that has good analysis tools built in, but barring that, you can use other tools that simulate gaming traffic (of the same packet type to similar servers), and measure how that reacts to varying Internet loads. You want to QoS-prioritize your gaming bandwidth and make sure loaded/unloaded latency is as identical as possible.
If you just want end-user education of loaded latency, get a WiFi laptop (pre-11ac) and run
www.fast.com .... It won't be an accurate emulation of gaming, but it educates th34e click the "Shore more info". You'd be shocked at the latency differences between a loaded/unloaded connection! That's an example (Pre-11ac WiFi is half duplex, so loaded latency creates major problems). Here's an example of my
Gigabit Cable connection over even 11ac WiFi -- supposedly full duplex.
- cogeco-gigabit.png (9.68 KiB) Viewed 7685 times
(Note: You should be using better latency-measurement tools more appropriate for game benchmarking, this is just an educational example)
Ouch. 13ms versus 105ms? That's ALMOST as bad as a slowdown telnet/ssh when FTPing over a 14.4Kbps dialup modem connection of the 1990s. (Not quite as bad, but you get the idea if you grew up in the dialup era). Now, if in CS:GO, if the game packets jittered that much -- the hitbox reg will be WAY off when somebody else in the same household loads a big webpage, video, or starts the buffer-surge of the beginning of a Netflix stream.
Eventually I'll have FTTH.
For FTTH + direct-wire Ethernet, latency jitter can be as little as 1ms or less. That's more valuable than Gold or Platinium. Nevermind, more valuable than Feringi Latinum. Fight hard for FTTH where possible, and direct-wire if possible. Of course, your routing might be crappy (that's where a gaming VPN can come in to help).
Now, loaded-vs-unloaded connection problems is easier to avoid worrying about if you don't share the Internet with the rest of the household (thus, why the 2-connection recommendation for paid career esports atheletes having to play at home due to COVID). One ISP FTTH Ethernetted straight to your gaming PC, and one everything-else ISP connection (for surfing / Netflix / tablets / laptops / roommates / family / etc).
If you're just playing recreationally, and can't afford the expense, most of this doesn't really apply. Just common-sense stuff when budget is available.
It's amazing how many people are not willing to pay extra for an ISP, yet they buy a powerful $3000 gaming PC that plays crap on a crappy Internet connection. Sometimes it is anathema to pay $350/month for a business 100 Mbps fiber connection when Comcast is giving you gigabit cable for cheaper.....and your neighbours got lucky with Verizon FiOS...... but sometimes one gotta bite the bullet, pony up, and thank your esports career. Of course, it doesn't always help things, there's a roll-the-dice element here too, but some magical improvements to gaming scores have happened when playing a proper game of ISP chess.
