8 player server, how much bandwidth?

[Emon]

How much bandwidth does one need to run an 8-10 player dedicated server? Is a stanard 3,000/128 Kbps or 3,000/384 Kbps shared cable line enough? The sharing on normal PCs would be for mostly web browsing and some downloading. Would that be enough to get pings of roughly 150 or less to your average cable or ADSL user?

[MatrixCPA]

To get 8 players on a 128k upstream conx you'd need to drop the sv_maxrate down fairly low--between 3000-4000. On the 384k upstream conx you could probably go with 8000-10000. Sharing usually isn't too much of a problem since that's downstream use and upstream is the limiting factor 99% of the time. My only concern would be the consistency of the cable conx. Some cable is really stable and makes for a good server. Some suck eggs.

[KandyFLip]

How would you get 8 players on 128K? I could very well be wrong, and my appologies if I am, but by my calculations (and experience with a UT server) you'll be lucky to get 8 on the 384K connection with the rate capped around 5000. I played around running a UT server on my cable which is capped at 300K, and everybodies connection would start crapping after getting 6 poeple on with the rate set at 5000. (cable capped at 300, but I usually only get around 250. rate of 5000=40K per user=240K with 6 people). If you actually get the full 384K consistently, then you might be able to get 9 players.

 

Again, I could be wrong. it's late. I'm tired

[Emon]

No I don't think your WRONG, but I do know UT is notorious for the absolute slowest netcode ever created. Infact, the Unreal engine just plain sucks.

[Emon]

BTW, for stability, if the cable goes out for like 3 minutes, won't connections resume once the cable comes back on? When I am playing JO online, if I unplug my cable or it goes down for a few minutes, I can continue playing once the Connection Interrupted thing goes away...wouldn't it be the same for a ded serv?

[MatrixCPA]

My 12-player server (recently up'd to 16, but my data is from the time it was 12) on average is pushing 50k/sec upstream with maxrate set at 8000. If you break that down per player it's 4.17k/sec. Multiply by 8 and you get 33.3k/sec upstream. Converted into connection speed, that's 33.3k * 1024 * 8 = 274kbps. That's a bit more than double the 128k he's got, so I figure you cut the maxrate down to 3000-4000 and it might work. Of course, that's a really low maxrate, but it's the best he's gonna do.

[Valdarious]

I had a 6 player server going earlier with 6 people on it and everyone said it was great. I have the standard package as cable lines go with a sv_maxRate 10000. I even had some guy from the UK connect on dial up with only a 300 ping and I live in the midwest US.

[MatrixCPA]

What is your upstream bandwidth? Some cable companies cap at 128k--which would make 6 players at maxrate 10000 quite sluggish--and others cap it higher (256k on up). Perhaps you are fortunate to have it capped higher.

[Valdarious]

Tell you the truth, I am not sure, I do know that its capped. When uploading to people the max speed I have seen is around 14kb/s with those .... well those programs to "share" music stuff heh. Is there a specific way or site I can go to, to test the upload limits? I would also say that I do live on the outskirts of some of the more popular areas and I dont think many people out here use cable (which is soooo nice).

[MatrixCPA]

You can try this test HERE and see what you get.

[Valdarious]

I am getting Speed 842(down)/147(up).

[MatrixCPA]

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that the maxrate a player uses is the lower of what you have set or what they have set. Thus, a modem player will generally have it set lower (2500-4000) and that might play a factor here. Other than that, I'm surprised it works so well on such a narrow upstream connection. Maybe you can spread some of that juice around.

[Valdarious]

Well if you would like to try it out sometime, I just started hosting this today but I might run it more during the day and early evenings. Its calle "GZ FFA(duel) Neutral FP" See what kind of connection you get. I went ahead and changed it to 5 players with one private slot so I can play if I get out of the game for a few.

[[FYS]EnEmY]

i think you will have plenty of bandwidth to run an 8 man server on a 384 up connection. I am currently running a 16 man server on my 768/768 DSL and it works great. decent pings and no lag at all

[MatrixCPA]

Originally posted by MatrixCPA

On the 384k upstream conx you could probably go with 8000-10000.

 

I agree.

[scoobz]

How about running it as a non-dedicated server?

 

I'm running a server that I also play on myself, and I have it open for 4 ppl. I have broadband 512/up 1024/down, but I was always weary about increasing it.

 

So far it runs fine with 4 in it..... but will adding another 4 making it 8 have a detrimental effect on my CPU, cause connection is np.

[MatrixCPA]

I suppose that depends on the speed of CPU (and to a lesser extent RAM) you have. You could always just try it and see how it goes. If the system starts lagging to hell, just reduce it again.

[scoobz]

Oh yeah i forgot

 

I have a 1.4Ghz T-Bird AMD & 256DDR + GFII MX400

 

Any ideas?

[MatrixCPA]

Doesn't sound like 8 people would be a problem, but I don't have the facility to test that theory. Just give it a shot and switch it back if it doesn't work out.

[Emon]

At the current moment my friend has 1,500/128 Kbps cable. What's the max players we can have with good pings (100 or less for broadband, hopefully)? 6? 8?

 

With any luck, soon I may be able to run a dedicated server on a 10/10 Mbps connection, which is going to be changed to a 1/1 Gbps connection within a few months. VA VOOM! Can you say -1 ping? j/k

[tizoc]

ive got 1500/800kbps dsl, right now im running a 12 player server

 

what would be the biggest number that i could have and still have decent pings?

[MightyPez]

"I suppose that depends on the speed of CPU (and to a lesser extent RAM) you have."

 

Actualy, RAM is one of THE single most important factors. A decently fast CPU coupled with lots of ram can run a great server.

[MatrixCPA]

Originally posted by MightyPez

"I suppose that depends on the speed of CPU (and to a lesser extent RAM) you have."

 

Actualy, RAM is one of THE single most important factors. A decently fast CPU coupled with lots of ram can run a great server.

 

Yes, but in his case he's playing the game on the same machine....and the game itself is very processor hungry. Hence, the reason for my comment. You are correct that server CPU's are not nearly as important as RAM.

 

To address some other posts: Realize that the faster a connection bears only minor relationship to the pings obtained. Once you get away from the inherent latency (lag) from a telephone modem, the difference between a t1 and oc192 isn't really noticeable given that all other things are equal--such as distance (hops) to the server, number of players on the server, net conditions, etc.

 

As a general rule, ultra fast connections tend to have fewer hops because it's necessary that they are more proximate to the backbone. Of course, where that is in the world in relation to you, will vary. What you really want are servers on decent, dedicated connections that are local to you--or at least where your net connection is routed.

[Kristian]

I'm running a 16 player server over a tweaked ADSL line (one of the perks of working for a DSL provider/ISP ).

 

Currently get about 2mbits/s down and a little over half a mbit/s up. The limitations on my equipment mean I'll never get more than 640kbits/s up, and the quality of our phone line means realistically, it caps out at about 572kbits/s.

 

Regardless, my game is pretty smooth for the most part. It took a little math coupled with trial and error to come to a rate of 5000 (6000 and when the server fills up, everyone starts timing out and people drop). I've seen people with ping times as low as 40, so the low rate doesn't appear to be harming that too much, and the report from my friends is that the latency is barely noticeable.

 

Anyway, the moral of the story is: Trial & Error, that's where it's at. See if you can get a some friends to fill the server to capacity, then tweak the rate till you come to something that stresses your upstream capacity to about 80-90% of maximum.

 

Good luck!