Advice please!

[old.memski]

I've got two computers on a lan, and I heard that you can get them to share a line successfully with Win98 SE on an isdn line with little increase in ping. I've already got win98, and can't justify giving Mr. Gates more of my money just to get both pc's online, so I got hold of a trial internet share program, called (you guessed it) internetshare. Now using this program on my modem with both computers online gave me a phenominal increase in ping.

What I want to know is:
i) Is the drop in quality due to the program or the weaker link to the net?
ii) If it's because of the modem connection, do I really want to get isdn with cable/adsl around the corner (12month contract, etc)?
iii) If I do decide to wait, can anyone forecast whether BT will keep the discount isdn installation offer and monthly rates (I mean who wants to pay £40 a month for a poorer non-flat rate connection when you can have flat-rate cable for the same price)?

Having heard the rumour that adsl will be £200+ per month, if this is true, then that option is straight out. Cable won't be in my area until "later this year", and I've heard of fluctuating pings and packet loss with cable usage, isdn seems to be the most ideal, but no flat-rate charges

- god, I'm confused, someone please help me out, I need advise
Thanks in advance

 

[old.Fish]

With most proxies it's a bit of both. There is always going to be some lag as the gateway computer gets the packets in the network card and out the modem. Most of the problem is bandwidth though. The modem can barely keep up with one person playing quake, let alone two... Dual-channel ISDN would probably work fine through a proxy, but I've never tried it. Certainly a 12-month contract would be a bad idea right now.

 

[old.[DBP]Gemma Dog]

just thought you might like to know that I have a cable modem (as of a few weeks ago), as I live in an area covered by NTL.

'Surfing' and downloading are mostly very good. However, as with anything net related, the results are variable, depending on a number of factors. I usually download files at about 1mb a minute, but again it depends a lot on how far away the server is, and how busy it is.

When running bandwidth test I've had everything from similar to 56k modem to just off 512kbps ! Usually it is between 100 and 200 kbps.

As for Quake2, it is better than modem, but not as 'smooth' as ISDN, as I've had pings as low as 29 and as high as 180. Speaking to a chap at NTL (who plays on Barrysworld!), he said cablemodems are by nature a 'bursty' technology and currently there's not a lot I can do about it

Mind you, I'm not complaining as 24/7 connection for £40 is very good. and not having to wait 45 seconds to connect is also rather nice! Just power on the PC and you're on!

So, if you are a 'serious' online games player you might want to wait for ADSL (which I think will still be priced at around £40 to £50 per month).

Hope that helps

GtD

 

[old.FingerMagnet]

My God Memski when did u go online! [Private Joke]

K, Isdn is way too over priced for what it is. ADSL, if costing £40 for flat rate would be excellent. At 200 quid its over priced too and there won't be enough online hours to justify that kinda money. Cable sounds good although the variable ping might be poor for q2 railing, mind u ain't been doing bad with that modem!

The way I see it ISDN cost too much now. You could wait for ADSL and hope it is cheaper than say £100. Or you could wait for Cable, but with no real idea when it is available in your area u could be waiting a long time. Perhaps u should wait till ADSL comes out and by then BT may reduce their price for Isdn in response. (With any luck) My advice then? Be patient.

You could just drive (a whole different story there!) down to my place with u'r comp. A copy of Win98se. And leech off my 64k Isdn channel...I'm thinking i can probably afford the extra data burden. Can't really hurt my 40ish ping!

Seeya later!

------------------
FingerMagnet@Pakistans.com


[This message has been edited by FingerMagnet (edited 18 September 1999).]

 

[old.memski]

Thanks for that ppl

I was so close to giving into BT and getting isdn. I've decided that I'd be better off waiting and seeing what's around the corner first. I'll have to put the "lan-online" process on hold for a little longer. The erratic 30-180 ping via cable-modems is a little worrying, wonder if ADSL will be the same...
Anyhow, thx, and I'd appreciate any further input on this topic

 

[old.FingerMagnet]

Where is Win98se available from? Do I really need to got to Billy G to get myself a copy?

[This message has been edited by FingerMagnet (edited 23 September 1999).]

 

[xane]

try http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/win98_2nd_form.htm

It was originally free, but now its £16.82.

 

[old.FingerMagnet]

Thanks m8!
Hmm, £17 quid seems a bit steep for a just an internet sharing program. Does Win98se do anything else to justify the money?

If not is there any other internet sharing programs that can do the job equally well?

 

[old.rockhard]

With re' to ya askin what win98se does,

After i installed on my system it cured all those nasty 98 fatal exceptions and made my system as rock solid as i feel ya can get!

If you want a more stable system fraid your gonna have to splash out! hehe

Bit of a bummer when youve got to pay for a software patch tho'.

Rockhard

 

[old.memski]

Time to resurrect this post, firstly I'd like to thank all the people who contributed both on and off the MB, your help was much appreciated but I've come to the conclusion that if I'm going to get 2 computers to share a connection it has to be isdn+. I was hoping to wait for ADSL/Cable but it looks like I might be waiting for quite some time yet. I live in London, you'd think that the capital city of this country would have atleast one of these two broadband connections readily available by now; BT are taking their time over Adsl and C&W don't have a clue about cable modems (no NTL in my area). So I've been forced to pay through the nose for HH, I haven't put the order through yet just in case someone out there knows something I don't about when adsl/cable will be out - I'm going through with the order mid/late this week so hurry! Atleast then I can get my Q2 clan up and running

Thanx again!


----------------------------------------------
<WDB> They rock!

-> http://www.hussein.clara.net

 

[old.FingerMagnet]

Hehe, are u sure Memski? I know you would really like a flat rate connection. But our clan needs both Memski and Cesur to be online at the same time if we're going to kick ass. Otherwise it will be just me on a good connection, and half the time i'm killing myself!

Oh Btw ain't it your Birthday on the 19th?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MEM!

I think everyone should visit Memski's webpage, find his email address and send him a E-greeting.......or just visit the site!


[This message has been edited by FingerMagnet (edited 18 October 1999).]

 

[old.KUR$AT]

HA, HA.

 

[old.[TFC]Perplex]

errrrrrm. I got my net connection shared over 4 pc's on a lan, running 95, 98 and 98se. you don't need 98SE to share a connection, and we only experienced an increase of about 10 - 30 ms on pings. (on modem)

So I don't know what you're stressing about.

 

[old.memski]

erm, correct me if I'm wrong but do 't you need the internet connectivity option (that win98se provides) in order to get all machines connected through one connection?

 

[old.[TFC]Perplex]

errrmmm. in a word: noyoudon't

all that feature does in SE is do it all automatically for you (even tho it's VERY slow to auto-configure each time you boot up)

if ya know what you're up to, you can do it all manually. We've set up an entire office of about 20 machines feeding off a win95 machine with dual isdn multilink.

It'd take too long to explain here. if ya want more instructions (ONLY if you are actually going to do it. no time-wasters) then i'll arrange to meet ya on IRC sometime and i'll explain it there

[This message has been edited by [TFC]Perplex (edited 10 November 1999).]

[This message has been edited by [TFC]Perplex (edited 10 November 1999).]