Bandwith used

[tomcat_ 0]

1. Anyone has an accurate figure as to how much bandwith is required by OFP downwards and upwards when someone is playing in an OFP server?

2. Also, on the player info it has 3 figures: ping, bandwith, and dysync. What exactly the bandwith indicates? Why there are 3 figures and what do they indicate? From what i understand Dysync is the lag with the server. What does it depend on?

[max power 21]

I'm not expert, but I'll take a shot at it.

Ping is how long it takes a signal to reach the server and back again? This is usually measured in milliseconds. The long it takes the signal to reach the server, the longer it will take for the server to process your instructions and send you the result.

Bandwidth is a measure of the amount of information per second you're sending and receiving. This is usually measured in kilobits per second. Usually, online games do not actually take much bandwidth compared to the maximum bandwidth that is provided by highspeed internet. This is usually more of a server-side consideration.

Desync is a measure of packetloss (I think). When information is sent over the internet, it is usually divided up into packets along with information on how many packets to expect and how to assemble them. Due to the nature of the internet, packets sent last may arrive first, depending on net congestion and router paths. This is not a problem, usually, as long as the recipient gets all of the packets. If you are missing packets, however, the client and server will have trouble remaining in synchronous operation due to communication problems. Packet loss is usually attributed to dirty lines or some serious network problems, like netsplits.

[Metal Heart 0]

Generally, when ever anything happens in the game, the whole bandwidth should be used, if it's a 2vs2 CTF clients will just receive more packages (as in more frequent updates thus less client side prediction) than say a 9vs9 cti with tons of AI. When the bandwidth isn't enough to keep everyone in sync of the current events, it will result in desync.

You can monitor bandwidth usage when you are logged in as admin with the command #monitor 30 where 30 is the intreval how often the information is displayed.

I guess the three colums in the player list are current, peak and avarage values.

[tomcat_ 0]

yeap...that's what i want to know...what is the maximum bandwith used when things are very busy on the server.

The bandwith reported not so sure if it is kbites, bites, or kbytes??

anyone knows?

[crashdome 3]

If you are looking for a magic formula, you wont find it.

It's all going to depend on mission type and the environment. The words "very busy" mean something different to different people. It means one thing to a CTI player versus a TDM player versus a Co-op Scripted mission player.

Your best bet is to follow the suggestions in the dedicated server guide according to your bandwidth available and test specific missions as you need. The one rule that will always apply is: more bandwidth = more players (CPU usage factored out). In that case, dedicate as much bandwidth as possible at all times.

Edit: also, those numbers should be in kilobits (kb) and NOT KiloBytes (KB) ..... you can convert KB to kb by multiplying by 8 (or dividing by 8 vice-versa)

[tomcat_ 0]

ok...maybe i didn't describe properly what i'm trying to find out.

I have a dedicated server on 100mb up and down. Dedicated is fine, is not struggling no matter what mission. CPU and mem usage is about 50-70%.

However, i'm asking for each individual client. I'm on broadband 128k down and 64 up (yes it is still broadband) and i can max 13.5k/s down and 6.7k/s up. Sometimes my ping is really high, and the dysync is high, resulting me lagging badly in the server but noone else.

The bandwith figure is showing 10-20 which is extremely low if it is kilobites.

That's why i'm trying to find out how much is going out and in on my computer.

[crashdome 3]

OK,.. There are three numbers. What are the In/Out values and how many players are there? You may be looking at frames/sec which has nothing to do with bandwidth directly.

As a rough example of a monitor report (4 players):

25fps 200out 100in

you can assume that each player is receiving about 50kb and sending 25kb - however, that is assuming all players are equal. If player 1 has 12 AI units in his squad and players 2,3, and 4 don't have any AI than assume that a good chunk of that 100in is from player 1. The 25fps means nothing in regards to network.. it is just saying that the CPU is running smooth enough for normal gaming.

It's all guess work and I could be completely and utterly wrong about all of this (because only BIS knows the truth behind those numbers), but based on my limited knowledge of UDP packets and their use in OFP (and the way it is displayed with "monitor" command) I would say that's a good estimate of what is going on.

[tomcat_ 0]

yes...that makes far more sense...thanks...

now i have two more questions:

1.when u play in the game and you press P connection stats come up amongst others: What is bandwith represents? it cannot be the bandwith in or out cause when i'm alone on my dedicated server and monitor is on doesn't agree with what P says. Also what the 3 numbers of ping or bandwith represents?

2. When i'm playing alone again on the dedicated sometimes i can see 20-70 dysync, but yet i'm not using all my bandwith that i have available by my home connection. Could packet lose cause dysync? What exactly represents and what is affected by?

Pretty sure now that Arma is coming out and OFP is passing to the history, BIS can shed some light into that.

Unfortunately i'm leaving in Africa where bandwith is rare and extremely expensive. But still like to carry on playing and like to know the ins and outs in order to make the bast out of my connection.

[.kju 3244]

ofp wants

~5-7 kbyte/sec as inf

~10 kbyte/sec in vehicles

~16-20 kbyte/sec in air units

upload.

so this should be your problem.

[tomcat_ 0]

jee...this is huge upload speed...

must be of the few games with such high demands in bandwith and especially upload bandwith.

I sincerely hope that Arma will have less demands than OFP otherwise i have to switch to VSAT for higher bandwith but pings of about 800ms.....

[rundll.exe 12]

The BW and Desyinc in the P screen dont represent any "real" value. ITs just some magical BIS number that gives you a good view of who is having connection problems and who has desyinc (you can fin a lot about the magic Desyinc number somewhere here in the MP forums)

Generally BW below 30 is bad, but the number seems to change with the server configuration, so you cant compare these numbers over various severs.

If BW drops below 10 or something you usually get desyinc too (in crowded missions) This is a sign that :

1: You have connection problems/a too slow connection.

2: The server connection is too slow and cant send all data to all clients in reasonable intervals

3: The server cant keep up with the game and "creates" desyinc itself (server CPU too weak)

4: There is an ammobug in the game (rare ofp bug) wich makes nr 3 (heavy CPU load due thousands of objects in game)

the #monitor command clears up a lot most times, if fps is below 5, you have problem 3 or 4

[tomcat_ 0]

yes i have been monitoring the server a lot...

even with 5-6 players in the server the other players from Europe/US don't have dysync which means the server is coping both bandwith and cpu.

when i'm on my own on the server i monitor the bandwith and sometimes eventhough is not going above my upload and download limits i still get dysync...

but i do think it has to do with my bandwith if noone else in the server is getting it

[.kju 3244]

get netlimiter to monitor your bandwith