rec.autos.simulators

Tried hosting 10 people last night and most people had bad connections
with warping and discos. So we used another server and then after the
race I tried to host the same people again but I changed the "upstream
bandwidth" setting on the VROC server tab from "all analogue modems" to
"unknown" ("internet connection type" always set to "pure digital
cable"). The connections were much better then, only one disco. <end sad
story>

Do the "internet Connection type" and "upstream bandwidth" boxes
actually affect the server performance?...I thought they just appeared
in the race list to let people know how the server was connected?

Second story:  MTU size.  My service provider has MTU patches available.
One that maximizes MTU size (set MTU=1500) and another for "Online
Gamers" for "Reduced MTU size to increase response times for online
games" which seems to set MTU=576  (the patch files can be found at
http://www.racesimcentral.net/
http://www.racesimcentral.net/;for those that
are interested).

What's the proper MTU size for GPL/VROC? Are there other tweaks for
cable modems specifically to improve GPL server performance?

System specs are below.  Upstream stream bandwidth shouldn't be a
problem (dslreports speedtest gave over 700 kb/s upstream just after the
first attempt last night) The system runs a full field at Monaco
off-line with most of the graphics on without any fps drop (and I turn
off the detail in mirrors and drop the detail slider to half before
hosting just to be sure). If anyone has any ideas as to the cause or how
to trouble shoot the problem please let me know.

Sorry for the long post.... I've been trying to get to work for several
weeks now without any luck.

Ken

System specs
windows 98

se440bx-2
v3 3000
Yamaha 724 soundcard
eastlink connection though 3com cable modem (max 3Mb down/1.2Mb up)
generic ethernet card
3/84,3/84 server settings

They are information only. The bandwidth used depends on the "GPL Bandwidth
setting" and the number of clients.

GPL uses short UDP messages (less than 400 bytes at maximum bandwidth
settings). Therefor MTU has no influence. Most other tweaks, like Rwin and
DefaultRcvWindow, relate to TCP, not UDP.

What you can do is run pingplotter for some time and see if you get good
pings all the time. Cable performance can vary due to other cable user's
actions, other compliances like old tv's, and of course the amount of
traffic that wants to go through your isp's backbone connection. You find
Pingplotter at www.pingplotter.com.

Bart Westra

Ken
PS Your "The workings of GPL Online" has been been very helpful as well. Thanks
for putting it together.