12-20-2009 13:03
Having recently moved over to Windows from Linux, I noticed a few times my ISP had disconnected me for no reason. So I began monitoring the download speed and data flow the SL viewer uses, to my surprise I noticed the viewer using well over the setting in my preferences of 350.

Using the SL stats bar (ctrl-shift-1), I used to see between 12-50 kbps Idle (and still does in Linux), now I'm observing upwards of 400 kbps (Idling around 100), with a maximum setting of 350 in preferences, the preference setting is not working at all (in Windows). This is a HUGE amount of data to constantly stream during my time in world, I'm wondering where all this data is going?, most seems to be uploading and maxing out my upload speed also, so I'm guessing somethings using my connection to flow data?.

Just concerned as this would cause lag (connection being maxed all the time), and would also cause problems for people with a capped ISP.

I asked my girlfriend to check (Windows 7) and she also reports the high amount of data flow.

I also monitored the data flow outside of SL, in a network monitoring application, this also confirmed huge amounts of data being passed.

EDIT:
Little update, I relogged into the Linux Viewer, and at first was idling around 16, I rechecked the stats again some time later (in Linux), and to my surprise the speeds around 200 idle??, very odd. I did change my outfit and add some HUD's, after rechecking.

FINAL EDIT:
Problem solved, it seems to be caused by some flashing Christmas lights we have, the script is updating and sending information (the flash effect) to anyones viewer in draw distance, causing huge data spikes, which would also cause lag in other words to anyone in view distance, they have been derezzed. Although still wondering why my preference setting is not being treated as the maximum download speed possible.