How much speed do I need?

I see a lot of talk about video cards, memory, and other computer requirements. And I see a lot of talk about ARC, draw distance, and things relating to the SL system. But what about the path between the two?

Do you have 1-2 mps? 5-10? More?

Do you tear your hair out in frustration? Wish you had more but get by? Are completely satisfied?

I really need to make some changes but could use the voice of experience before plunging ahead.

What is that?

OP 1500 kbps is the maximum allowed bandwidth according to Preferences-Network.

I currently have a 10 mbps line but that's changing soon since I'm moving and the broadband there doesn't support 10. I'll probably be back to 3. It won't change my SL experience much but the added speed will be missed. :/






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Briana - First, as you see from Angel's post, I should have said mbps (or kbps, kilobits per second). It's a measure of data transfer speed between computers. This number refers to the download speed only (upload speed is typically slower for most systems).

Also, as Angel points out and I hadn't considered, your SL preferences (Network tab) only allows a maximum bandwidth of 1500 kbps (or 1.5 mbps).

Actually, it is a good idea to set your preferences to around 500-600 kbps to avoid draining the system for all around you. I hadn't put this all together until Angel pointed it out but it means that I can get by with cheap DSL that offers only 768 kbps.

Thanks Angel. I'm encouraged.

just about any broadband speed will work. Remember though if you are on a 700-1500kbps and trying to run other things (Fire Fox, IE a shoutcast etc. its going to cause issues (as well if your on a wireless network and the network is slower or others are on it. )

I just went from a 6000-9000kbps DSL to a 28000-30000kbps cable .. have to say I don't notice any difference in SL or for most web things at all besides large file Downloads or uploads.. big change!

I know that in the past 24 hours you have created 30+ accounts at Second Citizen MKII to mock me and now everyone there is talking abut what a loser dude you are since i can tell your entire history and post all your IMs and emails without any backlash.

have a great day!

What? Is this yet another level of your insane role play?

Also I see my signature vanished. How is it every time I post I am greeted by one of your psychotic meltdowns and that's perfectly okay but my signature pointing out that very fact is somehow verboten.

I was just poking you since you regularly point out to everyone in a very rude manner how you know it all because you're a 2003. Take your meds sicko. If someone is causing you grief somewhere else then that's your doing and has nothing at all to do with me.

If you would like to take your circus to every forum on the net that's perfectly fine with me. Your history is known by many. Your crazy wavering from saccharin sweet posting to outright vicious libel makes it clear to anyone how dangerous you are. Your words are the trivial ramblings of the insane. Your mock victim routine is tiresome.

You reap what you sow Briana. All things come to those who wait.

I am not protected like you are, I cannot accurately portray what you have done to my life both RL and SL, at least not here on the SL forums. Here you are the one who is allowed to do what any other account would be banned for. You can regularly rant and rave about whatever thing has entered your brain the moment you see my account name posted somewhere. You are gifted the right to ignore the TOS and the law in your actions. I suspect you have always been very spoiled and never once had your feet held to flames. You need a good spanking, and if you ask some in my family, you deserve to spend the rest of your insane life in prison.

Piss off with your accusations and Linden protection. If LL deems to ban my account for telling you to shut the fuck up, then so be it. They can with a single button remove my account and my builds. Including the build that memorializes the one person in my life you affected the most. You and your sick clan from wherever can kiss my ass. People obsessed with pixels and pretend friends. Long ago you turned your back on whats real and that has left you completely morally bankrupt.

edit: I see my sig is back.. woo

Be nice now (or take it to IM). Angel, you did open the door on this so you gotta expect a little feedback. Besides, you're stealing my "me" time!

I disagree with setting your bandwidth to some arbitrary speed such as 500 to 600 kbps. To get the maximum data transfer you need to set your bandwidth to whatever it is that your computer, network, and connection can handle without loss of data (example: packet loss). Setting it lower will effectively throttle your data and could unnecessarily slow your SL experience down. If you have a connection speed (the real speed, not the advertised speed of your ISP) that is above that 1.5 mbps limit LL imposes and the rest of your computer network and system can handle it then set it to the max. The limiting factors dictate what you should set your bandwidth in preferrences. Most modern computers with a reasonably good graphics card on a cable connection with 3mbps download speed should handle the 1500 easily. A slow processor, slow memory, slow graphics, and slow network on a lightning fast 30 mbps connection may very well not be able to handle even 500 kbps bandwidth in the preferrrences..........it's dependant on more than just your internet connection.

When if the grid is busy with lots of concurrent log ins the whole data rate for everyone slows. The 1500 kbps users don't steal it from the ones having their bandwidth set to a lower number............the whole grid slows for everyone at the same rate. Say, the grid is slowed by 10% on a busy evening.......it will slow the same 10% for the 1500 as it does for the 500 settings. The 500 kbps users will most likely notice it first but everyone is slowed down.

Actually I wasn't saying that one set of users steals bandwidth from any other (sorry, I was trying to be brief). I was suggesting that if most users are maxed out, then they slow down the system as a whole, for everybody, regardless of any individual's settings. But the more individuals cut back, then the less drain there is on the system and the smoother things run for all (again, regardless of individual settings).

Not true?

No, I don't think that's true at all. The servers send data ot the viewers on a timed basis. When you set your bandwidth to 500 kbps you tell the servers to send 500 kbps when it's my turn for the servers to send it..........it sends that amount. The time to send that amount is the same as me when I say send me 1500 kbps. I did not slow you down..........the servers sent what you requested in the same time frame it send me my requested data.

It does come into play when the servers are stressed with huge concurrent numbers.........it takes more time for the servers to get back around to your place in the circle. So everyone slows down. The larger requests still get the same time as the smaller requests. That limit LL sets is what their servers can do...it takes the same amount of time to send the 1500 kbps as it does the 500. It's just there's wasted time if your system can handle more......but it's your request so the servers abide by that. Lag caused by servers is the time it takes to complete the cycle and sending all the clients the data.........the more there are the more time it takes to complete that cycle. The servers are not smart enough to "think" theres a client only wanting 500 and a client wanting 1500 so it will spend more time sending to the 1500. It sends the data requested in the exact same time frame.

Hope I did not confuse much.

Yes, I'm confused. But mostly because I keep reading conflicting opinions. Your answer seems to make good sense (to my limited knowledge on the topic).

Thank you for taking the time with this.

I believe the Cool Viewer by Boy Lane lets you set the bandwidth to 5000.

Think of a cylinder with hundreds or even thousands of of little holes in the wall and the servers are a garden hose with a constant water pressure and stream leaving the nozzle, spining around inside the cylinder. Each hole is a pipe to individual clients. Size of the hole is determined by what the client sets in preferrrence. The hose (the servers) revolve at a steady rpm....never wavering. The amount of water that enters each hole in the cylinder will be no more than the amount possible by the size of the hole.........the nozzle will pass by that hole in the same time it passes by a larger hole. The water entering the hole will be more in the larger hole than the smaller hole.

Over simplified.......but that's basically what is going on. The servers send to every client on the network the amount of data requested (within it's limitations.....in SL's case that is 1500 kbps). There are no priorities..........every client gets the same time to recieve data. If more is sent in that time the client recieves more. As long as your computer can handle the amount of data you are fine. There are any number of contributing factors to mess things up..........internet traffic, interferrence if you are on a wireless connection, concurrent users making the cylinder bigger thus making it longer to make a complete circuit........and the normal machical stull like pinched network cables etc.

But your bandwidth does not contribute to any of that.

That does nothing if the servers will only deliver 1500. That viewer could say 5,000,000 kbps and if the servers are only sending 1500 you will recieve 1500.

Not true, kbps means kilo bits PER SECOND. It's a reference to amount transferred over time. Trust me, if you have say an 8mbit connection like mine, the sl world will load a lot faster around you with it set to 1500kbps rather than 500kbps, at least it does for me.

Even if SL is sending the data in packets, or with gaps in between, when it DOES fire the data to you, it'll be up to whatever maximum sl network speed you set (500kbps, 1500kbps, whatever)

Actually I have mine set in preferences to 2500kbps because I'm on the Snowglobe viewer, which you can set up to a max of 5000kbps!

The only other thing I would say is that, if your internet connection is say 1.5mbit, then its prob best to set the network just a bit lower rather than right up to that max, say 1350kbps or something. If you have a way faster connection then dont worry about it, just leave it on the max setting.

I know what kbps means..........and mbps. 1,500,000 bits equals 1,500 kbps (1,500 x 1,000)........or 1.5 mbps (1.5 x 1,000,000). That data is sent in a specific time frame...in this case 1 second. I'm pretty sure I said that.

I think you just said the same thing I said. If your computer (and connection speed) can handle whatever SL can toss out then you should set your bandwidth to recieve the maximum. Setting it lower only slows you down unnecessarily. Since LL has set their servers to send 1500 kbps (or 1.5 mbps) setting your viewer more than that will not help you out at all........you will never get more than the servers will send. Setting your viewer to recieve 2500 kbps might make you think you're gaining something.......but you are getting 1500 kbps just like me (no more). And my internet connection speed is 20 mbps (that regularly tests out at 19 mbps).......not 1.5. Setting your bandwidth slightly below your connection speed might be a good idea since no one gets that top (advertised) speed anyway. But if you don't get any packet loss you are losing nothing as long as your computer doesn't choke.

My main purpose for posting in this thread is to dispute that myth that people with high bandwidth settings in their viewer are "robbing" others of bandwidth.........that is simply false. Set your bandwidth to the maximum your particular connection speed and computer can handle to gain the most from your SL experience (assuming the servers are not choking or bogged down...........you have no control over that).

For some really bizarre reason I quoted the wrong post when I made that last post of mine, lol. Sorry Peggy, I meant to quote Catteneo's post, I musta been half asleep when I did that

No problem