Question about internet speeds

[Phonic]

Hey guys, I'm looking for a new Comcast plan since they recently jacked the rates on me

The guy was trying to sell me the 50 Mbps (10 Mbps upload) package. I'm currently on 16 Mbps/2 Mbps upload.

Will this affect performance/lag in WOW? I don't usually have an issue as I'm west coast and I'm typically sitting at 40-50ms. But I do see a big drop in framerates during large boss fights (from like 100+ fps down to 12 fps).

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

[hoho]

FPS!=ping/lag. If you see that big performance drops you'd better upgrade your CPU and/or GPU instead. Network speed doesn't affect wow performance at all for as long as the neglible amount of data it needs can freely go through the pipes.

[Pizbit]

FPS!=ping/lag. If you see that big performance drops you'd better upgrade your CPU and/or GPU instead. Network speed doesn't affect wow performance at all for as long as the neglible amount of data it needs can freely go through the pipes.

I was more thinking addons and the like, either way, they're way above the point where they would see a reduction in latency from higher speeds anyway.

[Giggitygoo]

Aye hoho is right. Your FPS has nothing to do with your bandwidth.

I'm running a quad core mind, and I still get reduced frame rates on many 25 man encounters...

Your latency sounds fine though, wish mine was that low!

[PsiVen]

16Mbps is fast enough for anything. It's 2MB/sec download, which odds are you never actually realize unless you have a clear line with no cable or splitters and are connecting to a superserver or P2P like Steam or WoW. My Comcast plan is 16Mbps, and it's the fastest internet I've ever had, often breaking 2.3MBps on Steam updates.

A 50Mbps plan is unlikely to give you more than a ~20% download speed boost and no discernable difference in game performance. Save the money unless you intend to do a ton of uploading.

[trellian]

My Comcast plan is 16Mbps, and it's the fastest internet I've ever had, often breaking 2.3MBps on Steam updates

Not bad. I'm assuming then you actually have more then 16Mbps. 16Mbps translates into a theoretical maximum of 2MBps. And that's not counting protocol overhead or sub-obtimal packet sized. I suspect you actually have closer to 20-25Mbps if you break 2.3MBps.

[hoho]

It could also be some kind of powerboost technology in the works where when starting downloading it will be done at max rate for first X seconds/MB's. I've seen that on my 12Mbit net where the first 10MB often comes down at 5MB/s. It was funny when they "forgot" something and we had the boosted speed at all times for about a week. It was nice downloading at my 100mbit LAN max speed and uploading at around 2MB/s

[Invisusira]

The internet is not something that you just dump something on. It's not a big truck. It's a series of tubes. And if you don't understand, those tubes can be filled and if they are filled, when you put your message in, it gets in line and it's going to be delayed by anyone that puts into that tube enormous amounts of material, enormous amounts of material. Ten movies streaming across that, that internet, and what happens to your own personal internet? I just the other day got an internet was sent by my staff at 10 o'clock in the morning on Friday. I got it yesterday. Why?

[Nikachelle]

[Korola]

Ooh. Cell phones are better. I got a text message from my wife yesterday that was 3 hours in the future!

5:29PM Me: Ok
8:29PM Her: TTYL
5:30PM Me: WTH?
5:30PM Her: What?
5:31PM Me: You just sent me a text message from THE FUTURE!

I am now unsure whether I can be punished for things I haven't done yet, if my wife exists in the future...

[Giggitygoo]

I am now unsure whether I can be punished for things I haven't done yet, if my wife exists in the future...

The answer is yes. I've been married long enough to know this!

[Korola]

I was afraid of that.

[thegreatheed]

16Mbps is fast enough for anything. It's 2MB/sec download, which odds are you never actually realize unless you have a clear line with no cable or splitters and are connecting to a superserver or P2P like Steam or WoW. My Comcast plan is 16Mbps, and it's the fastest internet I've ever had, often breaking 2.3MBps on Steam updates.

A 50Mbps plan is unlikely to give you more than a ~20% download speed boost and no discernable difference in game performance. Save the money unless you intend to do a ton of uploading.

A 50 mbps plan will also require a more expensive router for your home, around the range of 200 dollars or more instead of 50$ walmart specials. Most low-mid end routers do not have the processing power to push 50 mbps through the firewall, usually topping out at 10-15 mbps.