PING, Latency, and Bandwidth

[sweet]

On a Quake forum I suggested that my inability to score was due to my ISP's inability to deliver good latency. I said it wasn't ping since I have cable. They asked "what's the diff?" and I gave them my uneducated best guess.

Anyone know an authoritative/informed/educated answer?

:cheers:

[asklepios]

Latency vs Ping
[edit]btw one thread is good enough mate.[/edit]

[sweet]

Latency vs Ping
[edit]btw one thread is good enough mate.[/edit]

PING: time of flight = as the "crow" (packet) flies

BANDWIDTH: how *much* stuff your connection handles

LATENCY: how *well* your stuff gets handled

All three are independent.

How to improve? Become a billionaire, buy RoadRunner, buy bleeding edge computer, connect at main hub.

Other than that you are behind the top fragger.

These are what I heard many years ago but wasn't sure if they are true. Having a 3 GHz/800 FSB on cable is not good enough. RR puts so many machines between you and the internet, plus there is so much traffic, that you are bound to always be behind.

At least I know why now. :thumb: