Bandwidth required for hosting

[Eggman891]

Hi,

I am curious to know how much bandwidth is required to host a server (in terms of numbers of players), so that if I was ever to host a server I'd know what my connection would be able to support. For simplicity's sake, I'm only interested in the actual bandwidth required, regardless of the server computer's specs (I gather this is also a big factor too seeing as the game is CPU intensive when hosting).

So for example, how much bandwidth (upstream) would be required to host 4, 8, 16, or 32 players?

Thanks.

 

[Callum]

Hi,

I am curious to know how much bandwidth is required to host a server (in terms of numbers of players), so that if I was ever to host a server I'd know what my connection would be able to support. For simplicity's sake, I'm only interested in the actual bandwidth required, regardless of the server computer's specs (I gather this is also a big factor too seeing as the game is CPU intensive when hosting).

So for example, how much bandwidth (upstream) would be required to host 4, 8, 16, or 32 players?

Thanks.

Well, just a Broadband connection would do fine. Any normal person would do up to 8 players, anything about 12 is overkill and would lag most connections.

 

[Eggman891]

By normal, I assume any broadband from 256k Up (512k down) would be enough for up to 8?

 

[Jazz]

Also depends on whether you are going to have MAXSEND set to 0, or some higher number, if you are hosting custom WADs.

The more you let people download, the more bandwidth you'll need to support it.

 

[SSNTails]

Count on about 64kbps per player, not including the server itself. This isn't any hard technical number, rather just something I've noticed over the 9 (?) years.

So, if you can upload at 256kbps, that means you can have up to 4 other players other than yourself in the game.

However, the latency (ping) of your connection is also extremely important. If you have a ton of bandwidth but a crap ping, you're not going to get anywhere.

 

[Jazz]

Is that right?

My computer reads a connection speed of 100mbps.

100mpbs = 100000kbps right?

That would mean I could host approximately 1500 players. Thats of course if they were all in the same neighborhood, under perfect conditions. Or if a computer could handle the CPU strain of tracking 1500 players' positions and such variables. Or if SRB2 even supported more than 32 players for that matter.

Interesting to think that I could be able to easily host 32 people if it weren't for the fact that several of the people who play on my server are from the Northeast, and I live way down in Florida.

 

[SSNTails]

Do you seriously think your ISP gives you 100mbps?

 

[Tets]

Maybe your network chipset provides that, but there's not a chance you're getting that kind of bandwidth from your ISP without shelling out serious dollars. And I mean serious dollars.

 

[Jazz]

Duh, thats obviously my router.

My upload speed is likely around 512kbps, since I seem to be only able to support 8 players at a time.

I feel dumb, but at least I learned something today...

 

[Oogaland]

(I gather this is also a big factor too seeing as the game is CPU intensive when hosting).

You can use the CPUSLEEP console variable to reduce CPU usage. 5 seems to work reasonably well. This is particularly effective with dedicated servers.