Network speed: net_types.lua

[Distiler]

I might be wrong but look at the speed setting of 56kb/s modem compared to the others in scripts/net/net_types.lua:

 

return {

-- {name, download_speed, upload_speed}

-- add new network types after this line

 

{"Modem 56", 56*1024/8, 33600/8},

{"ADSL 128/64", 128*1024, 64*1024},

{"ADSL 256/128", 256*1024, 128*1024},

{"LAN 1", 1024*1024, 1024*1024},

{"LAN 10", 10240*1024, 10240*1024}

 

-- add new network types before this line

}

 

It seems the modem settings are expressed in Bytes and the others in bits (see the /8). So if I'm not wrong and the game picks all those values as bits, selecting a modem would result in 8 times lower bandwidth than a real 56kb modem should reach.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Distiler

[EtherealN]

Well, that is if it takes all of them as bits. Do you have a reason to suspect that it does?

 

If the standard settings are such that someone made a specific difference to it I would assume that they did so for a reason. You don't usually do such a change by mistake.

[Distiler]

Yes as I've said, if teh game picks all the values as bits. I suspect it does, or in other words, I don't suspect it differentiates between lines to assign bytes or bits.

 

It's just a head ups for devs, in case they just mistyped the value.

[Distiler]

Look. When you select in network speed "modem 56" the file /config/network.cfg changes to (just the first line):

 

connection = {"Modem 56", 7168, 4200}

 

If you select any other, for example DSL 128/64:

 

connection = {"ADSL 128/64", 131072, 65536}

 

So it seems, if there is not any other odd thing, that it really use bits and selecting a modem reduces the bandwidth by 8 compared to a regular modem.

 

PD: another strange thing is netfork.cfg doesen't change until you close DCS, so you might not be really changing network speed untill restart the game. Just a guess.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Distiler

[EtherealN]

Well, what I mean is, do you have reason beyond looking at the file? Have you run it on a modem connection and used a network traffic analysis tool to see what bandwidth it does use?

 

The difference might be that it uses a different internal module when on modem than it does when using other network types, and that other module might be wanting bytes instead of bits. Only looking at the config file isn't revealing without knowing how DCS handles network traffic.

Edited March 4, 2009 by EtherealN

[Distiler]

Yes and no. I've tested it in a DSL connection, not in a modem. The values (specially upload) in /config/network.cfg match what I'm seeing using a bandwidth meter. I have 320 max upload in my DSL but I've set it at 280*, and the max upload I'm seeing while flying with others is exactly 280.

 

*I made a new entry "ADSL 3000/280" in the network speed drop menu using scripts/net/net_types.lua

Edited March 4, 2009 by Distiler

[EtherealN]

Very interesting.

 

'course, I do wonder who will try playing this on a modem, but still very interesting.