Q: Why is that although my download and upload speeds are good, my gaming performance is consistently bad no matter what game server I try to connect to?

A: Typically online gamming is most affected by latency rather than bandwidth, and there are a few things that affect the latency of your Qwest DSL connection.

First Qwest uses interleaving (an error correction scheme) on all ADSL circuits (see here for more information on interleaving). This interleaving adds about 32ms of latency to your first hop. Only Qwest can adjust the interleaving, and they will not do so under any circumstances.

The only way you can get rid of latency is to switch to a company that does not use Qwest’s CO equipment (which may not be possible in all areas), or to switch to cable internet (which also may not be available or desirable).

Second your internet service provider (ISP) may have poor routing. Some ISPs are better than others for faster routing of traffic. You can try switching ISPs to see if you can get some better routing and lower latency. (see here for more information on ISPs available in your area) You can check the Broadband Reports reviews of ISPs to get an idea of how good they are.

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by AthlGrond
last modified: 2006-01-03 12:16:51