Gaming Online: The Need for Low Latency and Fast Response Times

Since the Dark Ages of Internet Connection Speeds (also known as the 90’s) things have gotten a lot better for us non-corporate and non-University based users. Now, nearly everyone living in built up towns, suburbs and cities can enjoy fast download speeds and plenty of bandwidth at a reasonable monthly rate. But just because your torrents are fast and your Skype connection is more or less uninterrupted doesn’t mean that your network connection is necessarily optimised for gaming in the way that it should be. Online gaming requires low-latency and high-response connections that aren’t a concern for the average user.

There are a few key benchmarks you should be taking into account before you decide on any given plan at the price level offered. You have a lot of options when it comes to high-speed Broadband access, and you’ll thank yourself later if you research your choices a bit. Now, in terms of absolutes there are a few “must haves” that should be at the top of your list when choosing a Broadband provider. Here’s a quick synopsis of those essentials that are general enough to be applied to any situation, whether you’re coming from NSW or Perth. Ticking these pre-requisites off your check list will ensure you get the best gaming experience possible.

Best Speeds For Gamers

First off, the minimum bandwidth should be at least 8 Mbps. Do you really need that much data allowance, you may be asking yourself? The answer really depends on the game you’re playing, as well as your local network. An 8 Meg connection doesn’t always necessarily mean that much bandwidth at any time due to network congestion and distances to local exchange. It’s better to be safe than sorry and go for a higher-end bandwidth plan.

Choosing an ADSL2+ provider will ensure you get the most bandwidth possible and enjoy a high speed gaming experience without noticeable lag. Ping times between your PC and the game server of your favourite multi-player online game determine how responsive your game play will be. The last thing you want is to be dodging bullets on the battlefield when the affects of slowband cause your demise! Requirements really depend on the game in question, so if there’s one in particular you’re mainly focused on look up the minimum resources needed in terms of hardware and connection speed and latency.

Broadband Plans with Static IP or Dynamic IP for Gamers

In addition, a static IP address is another aspect of your broadband plan to take into account. In short, if you’re even halfway serious about gaming then you’ll want one. That’s not really an issue as most plans on the higher end of the internet access scale will give you one by default (remember to check). If not, most providers will gladly provide you with a static IP address at a small additional fee.

The permanent web address means you don’t need to deal with Dynamic DNS services to update the DNS servers of your new location when the DHCP reassigns a new IP to your router. Though your experience will of course vary depending on your PC resources and your specific broadband provider, a bare minimum of 8 Mbps of download speed as well as a monthly usage limit of 100 GB should be enough for most gamers.