Thread: Family affairs on a dream box.

how is CS set up? CCCam? NewCS?, how fast in internet connections, are you doing heaps of downloading, are they doing heapd of downloading etc etc etc??

If you're with a shitty provider like Dodo or (cough) bigpond you may have problems beyond your control because they tend to overload their networks, meaning it will work fine for five minutes and then be hopeless for next ten minutes. Especially in afternoon when schoolkids get home and start watching youtube. The difference between a good provider (like say Internode) and a shitty one isn't advertised price or performance but whether you actually get what you pay for. CS is one of the most demanding of internet applications, more even than VoIP, because for typical user latency is only *just* good enough for CS to work. With good providers at each end I've seen it working rock solid for months on a 56K dialup, so the issue isn't bandwidth - it's latency.

If you have a good quality router and configure its QoS settings correctly you can arrange things so that CS isn't affected by other browsing or downloads. But unless you do that you should expect that other internet activity will cause glitches - that's normal.

There are other factors too numerous to mention, such as what type of card you're running, what speed it's running at, what sort of software you're using at each end etc etc. There is no simple answer without knowing a whole bunch of things about your setup, and even then it's possible to spend hours experimenting with different things and not solve the problem. For family-based sharing the option that's simplest technically is to install a second provider box in your bedroom and then relocate box and card to your sibling's home. Be warned though that doing so is a breach of contract: even though the risk of getting caught is very low you shouldn't do it.

Thanks for replies porkkop & gw1 always helping out.
I’m running cccam v 209 adsl 2 with scabby i.s.p mentioned by gw1 download band was 256 just upped it to 1500 see what happens.
Thanks for your input guys really appreciate it. Gotta say though hardly worth csing,
Gee did I love that pure white thing I had hanging around, R.I.P
Just experience an earth quake in Melbourne, while I was about to post.

I don't expect the bandwidth difference will make any difference. Like I said, bandwidth <> latency. A 256kbps connection is good for at least a dozen connections on a reputable ISP. Having server and client on the same ISP helps because the routing time between ISPs can be considerable. But sometimes routes between cities can be slow even on same ISP, eg across Bass Strait the telstra backhaul bottleneck is atrocious: 30ms one minute, 3 seconds the next.

The bottom line is people should approach CS with low expectation, a bit like a lottery. For plenty of people the hassle and intermittent performance is not worth it; all the stars have to align for it to work well. The single most important thing is choice of ISP on server and on clients. The next most important thing is managing other traffic, either by not downloading while viewing or by QoS. Decent quality router also helps. But plan bandwidth is waaay down the list. About the only time extra bandwidth will make a difference is if you habitually do other things with your connection while watching tv, without QoS.

Talking to people I get the impression we're moving into a post-CS, post-wafer era. After several years of struggling with technical issues to get CS working well, then spending $$$ and hours chasing whiteys, lots of people are pausing to look at the end result - crap programs - and asking whether it's worth it. Increasingly the answer is no. After a couple of years most people have already seen all the stuff that interests them. There'll always be exceptions of course, like sport, which though expensive to produce is about the only thing the cartel have on offer that's keeping subscribers on board. They charge pubs a bloody fortune for the rights to broadcast the sports channels, knowing those who really want it will pay almost anything to get it. And they charge subscribers top dollar for the sports package. That's not the way to deal with a piracy problem, or a growing sub-cancellation problem.

All taken in Gw1, thanks heaps if you don't mind me asking what router would you recommend?

GW1 has hot the nail on the head with issues confronted by 99% of people attempting CS.

some things that i recommend would be

1: the server should be on a computer all by itself so nothing can hamper it
2: the clients should set the qos within their router to look after the ip of the dream before anything else.
3: Take the time to sit down and play a bit with various settings as each case is different and what may work for him may not work as good for you.

they are just the main things i recommend and as mentioned there are so many variables involved it would take to long to go through .

Thanks diavalo13666, glad we have a long weekend this week, i better have a play.

I still reckon the choice of ISP is #1 most significant issue, and the main thing people overlook (because they're locked into a contract, or don't want the hassle of changing, or have swallowed the lie that they're getting good value by keeping everything with telstra, etc etc).

As for modem router, the networking gear I use is mostly old, clapped out and refurbished - except for gigabit hubs and a couple of Apple AirPort Expresses which kick arse but are neither modems nor hubs and so probably aren't what you're after

I haven't really kept up with the current generation of products so I'll leave the recommendation to others. (You'll probably find good advice at the too.) What I can say is that businesses who get rid of their $100-200 toys and buy $500-1000 Cisco routers never look back. They have improved latency that remains efficient and doesn't choke even with large number of connections and heavy traffic. For average home user they're massive overkill - and a nightmare to configure - but for hardcore enthusiasts they're an attractive ebay catch. With cheaper products the main issue I think is overheating and dodgy capacitors that causes unreliability after 18-24 months. Find something with a good warranty and keep it somewhere with good air circulation.