Low latency wireless connection

[bryho]

Quick question - just moved into a new apartment and the cable is on the other side of the room from where I would like to have my PC set up. I am considering going wireless to eliminate the need to drill holes, go under the carpet, etc.

Question is this - I play a decent amount of games online and would like to keep latency as low as possible. Is this doable with wireless? If so, is there a particular type of AP/bridge combo that would minimize this? Its worth mentioning that I am in an area that is most likely blanketed with a large number of wireless networks.

Thanks!!!
Bryan

 

[thiggins]

Low (and consistent) latency is not a strength of wireless networking.

If you want to try, though, you'll be better off with 802.11g than 802.11n. 11n has higher variation in latency and throughput.

 

[stevech]

Question is this - I play a decent amount of games online and would like to keep latency as low as possible. Is this doable with wireless?
Bryan

Gamers often prefer to avoid WiFi. Consider getting some of the really thin/flat cat5 cable that can run under carpets or behind baseboards. Or if there's TV coax at each spot, use MoCa. I wouldn't advise IP over power line.

Or go to 802.11a in 5.8GHz where there's very little traffic (so far).

 

[thiggins]

Or go to 802.11a in 5.8GHz where there's very little traffic (so far).

Using 5 GHz won't help latency.

 

[bryho]

everyone on SNB.com is always so helpful. Thank you both.

 

[bryho]

Where can i find a 75ft super flat cat5/6 cable?

 

[thiggins]

http://www.google.com/search?q=flat+cat5

 

[stevech]

Using 5 GHz won't help latency.

Here's the rationale: The latency we see across the internet to servers is of course predominantly due to the Internet and how busy the distant server is. But for the first hop, on WiFi, there is a latency issue. 802.11 is a CSMA/CA (listen before transmitting, and delay if the 20MHz (or more) spectrum has any signal present (WiFi or other). So if there is a lot of traffic from nearby WiFi on or near the same channel, or worse, from cordless phones or analog CCTV cameras, latency goes up. It can get to be quite bad when there is a lot of persistent interference.

Since the 5.8GHz band has (so far) a lot less traffic, as a general statement, the latency impacts from interference will tend to be a lot less.

 

[thiggins]

Since the 5.8GHz band has (so far) a lot less traffic, as a general statement, the latency impacts from interference will tend to be a lot less.

Point taken. But latency variation due to high avg bit error rate of most consumer implementations of 802.11n will make fast response gaming very difficult in either band.