Wired connection vs. wireless for gaming online?

[Brando70]

I have been having rubberbanding issues in BF4 (like everyone else). I was doing some investigating and found a lot of people on the BF4 forums blaming it on gaming over wireless.

Does wireless make that much off a difference in terms of lag/latency? I think my connection is pretty decent for gaming, but wondering if wired makes a big difference.

[TCrouch]

HUGE difference. Your packet loss (which causes your rubberbanding) is likely entirely due to wireless, in almost any game. Not just BF4.

You can surf online and play casual stuff with a wireless connection, but for any sort of serious online game, you'd want to have a wired connection. I've got a good wireless router, but I still run a cable to a switch and wire up my 360, PS3, PS4, XB1, and my PC's to it via hardwire connection.

[Wilk5280]

I agree that wired is definitely the better way to go, but wireless is fine for gaming. My setup isn't conducive to a wired connection so I've been wireless for several years. I don't have the rubberbanding you're talking about at all while playing any of the online shooters in my collection.

If possible you should test it out playing with a wired connection and see if it improves. I don't think it's a guarantee that it will, but it certainly could. You're internet speeds may be more of an issue overall rather than the fact that you're wireless.

[Brando70]

I don't get it all the time, but it is really annoying when it happens. I have been using wireless since I moved into this house three years ago, but I could try a wired connection -- the modem is in the same room, I'd just have run a cord around the walls. I'll try it out with a quick connection across the floor and see if it helps.

[TCrouch]

Wireless signal could be degraded from simply watching TV or turning on a microwave. If your signal has to pass through bathrooms (like mine), the pipes could make it completely unstable. Bottom line, it's much more erratic and your packet loss will always be worse wireless than wired.

If you go wired and have the same thing happen, could be an issue with the connection itself, the lines, or even the hub where your connection links to. I know Charter had an issue for a while where the modem couldn't be pinged by their data center, causing crap like that for me. But that was for a month or two, and not something that was consistent.

There will always be more instability wireless for gaming than wired, though.

[RobVarak]

I have been having rubberbanding issues in BF4 (like everyone else). I was doing some investigating and found a lot of people on the BF4 forums blaming it on gaming over wireless.

Does wireless make that much off a difference in terms of lag/latency? I think my connection is pretty decent for gaming, but wondering if wired makes a big difference.

No option for me to connect CAT5, so I use a powerline adapter. I'd always dismissed these as gimmicky, but it works like a charm and is a definitely upgrade on my previous wireless set up. It's also much more consistent than wireless, so streaming is steadily much higher quality over the powerline.

[Danimal]

I know we've had this discussion before but wired connection every time, it makes a huge difference.

[wco81]

You're not using 802.11g by any chance?

I don't know if the consoles support 5 Ghz but that might be better, especially if you get any neighborhood Wifi signals in the house.

5 Ghz shouldn't get interference from microwaves.

[Brando70]

PS4 only supports 2.4 Ghz.

It's not a big deal to run the wire, was just being a bit lazy about it.

[LAking]

PS4 only supports 2.4 Ghz.

It's not a big deal to run the wire, was just being a bit lazy about it.

Seriously? 5Ghz only? BOOOOO! How about XB1? Does that support 5Ghz?

[dbdynsty25]

How about XB1? Does that support 5Ghz?

Yes.

[Wilk5280]

I have been having rubberbanding issues in BF4 (like everyone else). I was doing some investigating and found a lot of people on the BF4 forums blaming it on gaming over wireless.

Does wireless make that much off a difference in terms of lag/latency? I think my connection is pretty decent for gaming, but wondering if wired makes a big difference.

No option for me to connect CAT5, so I use a powerline adapter. I'd always dismissed these as gimmicky, but it works like a charm and is a definitely upgrade on my previous wireless set up. It's also much more consistent than wireless, so streaming is steadily much higher quality over the powerline.

I had been interested in these for awhile, but never really heard one way or the other as so whether or not they really worked. After reading this I took a flyer on a set at Staples yesterday. Hooked them up in seconds, and my network speeds on my PS4 improved from approximately 10Mbits (down) to 38 give or take. I haven't been able to tell one way or the other while playing BF4 online, but when downloading a game holy crap. Instead of counting by 1 meg each second, it's counting by 5-7 megs. So in just downloads alone the investment is worth the price.

[Aristo]

I have been having rubberbanding issues in BF4 (like everyone else). I was doing some investigating and found a lot of people on the BF4 forums blaming it on gaming over wireless.

Does wireless make that much off a difference in terms of lag/latency? I think my connection is pretty decent for gaming, but wondering if wired makes a big difference.

No option for me to connect CAT5, so I use a powerline adapter. I'd always dismissed these as gimmicky, but it works like a charm and is a definitely upgrade on my previous wireless set up. It's also much more consistent than wireless, so streaming is steadily much higher quality over the powerline.

I had been interested in these for awhile, but never really heard one way or the other as so whether or not they really worked. After reading this I took a flyer on a set at Staples yesterday. Hooked them up in seconds, and my network speeds on my PS4 improved from approximately 10Mbits (down) to 38 give or take. I haven't been able to tell one way or the other while playing BF4 online, but when downloading a game holy crap. Instead of counting by 1 meg each second, it's counting by 5-7 megs. So in just downloads alone the investment is worth the price.

I've been a big fan of Powerline adapters for years. In my present set-up I moved my router downstairs in order to go full wired connection to my consoles and such, and use the power line to get a good connection to my iMac upstairs. When I run speed tests, there is not much of a difference, as both locations get greater than the 30 mbps Charter promises. Yesterday the XB1 tested to 36 mbps, and my iMac just hit 37 mbps.

[RobVarak]

I had been interested in these for awhile, but never really heard one way or the other as so whether or not they really worked. After reading this I took a flyer on a set at Staples yesterday. Hooked them up in seconds, and my network speeds on my PS4 improved from approximately 10Mbits (down) to 38 give or take. I haven't been able to tell one way or the other while playing BF4 online, but when downloading a game holy crap. Instead of counting by 1 meg each second, it's counting by 5-7 megs. So in just downloads alone the investment is worth the price.

Glad to hear it. Old tech is not always bad tech.