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FreeBSD Based Gaming Router

Posted by timothy on from the special-purposes dept.

Zaphoid writes "Lan Game Reviews has posted an article on how to use an old computer and FreeBSD distro m0n0wall to create a gaming router. Gaming routers allow users to use their full bandwidth for downloads and other high bandwidth apps, and low latency applications at the same time. By keeping packet queues on the router side, rather than the modem side. Users are able to achive great pings in online games, while fully using their download bandwidth. This is a great alternitive to expensive gaming routers on the market today."

4 of 240 comments (clear)

  1. Double standard by xintegerx · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "This is a great alternitive to expensive gaming routers on the market today."

    Yes, this is exactly what the gaming world has been waiting for. The funny thing is that when somebody tries to create a product that is designed for USERS, they complain. However, when you design something so obscure out of your own whim that might never be used by anybody else, that is considered cool. Discuss. :)

    --

    Cover your eyes and click this link!
  2. Gaming routers look pretty small, quiet and cheap by putko · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Such routers seem to be under $100.

    http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=gaming+router& btnG=Search+Froogle

    I don't see how a loud, hot old PC is necessarily better. And if you want an embedded system, those are normally quite pricey.

    I'm not convinced that using an old PC is the best way to go here. Hacking a WRT* might seem more reasonable -- but a lot trickier.

    I really don't like having lots of big boxes around, humming. But then I don't like games either.

    --
    http://www.thebricktestament.com/the_law/when_to_s tone_your_children/dt21_18a.html
  3. didn't know that I had a gaming router by bullterror · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've been using monowall for probably almost a year now, for a couple different routers. Here's why I like it. Put 3 net cards in a computer. 1 for the diesel modem, 1 for the LAN, and one for the wireless access point. Block all traffic from wireless to LAN, and then allow only VPN traffic in. You have free unencrypted wi-fi for friends and neighbors, and encryption for yourself far superior to WEP.

  4. Nice, but... by hecian · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Correct me if I'm wrong, but :

    Traffic shaping only affects UPSTREAM data.

    There's unfortunatly no 100% effective way a simple user could get rid of the queues at the ISP side during heavy downloads. ICMP Source Quench were supposed to be an answer to this, but the potential exploits lead many admins to simply filter them out. IMHO, 'gaming firewalls' could ease a bit latency on assymetric lines (ADSL mostly), but true QoS can only be achieved if _both_ ends do shape their traffic (the above applies to IPv4).

    As far as I've seen by experimenting myself, the benefit of such an assymetric setup is to prevent excessive pings (several seconds). Playing a FPS during heavy use is still a no go as it implies irregular ping, and an average of 100-150 ms. However, it's quite a nice setup if you plan to play some MMORPG or want to get connected through SSH.

    Regards.