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Virgin American In-Flight Internet Review, From In-Flight

Posted by timothy on from the latency-desires dept.

wintersynth writes "I've posted a review of Virgin America's in-flight internet provided by Gogo. Here's the scoop: Avg. .90 megabits/sec DL, .283 megabits/sec UL, ping: 130.6 msecs, $12.95 for the duration of the flight. Verdict: AWESOME. In fact, I'm posting this from 36,000 feet right now. Skype did not work for voice, even though I'm pretty sure those stats are over the minimums. Any ideas from the slashdotters on what might be going on?"

33 of 198 comments (clear)

  1. Skype by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Informative

    You could be experiencing a difference of bandwidth versus latency. Although the two are related, you could be suffering high latency with Skype's servers. You might try pinging those servers compared to pinging www.google.com. If you are experiencing high latency, Skype uses UDP rather than TCP (like normal web traffic). If I remember correctly, UDP packets are many small packets which may perform badly over connections of very high latency. Your bandwidth readings on a TCP sight might look just large enough to use Skype but since it's a UDP service it could be unusable.

    Another possibility is that Gogo is demoting UDP traffic in some sort of QoS scheme to ensure that things like e-mail and regular HTTP traffic aren't slow or interrupted because 4 people are using Skype.

    --
    My work here is dung.
    1. Re:Skype by Shakrai · · Score: 5, Informative

      Skype uses UDP rather than TCP (like normal web traffic). If I remember correctly, UDP packets are many small packets which may perform badly over connections of very high latency.

      UDP shouldn't have anything to do with latency, nor is it limited to "many small packets". UDP is just a transport protocol that lacks the error checking/data integrity and ordering mechanism of TCP. If such features are important to you then you need to use TCP or build them into your application that uses UDP.

      The advantage of UDP comes in time critical applications where it's probably better to lose a few packets (i.e: have a second or two of dead air during a phone call) than delay the transmission (conversation stops while it waits for the lost packets to be retransmitted). Latency really doesn't have anything to do with it, although latency is bad for VoIP for other reasons.

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    2. Re:Skype by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      In other words, UDP says:
      "here take it!".

      TCP says:
      Client: "Hi, Nice to meet you, I'm TCP-Client".
      Server: "Hi, TPC-Client I'm TCP-Server." (shakes hands)
      TCP-Client: "I've got data for you. Here you go."
      TCP-Server: "I got most of the data and it appears uncorrupt, but I'm missing page 2 and 374. Cand you send them again?"
      TCP-Client: "Here you go. That's all, Goodbye"
      TCP-Server: "Damn, he left before I could say goodbye"

      Or something like that, it's been a while since my network programming class. But it was a lot of fun implementing these protocols. =P

    3. Re:Skype by Spazmania · · Score: 4, Informative

      I fired up Skype and dialed out. Massive failure. For some reason the sound is horrendously choppy and thin sounding. It was completely unusable.

      You're experiencing high "jitter." Jitter is the change in delay from packet to packet. If odd numbered packets take 100 ms and even numbered packets take 150 ms then you have 50ms of jitter.

      Certain protocols like VoIP and NTP require connections with low jitter in order to perform acceptably.

      --
      Moderating "-1, Disagree" is simple censorship. Have the guts to post your opinion.
    4. Re:Skype by JWSmythe · · Score: 4, Funny

          That's close, but I'm not sure your technical jargon is exactly how I learned it. :)

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
    5. Re:Skype by amoeba1911 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Just in case anyone wants more info:
      http://www.networksorcery.com/enp/protocol/udp.htm
      http://www.networksorcery.com/enp/protocol/tcp.htm

    6. Re:Skype by gnapster · · Score: 3, Funny

      How about a car rental analogy? You book a car rental ahead of time.

      With UDP, the rental place leaves the keys in the ignition.

      With TCP, you go to collect your rental. Sign on the door reads "Yes, we are OPEN! Please come in." You enter and approach the counter.
      Client: "I'd like to rent a car. I have a booking."
      Agent: "Thank you for choosing us, sir! Here is your contract. Please sign here, here, here, here, and here."
      Client: [signs] "There you are."
      Agent: "Here are your keys."
      Client: "Thank you."
      Agent: "Your car is the green Fiat, three spaces to the right of the door. Have a nice trip."
      Client: "I can see it from here!"
      [Client goes out to car and puts luggage in trunk, then gets in the driver's seat. The keys won't fit in the ignition. He gets out and walks back to the building entrance. The door is locked and a sign reads "Sorry, we are closed. Please come back later!"]
      Client: "Damn, he left for the weekend before I could say goodbye."

  2. Skype? by HuckleCom · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Probably blocked everything VoIP related to force airphones on you.

    1. Re:Skype? by jfruhlinger · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Probably blocked everything VoIP related to force airphones on you.

      Except that most airplanes removed airphones long ago, since they never really worked economically. Certainly Virgin America's brand-new planes won't have them.

      They probably blocked everything VoIP related so that the people next to you don't throttle you for shouting in to your fucking Bluetooth headset while they're trying to read, sleep, or otherwise try to ignore you.

    2. Re:Skype? by Nursie · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "They probably blocked everything VoIP related so that the people next to you don't throttle you for shouting in to your fucking Bluetooth headset while they're trying to read, sleep, or otherwise try to ignore you."

      This, so much this.

      Flight time is quiet time, for god's sake leave the phone alone or I might just kill you. Trust me, I already hate you enough for having the audacity to get up to use the bathroom, for smelling of *anything* and for claiming rights to the middle armrest between our seats. If you start yakking away I can't be responsible for my actions. Now have fun with your internets but PLEASE shut the hell up.

  3. May I be the first to say by Critical+Facilities · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I tried dialing the Skype test call, but I only caught every other word. So much for my dreams of in-flight video conferencing while yelling over the din of jet engines.

    Oh god, I hope you, nor anyone else, ever gets this to work.

    1. Re:May I be the first to say by ceoyoyo · · Score: 3, Funny

      The plastic knives and forks supposedly don't work well for hijacking, but they should be okay to use on an in-flight yapper. For bonus points, use the spoon.

    2. Re:May I be the first to say by sexconker · · Score: 5, Funny

      Did you mean, "Did you mean, "I hope neither you nor anyone else"?"?

      The second comma separates "nor anyone else" from "you", but "anyone else" is an ultimate qualifier, which should be placed at the end of any lists.

      You're using "gets" for "you" when you should be using "get". This seems correct since you're using "neither" and ", nor anyone else" to (incorrectly) form a list.

      Since there is no list involved, the ultimate qualifier should be used parenthetically after the verb, or without the comma. If we're using it parenthetically, we drop the "neither" and commute that negative over to "ever", and change "gets" to "get" as well.

      "Oh god, I hope neither you nor anyone else ever gets this to work."

      "Oh god, I hope you never get this to work (nor anyone else)."

      If you add in a third comma it's still wrong.
      "Oh god, I hope neither you, nor anyone else, ever gets this to work." Separating out "nor anyone else" with commas before the verb "gets" ties "gets" to "you", which is incorrect. Parenthesis should be used here if you want to keep "nor anyone else" before the verb in order to prevent any conjugation conflict.

      If you're going to be a Grammar Nazi, do it correctly.

      If you're going to bitch about my use and nesting of quotation marks and punctuation at the beginning of my post, eat a dick. What is inside a quotation must be copied exactly. If it includes quotation marks, so be it. Nobody said it had to be easy (or unambiguous) to parse, and any attempt to use single quotes, block quotes, etc. can be foiled if you need to quote something containing them, so they do not provide complete disambiguation.

    3. Re:May I be the first to say by JWSmythe · · Score: 5, Funny

          Noise canceling headphones, with pressure relieving ear plugs.

          I've flown a few times with slight upper respiratory infection (because I had to, not that I wanted to). With that usually comes Eustachian tube dysfunction. That can range from annoying to painful. By painful, I mean feeling and hearing your eardrum ripping open, and then not being able to hear anything but a rattle for the next few days.

          So when I fly, I buy the pressure relieving ear plugs. They usually sell them in pharmacy stores and the gift shops at the airport. Over them, I wear decent noise canceling headphones. I can hear the movie, music, or my laptop, but I can be completely unaware of the person beside me.

          I've flown with crying babies and shrieking teenage girls near me. The only time I remove the headphones is when I want to ask the stewardess for another drink. :)

          Go for it kids, get your Skype working. Don't disturb my drinks and we're all fine.

          But please, I beg all of you. If your ass is as wide as two airline seats, PLEASE book two seats. No matter how large you are, you're not welcome to share my seat for an 8 hour flight. Don't complain that the seats are too small, when your BMI is over 40. Stop making excuses, and stop eating so much. Your weight is directly effected by your intake. That's all there is to it.

         

      --
      Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
  4. Internet on a plane by kentrel · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yes,

    You need to watch this

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jETv3NURwLc

  5. Louis CK would be pleased. by E.+Edward+Grey · · Score: 5, Funny

    Skype did not work for voice, even though I'm pretty sure those stats are over the minimums.

    Everything is awesome and no one is happy!

    --

    ---don't make me break out my red pen.

  6. VOIP on planes = bad by gcnaddict · · Score: 3, Insightful

    We don't want to hear you talking on the phone while flying, and neither does Virgin.

    Logically, they likely blocked it in order to preserve the sanity of other passengers.

    --
    Viable Slashdot alternatives: https://pipedot.org/ and http://soylentnews.org/
  7. Srsly? by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Maybe I'm just insufficiently wealthy, or insufficiently internet addicted; but is 13 dollars for what is essentially five hours of DSL actually exciting?

    1. Re:Srsly? by Chlorine+Trifluoride · · Score: 5, Funny

      I guess going from a single tube to a series of them is an improvement...

    2. Re:Srsly? by netsavior · · Score: 4, Insightful

      2 magazines at the airport gift shop could easily cost you $12.95, nobody bats an eye at that...

    3. Re:Srsly? by rm999 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Am I the only one who assumed they are targeting business travelers? 13 dollars is nothing to them, literally - their company pays for it.

      Internet on the plane is an awesome concept to the average person, but I think most people will change their mind when it comes down to typing in their credit card number.

  8. Traceroute? by maxrate · · Score: 4, Interesting

    A traceroute to (anything) would have been very interesting.

    1. Re:Traceroute? by StikyPad · · Score: 5, Funny

      Tracing route to www.l.google.com [74.125.45.103]
      over a maximum of 30 hops:

          1 3 ms 1 ms 1 ms linksys.local [192.168.1.1]
          2 4 ms 2 ms 6 ms really.powerful.transmitter [192.168.1.0]
          3 424 ms 527 ms 530 ms secret.router.on.the.moon.moo [127.0.0.2]
          4 830 ms 832 ms 927 ms pwnt.by.brazil.sat.mil [403.406.408.410]
          5 84 ms 79 ms 79 ms GOOGLE-INC.FTL.warp.Level3.net [4.71.20.22]
          6 52 ms 53 ms 51 ms yx-in-f103.google.com [74.125.45.103]

      Trace complete.

      --
      https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
    2. Re:Traceroute? by breakfastpirate · · Score: 5, Funny

      Is the .moo TLD reserved only for celestial bodies whose composition is above 50% dairy?

  9. Linky by E.+Edward+Grey · · Score: 3, Funny

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jETv3NURwLc

    --

    ---don't make me break out my red pen.

  10. Welcome by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 5, Funny

    "AWESOME. In fact, I'm posting this from 36,000 feet right now."

    Let me be the first to welcome you to the Mile High Virgin Club.

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
  11. Any ideas what might be going on? by kindbud · · Score: 5, Funny

    Any ideas from the slashdotters on what might be going on?

    No. Is there anything else I can help you with?

    --
    Edith Keeler Must Die
  12. Your choice by Quiet_Desperation · · Score: 5, Funny

    Any ideas from the slashdotters on what might be going on?

    It's the "block the VOIP" feature which tested much more positively than "kill the annoying guy on the phone" with focus groups.

  13. Next time try MSN messenger... by Brit_in_the_USA · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...you can send wave file samples and receive them as "packets" using the record button. Start with this 2 way radio approach to talking and see where you can go from there.

  14. Re:Crypto by t00le · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I didn't added QoS into my original post. If you VPN into work or home you can remove their ability to filter or tag your connections through a VPN. By tunneling everything through a VPN it would be a true test since anyone with a clue will set crypto traffic with a high priority on a border network.

    If it's still unusable it will be due to errors on the transmission, which with tcp would be classed as slowness. With UDP it would be missing packets that are not re-transmitted.

    An analogy, in quake w/ tcp code you would hump a wall when lagged, but with udp you would teleport through the wall.

    --
    When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail
  15. Southwest airlines testing now by Eharley · · Score: 5, Informative

    Southwest is testing Wi-Fi on four of its planes now. I was on one on a flight from Las Vegas to Baltimore. They sent me an email the day before telling me that the plane would have wi-fi and that it would be free during this test period.

    The speed was fantastic, but I didn't benchmark it. However, I was able to do a video iChat with my wife at home. Didn't try to do any audio, just video.

    The big drawback about Southwest is that their planes have no power outlets. Not sure if they're going to add them. But they're aware of the issue.

  16. Jitter Buffer by pathological+liar · · Score: 3, Informative

    Asterisk 1.4+ has a jitter buffer for at least IAX and SIP which helps to work around jitter in most cases. Given that they know what they're doing, I assume Skype does too.

    Jitter is (relatively) okay, it's packet loss that VoIP is particularly sensitive to. Packet loss at levels that will only mildly inconvenience most other traffic will screw up VoIP quite badly... there's no mention of packet loss in the article that I see, but I suspect that's what's causing the poor quality.

  17. Re:Skype is Not Blocked by silent_artichoke · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Exactly, nobody wants to hear some asshole yammering into his laptop for a 4 hour flight. "WHAT?!? YES!!! I'M FLYING...FLYING. I SAID I'M FLYING!!!" Shut the fuck up already! Send a text message or something. Those people do NOT need to hear from you because (wait for it) YOU ARE FLYING, ASSHOLE! Shakrai, this wasn't aimed at you in particular. It's just that you are the first one to bring this up so far.