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Ask Slashdot: VPN Setup To Improve Latency Over Multiple Connections?

Posted by timothy on from the so-you-favor-internet-fast-lanes dept.

blogologue writes I've been playing Battlefield for some time now, and having a good ping there is important for a good gaming experience. Now I'm in the situation where I have mobile internet access from two telecom companies, and neither of those connections are stable enough to play games on, the odd ping in hundreds of milliseconds throws everything off. How can I setup a Windows client (my PC) and a Linux server (in a datacenter, connected to the internet) so that the same TCP and UDP traffic goes over both links, and the fastest packet on either link 'wins' and the other is discarded? (Have your own question for the teeming masses? Ask away — be sure to include appropriate detail and context — via the Slashdot submission form.)

1 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. Does nobody understand the question? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Sounds like an interesting problem; I check the comments to see what solutions to the specific problem laid out might exist. Instead, the comments show varying levels of misunderstanding the question and/or the proposed solution.

    The proposed solution is simple:

    1. Client duplicates packets over two mobile links to an intermediate, user-controlled server.
    2. This server sorts things out and discards the losing packet, and forwards the winner on to the real gaming server.

    Both client/intermediate server are under the control of the user, with two possible links. The communication protocol between these two nodes can be user-defined to anything. The question was how to configure this.

    "How will the server deal with duplicate copies?" Duh, the gaming server won't. That's what the intermediate server is for. Did you read the OP?
    "A VPN will add to the latency." Yes, but that wasn't the problem. The problem is random jitter on one of the links.
    "Local LAN play is better!" Well yes, but that's not remotely related to the problem. Maybe he doesn't have anybody local to play with regularly?
    "Use this exotic hardware solution." Why, if the problem can be solved for free with software?
    "Your latency comes from your mobile links." Duh, but he already measured the main problem to be random jitter. Why not comment on the proposed solution?

    The only concern I read that is accurate was that an RF disturbance could interrupt both links.