Internet connection speed and MSFS performance

[duckbilled 310]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any insights on how internet speed impacts performance in the sim?

I currently have a plan that offers up to 200mbps. Since my rig is in the basement, I have one Ethernet cable running from the router to a 10/100 switch. From there, I have another Ethernet cable running under carpeting (and furniture) to another 10/100 switch which is then connected to my box with another Ethernet cable. With the 2 10/100 switches, and the fact that I think some of the Ethernet cables are cat5, I'm pretty sure I'm limiting my speed to 100mbps.

I trying to decide if it is worth my time to rip everything apart, get new switches, and get cat6 cables. I would also consider upping my plan's speed if it is worth it.

Can I expect any improvement in my experience if I increase speeds or replace cable/switches, or is what I have set up already fast enough to provide the best possible experience?

Thanks for your help!

Edited: Changed internet speeds to right values:(

Edited September 21, 2020 by duckbilled

[SmokeDiddy 262]

Cat5e can carry 1Gbps, but it does so at 100MHz whereas Cat6 can carry up to 10Gbps at 250MHz, but with shorter runs (164ft max run).  Nevertheless, you should be fine with 10/100 switches and Cat5e, even at 100Mbps.

[duckbilled 310]

Thanks.

So it sounds like the switches are the main roadblock unless some of the cabling is cat5 and not cat5e (I've had the same cabling to the basement for years, maybe 10).

Either way, it also sounds like that I am getting everything I need if I'm able to maintain around 100mbps. Anything faster won't provide any benefit.

[MrFuzzy 2,117]

It would not make a difference, MSFS doesn't use much bandwidth. I have 50 Mbps and it runs great.

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

Agree, I have 8 Mbps and it is working OK.

Edited September 21, 2020 by Bert Pieke

[fppilot 4,339]

He can run a speed test at a number of internet sites to measure what he is receiving at that computer.

[duckbilled 310]

Thanks everyone. I'll leave everything alone for now. Doesn't seem like it is worth the time/energy/money to upgrade everything.

[SmokeDiddy 262]

FWIW...Your network speed is dictated by the slowest node in your network and the only part of the network that can really be controlled is from the point of entry into the home or business to the End Point (which is usually the PC).

So for example, I will use my home network:  My Internet Speed is 20Mbps - this is the max I can get to any node on my home network, even though, I have a 1 Gigabit (1000Mbps) network on all nodes in my home network - meaning my router has Gigabit ports, I have 4 Gigabit switches and three desktop PC's hardwired and each has a Gigabit ethernet card.  Regardless of a Gigabit network, my max speed coming from the internet will not surpass 20Mbps because it is the slowest node in my network.  I can pass files from one node to another within my home network at Gigabit speed, but that is internal only.

For the OP, he has 200Mbps service; however, since he has only 10/100 Mbps network switches, then currently no matter what he does, his max throughput in his network is 100Mbps because his network switches are the slowest nodes in his network (potentially anyway).  If he upgrades the switches between his end point and his incoming service to Gigabit, then his max throughput goes to 200Mbps - which his service would be his limiting node at that point.

But as we've all confirmed, even at 100Mbps, he has plenty of throughput for MSFS 2020.  I know everyone will sleep better knowing this...lol

[Will Fly For Cheese 1,710]

It's needing to pull quite a bit of bandwidth to display photogrammetry without it taking an age to form up from lumps of grey/ green cones in to recognisable trees and man-made objects. I'm on about 30 Mbps and it's laggy as hell.

[CJ1045 469]

I am at 15meg and it is very smooth for me even over New York

 

CJ

[SmokeDiddy 262]

2 minutes ago, Will Fly For Cheese said:

It's needing to pull quite a bit of bandwidth to display photogrammetry without it taking an age to form up from lumps of grey/ green cones in to recognisable trees and man-made objects. I'm on about 30 Mbps and it's laggy as hell.

yes, depending on settings, you can bind the sim by the bandwidth limit of your connection speed.  I concur with that.

[Will Fly For Cheese 1,710]

4 minutes ago, CJ1045 said:

I am at 15meg and it is very smooth for me even over New York

 

CJ

Yep, the sim is super smooth for me too but if I stop the drone about 500' AGL in a photogrammetry area it 'updates' the forming of the objects every 5 seconds or so until we achieve the slightly melted looking world below.

 

[Will Fly For Cheese 1,710]

Bouncy bounce.

[touchdown49 5]

Yesterday Bert Pieke said that he was getting 8Mbps and MSFS 2020 was working fine. Bert I live in regional; Australia and my internet speed is almost 10Mbps. I just wondered how you find it overall with low speeds and how did you manage to download the software. I have a fairly powerful system I7 4.3 Mgz CPU a 1080 TI graphics card and 16 GB fast Ram. Like you I have a slow internet with not much chance of improving it and have not even considered getting MSFS at the moment due to all the issues I am seeing. Very few people actually say what happens with a slow internet speed and the quality reproduced as they fly. Hope you are able to give me some idea. Thanking you in advance. Kind regards

[MartinRex007 390]

I have the same issues touchdown49, hopefully Bert will chime in. Also if your connection drops the download does the software reconnect where it left off.

Cheers

Martin