Questions about multiplayer (P2P, BW)
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Not really sure if I should put this here or in General Discussions, but while reading the BMS Manual, I found the following on page 7-86:
To host a game the ‘Connect to IP address’ box must be 0.0.0.0 and ‘Connection Bandwidth’ must be enough to allow X clients at min 500. If you plan to host a four ship ensure you have at least 2048 available.
In our squadron, I probably have the best upload (theoretical 12 Mbps). In 4.32, whenever I hosted, I did so at 4096 (as 8192 pretty much shuts out everyone else using internet in the house) and 6-8 pilots could connect with BW 1024, without problems. The idea behind this is/was that I always heard that an individual client BW could not exceed the host BW, but the sum of clients could. Judging by the above text, however, I understand that will no longer be possible? Or is it just that best MP performance is achieved when the total sum of clients BW does not exceed host BW?
To give a concrete example, our squadron organises a coop, and there will be 20 pilots present. If all clients set the minimum BW of 500, do we need a server of at least 10.000, or would I still be able to host with my 4096 or 8192?
Secondly, yesterday evening, I did my first MP flight with a few guys from the squadron and immediately noticed I could now see the BW they connected with, and their IP. I also noticed that they had “(P2P)” behind their nickname in the chat screen. I know P2P means Peer-to-Peer, and what this implies (direct communication between different clients, instead of client X -> server ->client Y ), but as I couldn’t find anything about this in any of the manuals (= main reason why I chose to post here instead of General Discussion), would it be possible to confirm this is how it now works? If so, to what extent does Host/Client BW factor into this?
Cheers,
Eagle-Eye -
port forwarding
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I am 80% confident that N clients at X bandwidth needs at least N*X hosting bandwidth. In old 4.32 I had 3 “1000 BW” clients but I was only hosting with 2000. Crash and disconnect until clients’ sum connected under the limit. Three 512BW clients fit inside my 2000 host.
Falcon MP code can (in theory) use indirect connections (name: “dubious”) through other players. P2P (point to point) is I think direct (best) connection type. For example: client A, client B, host. Best connection client A sends data direct to client B around host. If not possible A sends to host and host sends to B which is more work for host’s connection. I think host and client must always be P2P linked (how can he join otherwise?) but two clients may not. Without P2P connection between all parties maybe this “bandaid fix” mode is active for that pair of clients.
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dubious connexion shall be prevented at all costs
check port forwarding since BMS 4.33 signature has changed for routers and firewalls
