could more modem channles lower latency ?

[cliffhucker]

I just got another provider for my internet. I trade stocks and latency is very important so i am always trying to optimize it.

I just want to know if it is possible to lower latency if i use a cable modem with more channels than i would typically need for my bandwidth ?. I use a 8x4 now and wondering if using a 32x8 would in itself lower latency everything else held constant. ?

just trying to get some input before spending money to find out.

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

To be honest, not enough to really matter unless those 8 channels are all flooded with other customers AND your ISP had more than those 8 channels available on your drop.

What it would help with though, if you have more than 8 available channels, is peak usage times when everyone else is online in the area.

 

[cliffhucker]

To be honest, not enough to really matter unless those 8 channels are all flooded with other customers AND your ISP had more than those 8 channels available on your drop.

What it would help with though, if you have more than 8 available channels, is peak usage times when everyone else is online in the area.

thanks,

That is what i kinda thought. It will not show a difference when just testing pings but maybe when data usage is heavy.

Anyway, I picked up a 32x8 modem from suddenlink today to try out/test over the weekend. Then at least i tried.

 

[PP Mguire]

Your latency is based on how far the server is you're connecting to and how quickly it connects. More than likely your provider doesn't support more than 8-12 down streams anyways. Also, since you're on cable whenever you hit that upload pipe your latency will shoot through the roof. If you want the lowest latency you'll need fiber.

 

[cliffhucker]

Your latency is based on how far the server is you're connecting to and how quickly it connects. More than likely your provider doesn't support more than 8-12 down streams anyways. Also, since you're on cable whenever you hit that upload pipe your latency will shoot through the roof. If you want the lowest latency you'll need fiber.

I agree and disagree.

yes fiber would be faster.

I can do all kinds of **** to make my latency worse. I can put another thousand feet of cable between my modem and drop, i can add a bunch of splitters, a few more switches between the modem and devices etc.

I can do the reverse to make it better.

So when talking about shaving 1 or 2 ms off which helps me there are things that can be done on existing service and unless you have tried different modems how do you know one does not shake hands with isp faster than the other ?

 

[PP Mguire]

Latency is your communication with the server your machine is communicating to. Downstreams on a cable modem A usually aren't supported past 8 or 12 (unless you have Comcast gigabit or TWC Maxx [Spectrum]) and B are used to have multiple links for a download to a particular server. In this case, your latency has nothing at all really to do with just download but upload too and the distance between you, your node, your ISP core, and the server you're visiting. That ping you want to drop is how long it takes for a packet to reach the server and back to you. Since cable is not symmetrical your ping/latency will naturally be higher and coax cable increases that latency. All the things in your place, AND what your computer is doing are environmental variables to this as well. Fiber inherently acts like long range ethernet if you will, and will characteristically have lower latencies globally than any other service available. So if you're in Cali trying to ping NYC 30 or less you're going to have a bad time. Sure, modem A might be better than modem B and might shave a millisecond or two off your ping but the question is would be it worth it or not. You haven't even said what kind of latency you're even dealing with.

Also, downstream/upstreams on cable modems are generally a big deal only to QAM signally, or digital TV. It's not all black and white when you dig into how cable works. So, you can mock me all you want but I'm telling you there's not a whole lot you can do besides dropping all concurrent connections in your house and having a direct line to your modem from your machine. That might shed 1 or 2 in itself. Maybe.