Help my idiotic 56k mate

(fattakin) #1

My dud country bumpkin mate has just got a new PC / 56k access and is having serious trouble getting connected to a game.

Now he’s the kinda guy that likes to frig about in XP / DOS / Firewalls / how can you have the lovesan virus after being online for 2 hours??
So i dont know what hes done to his PC yet but basically he can get connected and is either kicked for the obvious (ping) or is getting MAXPACKETS errors.

Ive made him install 1.02, enable Punkbuster, set ET to 56k and use the trial version of ASE set to 56k to no avail.

When he conencts to ETPro / Shrub servers i take it that they are trying to d/load in the background?
Would punkbuster be trying to d/load the latest version??

Should i manually install punkbuster / et pro etc??

Can you change the data rate in the ET console ?? what should it be set to for 56k’ers

Any other advice?

(Kendle) #2

It would certainly be a good idea to download and install ETPro separately, as well as any custom maps you think he might want. You can update Punkbuster off-server using their PBWeb update tool as well, but obviously PB updates all the time, so sooner or later he’s gonna be playing and PB decides to update on him.

As for game settings, if he selects 56k as his connection type it should apply the correct settings anyway, but I guess they’d be something like:-

rate 7500
snaps 20
cl_maxpackets 30

though I’m not 100% sure on those.

(Kerunch) #3

After my experiences with a 56k I suggest he removes it from the PC
lays it on the ground and jumps on it 5 or 6 times,throws it against the wall
and then,Put it in the bin. :banana:
Sorry that this cant help. :frowning:

(PH@TIE) #4

Also would advise typing /pb_sv_disable to disable the Server side PB elements running in the background. (If they still apply in ET). This does not stop the PB client. The PBweb utility, mentioned by Kendle, is a must, as the first thing your game will do when you enter is authenticate and check for updates, on the PB master Servers. Frankly, with 56k you just dont have the bandwidth to spare, so running prior to connection was what I always did.

I played for 2 yrs on 56k (RtCW), where most of my connection problems were based around PB activity. (No Offence PB).

/set rate 4500 worked quite well as a genral rule when playing.

The only other option really is ISDN, if ADSL or Cable is not available.

I hope poor connection does not put your m8 off.

“Connection Interupted” messages will become your life!

(The_Jesus_Zeppelin) #5

i did wrestling moves on my old 56k mod. it was awesome!

(fattakin) #6

Cheers Lads, i’ll grab the updates and burn em for him and head out to his house.

56k sucks allright, but i think he’s bitten by the bug and will definately stick around!

(schmeisser) #7

Let’s face it, the game is virtually unplayable on a 56k modem. I’ve tried it many times, so herky-jerk and laggy you just can’t stand it.

(WiGgLeRiCe) #8

there are still alot of areas in the U.S. where you can’t get any type of broadband or DSL service so you’re stuck with the old 56K . Hell with some of the very rural areas the servers out there will connect you at 14.4 kbps .

(The_Jesus_Zeppelin) #9

nah its not unplayable on 56k, i got a friends who plays it on 56k and all you have to do is find servers with very low ping, and even then youll have a small amount of connection problems.