Truth about a Gigabit Switch?

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joinasmashgamer

joinasmashgamer

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Feb 8, 2014
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Greetings!

I am back to this forum to ask a very important question. This is for the good of my internet cafe business with 10 computers. Currently I have these networking devices:

* TP-Link 10/100 Mbps Desktop Switch
* Cat(_) ethernet cables (i'm not sure if I have Cat5, 5e or 6)
* Ethernet cables just plug in to built in LAN of motherboards to the switch
* Active internet connection of 5 mbps plan
* My network setup is (Modem/Router from the ISP > SWITCH > Computers)

Here is my Problem:

When 10 computers are running, playing online games & using internet apps such as YouTube, Facebook, etc. The internet seems very very slow but when I check the speed test results using a WiFi device, it is normal but computers connected to switch are having a hard time opening emails, loading Facebook pages, etc. Even my WiFi devices cant connect normally.

But if only 5 computers are running, everything seems fine. No problems

Please don't get me wrong guys, I am a computer savvy but not about this 10/100 Mbps and 10/100/1000 Mbps (or so called Gigabit) switches.

I'm thinking the remedy to my problem is by getting a gigabit switch because it can transfer data faster and more reliable. It can also handle much heavier traffic (that I'm thinking when 10 computers are running).

Please guys, I need your ideas about this. If I am right or wrong, it's fine with me. What do I need to do so that when 10 computers are running, it will be just fine.

I am open to all your suggestions and the right things that I need to do to solve my problem,

Thank you! :)
 
Solution
InvalidError
The PCs load the game from their local HDDs but Crossfire is an online game and unless you host the game server locally, all the player movement/action data has to go over your internet connection.

The reason why 10 players logging into the game at the same time over a 5Mbps broadband connection may simply be that your internet connection is too slow to handle that many players entering the game at the same time. It isn't uncommon for MMOs to require 2-3Mbps to synchronize client game state when events start so if you have 10 players trying to pull 2Mbps of bandwidth (20Mbps total) through your 5Mbps internet connection, it breaks down and takes forever.
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InvalidError

Titan
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May 18, 2007
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A 100Mbps switch should be perfectly capable of handling over 80Mbps sustained as long as no single port gets saturated, which is several times more than enough to handle a 5Mbps internet connection.

If even your WiFi devices which connect directly through your ISP's modem/router are having issues, I would suspect the modem/router.
 
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joinasmashgamer

joinasmashgamer

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Feb 8, 2014
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what do you mean when you say "as long as no single port gets saturated"?

FYI: My problem often happens when 10 computers are running, if i'm right, 10 computers running together using apps use more than 80 mbps, i am really confused right now.
 
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InvalidError

InvalidError

Titan
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When I say "saturated" I mean if you have a file server running on computer 'A' and computer 'B' is copying files from it, you will get 80-100Mbps and if computer 'C' starts copying files from it, those two computers will have to share that 80-100Mbps so they will each get 40-50Mbps.

How much bandwidth your LAN and internet connection depends on what sort of programs all of those computers are running and how much bandwidth each of those require. You could have 100 PCs turned on and still not have any issues if none of them actually run software requiring any significant LAN or internet traffic. If all your 10 PCs are downloading windows updates or doing other bandwidth-intensive stuff, that could obviously kill your internet connection so you should check for that too - see if any of those computers seem to have unexpectedly high LAN usage.
 
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joinasmashgamer

joinasmashgamer

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In my case, i don't have any file server nor transferring large files from one PC to another. But all I observed is when 10 of my computers are running like for example, a crossfire tournament here in our internet cafe. 10 Computers open the application crossfire at the same time, and I observed that all of the PCs load the application slower compared to when 5 computers open the application at the same time. At first, i'm suspecting the internet connection but later, I suspected the switch. Does it mean when applications run at the same time on 10 of the PCs require a lot of bandwidth on the ports wherein it is more than what my TP-LINK 10/100 mbps switch can offer?
 
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InvalidError

InvalidError

Titan
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May 18, 2007
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The PCs load the game from their local HDDs but Crossfire is an online game and unless you host the game server locally, all the player movement/action data has to go over your internet connection.

The reason why 10 players logging into the game at the same time over a 5Mbps broadband connection may simply be that your internet connection is too slow to handle that many players entering the game at the same time. It isn't uncommon for MMOs to require 2-3Mbps to synchronize client game state when events start so if you have 10 players trying to pull 2Mbps of bandwidth (20Mbps total) through your 5Mbps internet connection, it breaks down and takes forever.
 
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Solution
joinasmashgamer

joinasmashgamer

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Feb 8, 2014
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so does buying a GIGA switch solve my problem? -_-
 
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joinasmashgamer

joinasmashgamer

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Feb 8, 2014
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Ok i got it already., i checked my PC's NICs a while ago and only 2/10 supports 1000mbps, im also not transferring large files from 1 pc to another,. so i guess,. i dont need to upgrade to a giga switch. alright,. thank you for all your ideas guys,. i do appreciated it much,. Cheers! :)
 
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InvalidError

InvalidError

Titan
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May 18, 2007
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The fastest LAN switch in the world will not do you any good if your games are choking on your 5Mbps internet connection... the fastest network is only as fast as its slowest choke point. You could have 100Gbps Ethernet on your LAN but if you still only have 5Mbps internet, all your PCs trying to use it will only get around 1/N-th of that 5Mbps. If you have 10 PCs trying to access your 5Mbps internet at the same time, they get around 500kbps each. Since your link is most likely asymmetrical, the upload is probably 1Mbps or less so each client gets around 1/10th of that too.

For 10 clients, you would need 15-20Mbps downstream and 3-5Mbps upstream speed to get reasonably smooth gaming.
 
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joinasmashgamer

joinasmashgamer

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Feb 8, 2014
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thank you,. this issue was clear enough for me,. what i was thinking was wrong,. thanks! i think what i need is either a better connection or a better per4mance modem/router
 
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