Can You Play Games on Satellite Internet?

Satellite-based Internet service is a great online option, but it may hamper the serious gamer, depending on the choice of game. Satellite provides more bandwidth to use, but it has a problem with latency, which is the measure of how long it takes a packet of test data to travel from your computer to the host computer and back. Some single-player games won't be affected at all, while other types of interactive games, including First-Person Shooter (FPS) games or Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs), have varying degrees of lag within the game, affecting your character's performance.

Latency and Lag

The problem with satellite systems is the signal from your computer travels from your dish up into the atmosphere over 22,000 miles to the satellite, then bounces back to earth to the office of the satellite company where your request is carried out over regular wired connections and then sent back up to the satellite to bounce back to your house. Ideally, this takes about a half second. Add in extra traffic or weather interference, and it will take considerably longer. With cable the transmission is almost immediate in the 50 milliseconds to 150 milliseconds range. With satellite, the packet will measure 600 milliseconds to 800 milliseconds. This means in a one-on-one FPS, the satellite player is nearly eight times slower, lagging behind the cable player.

Single Player and Multiplayer Games

There are many places on the Internet that offer games that are not affected at all by latency. This type of game is traditionally the single player game like WordShuffle, Bookworm or Bejeweled. Latency has little detrimental effect on these types of games because they don't require an immediate response across the Internet and rely on Java or Flash programming in your browser. Multiplayer interactive games like chess and poker also work well for the same reason.

FPS

The FPS games suffer the worst from lag and slow response times. Games like Halo, where you team up with others across the globe and fight the enemy, depend on split-second timing. If you're a few seconds behind the actions of your team, your character gets wiped out more often. You can still play these games with satellite Internet, but you'll likely be frustrated during game play.

MMORPGs

An MMORPG is usually turn-based or interactive in a way that is not as demanding as an FPS. Popular online MMORPGs include World of Warcraft, Second Life and EverQuest 2. Unless you're involved in direct player-to-player combat mode, there is little chance that the latency will cause any lag in your perception of the game.

Making FPS Work

If you don't want to give up your favorite FPS online game, seek out other FPS players who play on dial-up Internet access; they won't have the faster speeds of cable Internet players, so you and your new team will have similar response times, and the problem of your satellite Internet lag won't matter.

References

• DSL Reports
• SpeedGuide.net