Does webcam really take up that much bandwidth ?

[WeiWei]

Hi guys,

I have a broadband connection which I share with 6 other computers through a DLink 614+ router. I have come to notice that whenever someone uses webcam, the connection becomes very very very slow, up to the point where I can't even load a page.

Does webcam really take up so much bandwidth ? Is there any way this can be solved as I wouldn't want to tell them not to use webcams...

Thanks.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Webcam is using upstream speed, which is on short supply on most broadband connections. My service is 3000/256, obviously a webcam would use a significant chunk of the 256kbits of upload bandwidth...

 

[JonnyBlaze]

most cable companies cut your download speeds ALOT while your uploading. check a monitor for your self. my downloads cut from 400 to less than half of that just to upload at 30k

it su*ks!

JB

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

The reason that your download speeds slow down aren't because the cable company is doing anything. Depending on your TCP window size, the upload channel being busy will slow ACKs down and result in reduced throughput.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: gunrunnerjohn
The reason that your download speeds slow down aren't because the cable company is doing anything. Depending on your TCP window size, the upload channel being busy will slow ACKs down and result in reduced throughput.

bingo!

 

[dxpaap]

so would it help to increase the TCP packet window size ?

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: dxpaap
so would it help to increase the TCP packet window size ?

most definately

 

[WeiWei]

how do u increase the tcp packet window size ?

but the thing is the whole network slows down when one fella uses the webcam... not juz that one computer, everybody feels it

I admit, my upload bandwidth is very small, 128k onli, but download speeds are 2mb

I'm using Charter if that has any significance

Thanks for the insightful replies though

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

The easy way is to tinker with TCP window size is to download TCP Optimizer from this site. http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php

 

[phillydog]

Originally posted by: WeiWei
Hi guys,

I have a broadband connection which I share with 6 other computers through a DLink 614+ router. I have come to notice that whenever someone uses webcam, the connection becomes very very very slow, up to the point where I can't even load a page.

Does webcam really take up so much bandwidth ? Is there any way this can be solved as I wouldn't want to tell them not to use webcams...

Thanks.

Using cable modem, all works fine for me with webcam linked to website, but the question you really have to ask is how much CPU will running the webcam software take.... mine is running at about 67%.....

and that is an Athlon 2400+ w/ 1 gig ram.

As for upload... to save bandwidth, if you don't need actual realtime, instead of running a servlet engine (i.e. Tomcat on port 8080), you could have the webcam snap pics, and have a javascript refresh on the page to continuously reget the newest picture..... there are forums out there to describe it... downed my cpu from 67% to about 11%, and that was only when being viewed.... since javascript will be CPU on user's box rather than webserver box.


just my 2 cents.