[1.1] Getting Maximum of Performance and Download Speed

[SHC//Sniper]

Hello community,

I've noticed that players have issues with the download speed and time outs. Since I'm using a very powerful dedicated root server I want to get the maximum power of it, no matter how big the traffic will be.

EDIT: I'm not using any external download server.

I've found 3 strange settings in the config file that are described very badly.

<!-- This parameter limits the number of http connections each client can make. Depending on the type of http server that is used, a lower figure may reduce download timeouts. 
Available range: 1 to 8. --> 
<httpmaxconnectionsperclient>6</httpmaxconnectionsperclient> 
     
<!-- This parameter limits the number http connections that an IP can initiate over a short period of time. Available range: 1 to 100. default value: 20 --> 
<httpdosthreshold>20</httpdosthreshold> 
  
<!-- This parameter reduces the server's bandwidth usage by using various optimizations. Values: none, medium or maximum ; default value: medium --> 
<bandwidth_reduction>medium</bandwidth_reduction> 

What values shall I use to increase the download speed and decrease time outs, no matter if it costs any performance.

Kind Regards,

Sniper

[Arran]

You can reduce bandwidth usage by changing

medium

to

maximum

We use it on CIT and it saves us a huge amount of bandwidth allowing us to hold about 50 more players with the same bandwidth usage.

20 Don't change that, changing it won't make a difference

6 I've no idea about this one.

[SHC//Sniper]

Thanks for the answere. Now I'm running it on maximum bandwitdh reduction. But I do have problems with download timeouts when about 30 players download ~5MB at the same time. I hope this will reduce it.

[Phat Looser]

<!-- This parameter limits the number of http connections each client can make. Depending on the type of http server that is used, a lower figure may reduce download timeouts. Available range: 1 to 8. --> 
<httpmaxconnectionsperclient>6</httpmaxconnectionsperclient> 
<!-- This parameter limits the number http connections that an IP can initiate over a short period of time. Available range: 1 to 100. default value: 20 --> 
<httpdosthreshold>20</httpdosthreshold> 
<!-- This parameter reduces the server's bandwidth usage by using various optimizations. Values: none, medium or maximum ; default value: medium --> 
<bandwidth_reduction>medium</bandwidth_reduction> 

Actually I'm not one of the programmers, but I'd say the following:

httpmaxconnectionsperclient, I'd set it to 2, so there is more "slots free" the players can use.

httpdosthreshold should be set to 30 or 40, since you said yourself bandwidth and power isn't the problem. Setting it to 100 may be overreactive. I never saw anything (except my own servers on a DDoS tryout) actually USING this value.

bandwidth_reduction, I only can guess what this does: compression. So, maximum would be maximum compression. Compression needs time. No Compression needs bandwidth. I've never seen this value doing anything wrong...

btw, there is a different way:

http://www.myserver.tld/directory/here

This is the only working way I actually know which does NOT time out the players at all (unless their connection is really bad). The folder those files are in is /mods/deathmatch/resource-cache/http-client-files/.

[Arran]

bandwidth_reduction, I only can guess what this does: compression. So, maximum would be maximum compression. Compression needs time. No Compression needs bandwidth. I've never seen this value doing anything wrong...

Bandwidth reduction has nothing to do with compression, bandwidth reduction simply skips some of the not important puresync packets thus saving bandwidth and on a very busy server this amount is great.

[Phat Looser]

It seriously needs moar info about that.

[Mdbelen]

Hm, I would rather get some external download server instead of setting httpmaxcon too low, because this will reduce download speed (slightly), especially for many small files.

I think some servers (nginx, lighttpd?) are better for this purpose than others, as they are better in handling many connections, but I'm not very sure about that.

[Phat Looser]

Apache is the only answer to that.