Playing online PC games over 3G connection?

[bravo22]

Hi,

I am buying a smartphone soon (still have to decide, iPhone or Blackberry or Palm Pre or Samsung Omnia or many many models?) with the 3G data plan and it support USB tethering with a laptop so I can use the laptop to go online in areas where there is no Wi-fi connection.

At the same time I am wondering if it is possible to play my favorite online games like counter strike, Halo, cod4 over the 3G connection without too much ping? All those games run well on my laptop for single player but I am living in residence at university and the wired internet is very bad there (even Youtube lags), and the residence management won't let students get outside internet service :maddowns: It is quite impossible to play any online games over this terrible residence internet. That is why I am looking at using the 3G as an alternative. I have seen iPhones at the local store load Youtube much faster than my residence internet so no matter how bad the ping might be on 3G it is probably 10x better than on residence internet!

Since this is a tech forum I am sure at least some users here have smartphones with data plans, have any of you tried online gaming through tethering and does it work well? Thanks.

- bravo22

[Amit]

Here's a tip: Online PC gaming over any non-broadband connection is going to be shit.

[Cojafoji]

I doubt you'd be able to even connect to the servers for most of them...

edit: if you do it via tethering*. 3g access through something like, sprints usb broadband dongle would work though.

[CodeBrain]

Rook, Ganon, and Yoko know that at one time when my internet died I used my Iphone 3gs as a modem (tethered) so I could play L4D2 with them.

It was shit, seriously. :saddowns:

Lagging almost everytime, and lost connection (actual connection, not just the game) every 15-30 minutes.

Of course though it could be better with an actual usb dongle but with the iPhone, it might be difficult to do anything for a long time.

[Donut]

doesnt tethering cost a shit ton too? i know my friend started doing it at my school during programming class and he ended up with a massive bill

[Rook]

doesnt tethering cost a shit ton too? i know my friend started doing it at my school during programming class and he ended up with a massive bill

That would depend upon if you have an unlimited plan or not I guess


Rook, Ganon, and Yoko know that at one time when my internet died I used my Iphone 3gs as a modem (tethered) so I could play L4D2 with them.

It was shit, seriously. :saddowns:

Lagging almost everytime, and lost connection (actual connection, not just the game) every 15-30 minutes.


Your ping was in the ~300 range or something though