Is that the actual Ping ie ICMP and not the server load? If that's the Server Load then you have cheats on board. Anything over about 300ms for a full server is usually someone cheating via a mod/trainer etc. But you have to figure out what is and isnt a load figure when someone is cheating.

eg:

4 players = Load should be under 50 anymore and check the players out
10-15 = Load should be anything from 60-150
16-30 = Normally 300 to 350 but if the server is full or a full blown pvp battle, then it can hit 400-500

If its any higher then look for cheats. But can't help you there only experience in the job can give you the instinct to spot them. sometimes its a hunch as to who from odd behaviour / Routes taken / Speed crossing sytems

Pinger, you should qualify your numbers with the server specs and the Internet connection. I, too, saw times like yours when I was running an Athlon 1800 FSB 133 MHz with my ADSL at 1.5M/384k (downlink/uplink bit rates). I had to limit max players to 19 and server load was consistantly over 100 msec near the max player limit. I upgraded the server to an Athlon 3200 FSB 200 MHz on the same Internet connection and the server load results were quite different for me:

4 players = under 5 msec
10-15 = 25 - 35 msec
16 to max 21 = up to 50 msec (35 msec is the yellow bar indication)

For me my limitation is the Internet connection, uplink specifically. I know because an increase in players doesn't significantly change the server load but I get tons of players telling me of yellow and even red lag while on the server. Thus 21 players is my max. In my case the upgraded server is a little too powerful for the Internet connection but that is fine because that leaves more CPU utilization for admin tools. Hehe! No more lag-a-minute indications because FLSO was updating it's online player list every minute!

BTW, overall modders would usually intrude on the server one at a time and they would essentially double all server load amounts.

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Earendil
SysAdmin of Boston Freelancer server
See server rules and server news for more info.

Hmm yeah but those figures are from my server, as I did say he'd have to figure out for his own server what they are for his.

As for connection limiting it, think its more of both. Simply as mine has a 100mbit connection direct to the ISP's so not lacking in bandwidth just horse power. So the server load figures are higher than they should be if it was on a better Box, ok it has twin CPU's but there old and slow p3 1.3's.

So there just a guide as to what he should be getting.

The ping rates I was talking about is when you are on the global server. My server would normally come up with a ping of 47-65....Then for no reason a couple of weeks ago it rocketed to 1600+.........

I flattened the OS and re-installed everything...ping back down to a best of 47..
This rate remained pretty well constant until a week of operations (24/7) then all of a sudden I was getting pings of 160+

This has nothing to do with indicated server load, I haven't had a problem with that too date.

I just bought a copy of Windows XP Pro and installed it yesterday. I formatted the drive and did a clean install, then re-installed freelancer. Ping rates are again in the acceptable range.

I'm also running the firewall that comes with XP with no problems..

Time will tell if my ping woes are eliminated or not.

@steve62 - Wow! Dedication to getting a good, clean FL game! I'm impressed! Hope you get what you deserve in ping rates, namely they don't change upwards again. If they do you could try XP tweaks, they may help.

@Pinger - OK, got the "measure" of your systems from your numbers and server specs. I will say I envy your fat pipe! Although I am considering moving Boston over to a hosted 'puter with a fatter (OC3, 150 Mbps) pipe. Still waiting for particulars but while we won't give Andromeda a run for it's money, I will have a server that can hold more of my excellent community players!

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Earendil
SysAdmin of Boston Freelancer server
See server rules and server news for more info.