How can I fix my lag?

[FactoryFarmer]

First off WHAT A GREAT GAME

Anyway how can I fix my lag? I have been banned from a few servers because of it.

Thank You.

[Branton]

From my knowledge there are two reasons for lag:

1) bad internet connection (i.e. Dialup) or,
2) Congested internet connection.

The first is probably the easiest to fix. Get a new internet connection with a different provider.

The second can be caused from activity on your own connection, or in some cases others on the network (as is the case occasionally with cable modems). Here the easiest to check is your own. Do you have a web browser open? Sites like CNN.com update on a timer and can use up bandwidth even when minimized. Email program open? Instant Messenger? Close any open programs. If you are in windows, Check the icons in the next to the clock, make sure there aren't unnecessary programs running. This will speed your machine up too. Also check to see if you have a spyware type program running. If you do it could be transmitting data somewhere. In *NIX operating systems you can look at the netstat command to see open IP connections. I think in windows Task manager and the "net" command can do this, but I'm not Microsoft expert.

I've also heard that some wireless routers have problems if you are using such a device. Try updating the firmware on it if one is available.

You can also have the signal spectrum being congested. Devices that run a 2.4Ghz can cause interference (e.g. Phones, baby monitors, microwaves) even if they are not in your house but a neighbors.

The last ting to check if none of those are the cause is the connection itself. If you have a neighbor that is streaming video, hosting servers, or just generally using a lot of bandwidth , it can cause congestion on your cable modem (if thats what you have).

Good luck. Try calling the internet tech support and see if they can test the connection for you.

[blast]

Sometimes the internet connection can have nothing to do with the reason for lag.

A common reason for high lag or jitter is having a slow computer. If your computer can't render BZFlag at a high enough frame rate (how many frames it can draw per second) then you will have an artificially higher lag because BZFlag can only send and process network data between frames. To determine your frame rate, join a server, and press the 't' key. Wait a few seconds and you should see a number appear above the mouse box that says "FPS: " before it. That is your frame rate.

If that's below 30 or 40, your computer is probably adding extra lag because it's too slow to run the game. Adjust the graphics options to try to improve the FPS (turn off shadows and lighting, play with the texture and quality settings, etc) and decrease the resolution. Also make sure that you have the latest video drivers for your video card and that you are running in a color depth that supports 3D acceleration (many/most cards do not do 3D acceleration in 8- or 24-bit graphics, and some may only do it in 16-bit).

Also, jitter and lag can be caused by running other software in the background, even if they aren't accessing the Internet. Shut down any additional software including download managers, P2P clients, browsers, etc before playing.

[RexFlex]

In the international community, a common cause for lag (but not jitter or packetloss) is distance. Even a great connection cannot overcome distance based latency, and if the server is on the other side of the world from you then it can easily add an extra 200+ ms. A player with high latency but low jitter and no packetloss is likely to be a player in that position. And short of moving there is nothing they can do about it.

[FactoryFarmer]

Branton and Blast, thanks for the suggestions I have looked and I can't find any programs running while I am playing. My FPS is over 100 most of the time so the computer is not the problem.

However,

In the international community, a common cause for lag (but not jitter or packetloss) is distance. Even a great connection cannot overcome distance based latency, and if the server is on the other side of the world from you then it can easily add an extra 200+ ms. A player with high latency but low jitter and no packetloss is likely to be a player in that position. And short of moving there is nothing they can do about it.

This seems to make alot of sense. I guess I'll just have to deal with it. I have a buddy tht plays I'l have to talk to him he also runs a Mac computer.

Thanks again.