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Obi 202 - What internet speed to work properly?

Started by Taiwanese, January 31, 2018, 09:38:51 PM

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Taiwanese

Our office has slow DSL at about 5mb.  Assuming 3 other computers just use basic email etc not watching video.

Is this fast enough for Obi 202 with 2 GV lines?

SteveInWA

The raw speed is not the issue.  The issue is that VoIP phone calls rely on an uninterrupted, good quality connection.
When you watch a video online, it is nearly all downstream data (from the video server to your computer), and the data is buffered on your computer (like filling up a water tank, and then draining it out while refilling it, which can hide temporary loss or delays of transmission).  VoIP can't be buffered more than about a quarter of a second's worth, before it would drive you crazy, talking over each other.

DSL is asymmetric.  That means, while you may get something under 5Mbps (it's never as fast as advertised) downstream speed, the upstream speed is likely much lower, like 256Kbs, or 1Mbps.  With other computers in use, if someone is doing gaming or videoconferencing, the upstream bandwidth will be sucked dry, and your outbound part of the call (you talking to the other party) will break up or be severely distorted.  I don't recommend that sort of connection for a multi-user office, but you can certainly try it yourself and upgrade your service if necessary.

Taiwanese

Steve,

Thanks for the replay.

I just did a test on speedtest.net
Down load is 5.81 Mbps
Up load is 0.86 MBps

Too slow?

The problem is that this is the fastest I can get.  There is no other service except satellite.

SteveInWA

A single VoIP telephone call uses just under 100 Kpbs (kilobits per second) on that 860Kbps uplink.  So, in theory, it will work fine.  However, as I explained, other uses of that same uplink on your local network may compete for that bandwidth.  You will just have to try it and see if it is acceptable to you.


Taiwanese

Any one tried using Hotspots from Verizon or T Mobile for Obi202?

A_Friend

Quote from: Taiwanese on February 01, 2018, 07:12:31 PM
Any one tried using Hotspots from Verizon or T Mobile for Obi202?

I've tested it with a tethered cellphone on a Sprint PCS MVNO, using a wifi router as a repeater to convert the wifi to wired ethernet.  That worked, pretty amazingly, but it was 4G LTE.  (Even streamed video to the big screen.)  You'd probably do even better with bluetooth or the ObiWiFi.  Tried one from a T-Mobile MVNO and kept it around for a standby backup, but it was only 3G.  It worked for phone calls, if that was the only thing on the network.

Used to have an awesome hotspot on the WiMax network for a couple of years, but Sprint bought that, kicked off the subscribers, and converted it for back end use or cannibalized the frequencies for additional bandwidth, or something.  Was never quite sure.  Was definitely p.o.ed, though, as I had a promotional freebie (with service!) that I bought from someone who won a contest but didn't live in a WiMax service area.