Internet and xbox 360 on Utila

[Sloeber]

Silly question (it's late after celebrating during a title game), but does anyone play the Xbox 360 online in Utila? I'm curious if the online access there can support online gaming. Yes, yes, I'll be diving all day and most evenings, but the 360 keeps me behaving at home instead of finding trouble in the bars.

 

[silvernotch]

I game too but I kinda doubt the internet access there can support XBL enough to allow it to run smoothly.

 

[laurenceh]

no chance of finding a quick enough connection, you'll have to interact with humans

 

[Sloeber]

OK, now that I'm at work and not at the bar with the boys I took a moment to see what sort of requirements the Xbox Live network needed. It sounds like anything above 1 mbps is sufficient. I thought I remembered hearing from a Instructor living in Utila that his home internet connection was upgraded to a "Mega Connection" (his words). I enquired what speed this actually was and he wasn't able to help. Obviously basic dial-up won;t work, but the whole "upgrade" and "mega" portion makes me think Utila somehow already broke in the 1 mbps realm of reality.

Can anyone on Utila confirm for me the available connection speeds? Either by advertisement from local sellers (I googled and couldn't find advertisement) or by doing a speed check yourself using any of the numerous free bandwidth checking websites?

TIA

 

[Dave1981]

I was there a couple of years back, with wifi in the apartment.

I'm sure it would be fast enough, but it is(was) very random when it worked or not. Like one day fast, some days 5mins to load google, regularly out completely and usually all of the above with in the space of an average morning.

I don't know the exact speed but I do recall computer updates and things were quite quick when it was on. Can't comment on if it's better now, I'd doubt it.

 

[Sloeber]

no chance of finding a quick enough connection, you'll have to interact with humans

Not that you care, but when I play Xbox Live I'm doing so with friends dating back some 20 years of friendship. Heck even my sisters and my 70yo father play online. Xbox Live, for me, is a fantastic tool for staying in touch with friends and family living far away from me... something that could be quite useful while living somewhere like Utila for an extended time. For $8/month I essentially have unlimited "talk time" on Xbox Live with all my friends and family. Plus with Kinnect I can actually see mom and dad while I talk to them. What's a phone call home cost per minute from Utila to the USA? Suddenly communicating on Xbox Live doesn't seem so bad, eh?

 

[silvernotch]

What are you planning on playing? I know sometimes COD gets funky with slower connections

 

[rob@diveinutila.com]

You can get the bandwidth you need but you'll be far from it on a free/included wi-fi deal in a hotel, etc. Typically you'll find there'll be 128kbps to 256kbps shared on the wi-fi in Utila hotels, etc. A few places might have a 1Mbps but that will be shared across all guests and hotel admin.

If you are taking an apartment you'll be able to get a cable modem installed at the speed you want but not sure how much it'll cost you!

You'll just have to find trouble in the bars

 

[Sloeber]

Silvernotch, I do play lots of COD, but also slower games like Tiger Woods for the old man. I'd likely only bring TW, COD, and football along with me.

Thanks Rob. I'm sure I'll have no problem finding trouble in bars

I do plan to rent an apartment for a few months at least. What company would I be contacting in Utila to get a cable modem installed?

 

[CuNanoTube]

The main problem you are going to have is ping. If they use a satellite uplink for internet or standard phone lines you are going to have a crappy ping making FPS games unplayable.
Bring a good RPG, mass effect 2 maybe.