Diff Between Shaped and Unshaped

[buster]

Hope this is the right place to post this ... however, what is the diff or advantages / disadvantages between a shaped and unshaped DSL account ... I think I have an idea, but if I am only browsing the web, downloading files both over HTTP and FTP, maybe the MSN file transfer every now and again. Is unshaped the better option to go for ... is the service and speeds as good as shaped?

Buster

 

[bwana]

Hope this is the right place to post this ... however, what is the diff or advantages / disadvantages between a shaped and unshaped DSL account ... I think I have an idea, but if I am only browsing the web, downloading files both over HTTP and FTP, maybe the MSN file transfer every now and again. Is unshaped the better option to go for ... is the service and speeds as good as shaped?

Buster

If thats all you're doing then shaped is prob the best bet because of the pricing. Shaping, aka the prioritizing of protocols, usually puts gamers to a disadvantage - and if some accounts are correct various p2p protocols.

IMO try the shaped first then shift to the more expensive unshaped if needs be.

Ps - Skype file transfer works much better IMO than MSN

 

[buster]

Thanks bwana, so the way I understand it - unshaped will give all ports equal priority, and shaped will give certain others priority.

Does this mean that on a shaped package, the protocols that are given priority, are quicker or better than what the same protocols will be on unshaped? Meaning that shaped is better if not using P2P.

 

[Perdition]

Unshaped just means that YOU get to decide how you use your traffic. So if you max your bandwidth with HTTP you will get the same experience on the shaped and unshaped packages however if you max P2P (theoretically) you will get a much better experience on the unshaped package. Having said this most people get acceptable P2P speeds on the shaped packages and it's only really in latency critical applications like games that you will benefit from the unshaped package.

 

[swordfish1]

I get max P2P on shaped as well ... so don't see the point of unshaped