Network optimization for serious streamers


In my ongoing experiments, now going on seven years, with network optimization for streaming I've discovered a number of optimizations that should work with any ethernet ISP.

 

I've tried a variety of ethernet cables, modems, routers, switches, FMC, ethernet filters, the following is what I've found to be most effective optimizations.

 

I'll start with ISP quality and speed. Recently I discovered 500mbps to be preferable to 300mbps. Along with upgrade in speed, modem capable of 1gb service replaced 600mbps, both have Broadcom chips and powered by same lps. Can't say which more responsible for improvement, speed or modem, presume speed has at least some role in ping time. As for ISP, there is importance in ISP server geographic location to you, shorter distances  means lower ping time. For information as to how ping time affects jitter-https://www.fusionconnect.com/speed-test-plus/ping-jitter-test

 

Now for modems,  modem close to audio system is most favorable, extending coax cable preferable to long ethernet cable. Coax more resistant to rfi and closer positioning to system means one can more easily afford top quality ethernet cable for modem to router connection. The modem should use Broadcom chipset vs. inferior Intel Puma, Broadcom chipset has lower jitter vs the Intel. Modem should be powered via external lps using quality DC and AC cables, lps to power conditioner for ultimate performance.

 

Following close positioning of modem to audio system, router should also be placed near modem in service of same advantage of making highest quality ethernet cable more affordable, in this case, modem to router and router to switches, streamers and NAS. Router should be powered with lps, this lps should be able to provide more amps than router requires in service of providing greater reliability, having lps with reserves of amperage means lps runs cooler, heat is enemy of reliability, longevity. As with modem, quality dc, ac cables and connection to power conditioner.

 

The next finding is new to me, provides very meaningful upgrade to streaming sound quality. Noise from wifi, injected both internally to router and externally with routers sitting close to audio systems has long been a concern to me. I have quality Trifield meter which measures rfi, router with operational wifi manufacture obscenely high levels of rfi, rfi is noise, noise is enemy of streaming at level we're talking about here. And its very likely the more wifi devices one has in home the higher the levels of rfi produced. This noise is then injected into following cables and streaming equipment. One may convince themselves FMC totally isolates this noise, and while correct, it doesn't mitigate the noise and masking going on within router. The only way to eliminate this noise is turning off wifi. And then, how to provide wifi for the many  wifi devices we have at home? The answer is to connect a second router to the primary router. The primary router will only provide ethernet for streamers, switches and/or NAS in audio system, also for the second router.  Second router provides wifi for the home, this scheme keeps vast majority of rfi out of audio system streaming chain. My own measurements find rfi significantly diminished in primary router, more than mulitiples of ten times lower vs wifi enabled. This was seamless install with the Netgear routers I'm using. There may also be value in provisioning higher quality routers. My new primary router, Netgear XR1000 is marketed as a gamer router, claims of lower ping time, latency, jitter vs other routers. Since my old router, Netgear RS7000 didn't have means to monitor ping time I can't provide evidence of this claim. Whatever the case, my XR1000 ping time test measurements are as follows, 25.35ms highest, 16.50ms lowest, this is A+ measurements against objective criteria. Ping time under load is download 25.93ms, upload 37.34ms, idle 17.31ms, this rates as A. My speed of 565gbps rates B grade, likely need 1gb service to get A here. At to how this all pertains to sound quality, adding up the upgrade in ISP speed and the off loading of wifi is without a doubt one of the most substantial, if not most substantial network upgrades I've experienced. While I  long considered my setup as having a vanishing low noise floor, with this setup I heard a new level of vanishing if such a thing is possible. Even more astounding was a more analog like presentation, while I wasn't aware of even the slightest digital presentation prior, this upgrade certainly exposed it was indeed there. It seems logical to conclude there has been some lowering of jitter here.

 

And then we come to the ethernet filter. I suppose audiophile switches can be considered as one, then we have actual filters such as Network Acoustics Muon, my JCAT Net XE and others. I continue to believe these necessary even with the all measures above.

 

Optical conversion is also valid approach post router. While I found generic FMC somewhat effective, at this point I prefer ethernet. On the other hand I've not yet tried optimizing a fiber solution, for example two Sonore OpticalModules, both powered by lps, further upgraded with Finisar optical transceivers.

 

Assuming one has high resolving audio and streaming systems the above network optimizations should provide for substantial sound quality improvements. In my system, perception of performers in room has been taken to a new level of intimacy, meaning a more emotional connection to the performers and performance.

 

At this point, I consider network has been fully optimized, the only upgrade I'm aware of would be ISP upgrade to 1gb.

sns

Thank you fire sharing. This is very helpful. I think my modem is still the weak point in my digital chain. Is there any specific model you recommend?

Network and Telephony (VoIP) engineer by trade. 

1. Ping times can be impacted by traffic but mostly by physical distance between you requesting a stream and the provider replying with the data

2, RFI/EMI is bad, which is why good ethernet and thick net (coax) is shielded (shielded twisted pair for ethernet) versus everyday inexpensive ethernet cable which is UTP (unshielded twisted pair)

3. Jitter is directly related to network traffic, both on your LAN as well as overall congestion between your modem and the source(and if you are using proxy service, your ISP, the source and your modem)

4. For the ultimate in noise rejection, use fiber optic cable, but be prepared to spend some coin to get fiber optic switches, transceivers  and cables

5. you can always approximate ping time, for windows : pull up the command prompt, from the prompt type : ping www.<streaming service name>.com you should get something that looks like this (as long as the service provider is not blocking ICMP queries):

jkbyr>ping www.quboz.com

Pinging www.quboz.com [81.171.28.44] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 81.171.28.44: bytes=32 time=123ms TTL=48
Reply from 81.171.28.44: bytes=32 time=123ms TTL=48
Reply from 81.171.28.44: bytes=32 time=123ms TTL=48
Reply from 81.171.28.44: bytes=32 time=124ms TTL=48

Ping statistics for 81.171.28.44:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 123ms, Maximum = 124ms, Average = 123ms

Anything below 300 ms (300 ms breaks VoIP which may or may not be equitable with RTSP) is going to be acceptable, since your streamer is caching the stream

IMO the best critical listening with a streamer is listening to high quality rips from  local storage on the device (SSD installed directly on the device)

@mournbladeiv you need to explain to these non technical people why you need shielding to a certain point or they will go crazy like they always do. 
 

And of course, keep in mind that streaming services is not a continuous stream, is burst traffic downloading the song you want to play and typically the next as fast as possible to a buffer, so jitter isn’t particularly relevant. 

Why do you need a modem? I have 5G fiber straight into my router.

It looks like you're using your ISP's hardware, in which case its router also includes a modem. You'd probably get better performance if you bought your own devices, and you'd save on the ISP's monthly rental fee.