4 ms·

Happy memories. I started with just 1:1 multiplayer games using the serial port (GTA, Dogfight, Doom). GTA (or our serial port config) had horrible problems wit

Happy memories. I started with just 1:1 multiplayer games using the serial port (GTA, Dogfight, Doom). GTA (or our serial port config) had horrible problems with de-synchronization. The game just went on but players where in completely different locations in the game. As a workaround we yelled the scores to each other from time to time because that was one the best ways to notice the games where out of sync. Later we used 10BASE5 coaxial bus connections with ~5 people. At that time we had no internet access and not much information about the IP protocol. IP address / subnet configuration was only known to a few people (including me) but we also did not really understand what they where doing. So this was kind of similar to what I imagine tech priests do in Warhammer 40k. We entered the sacred numbers (192.168.0.X and 255.255.255.0) and did some other things we thought where necessary (but weren't) and somehow got it running. Also, for some reason we often got electric shocks when we touched the coaxial connectors, I guess it happened because the different players connected their PC do power outlets connected to different phases. After that with Ethernet everything became much smoother except for cable issues. Ethernet hardware at the time did not sense the cable type so we had to be careful if the players brought crossover or patch cables and use adapters if necessary.

mschuster91 2y ago
> Also, for some reason we often got electric shocks when we touched the coaxial connectors, I guess it happened because the different players connected their PC do power outlets connected to different phases. Different phases should not cause electric shocks - these are a result of a ground connection being broken or impeded (e.g. due to a clamp not fastened tightly enough). You're lucky you didn't get yourself killed.
- katzenversteher 2y ago
  Thanks for the clarification. Luckily BNC connectors are rare nowadays. It happened at a friends house. I lost contact but I'm pretty sure he's still alive but maybe their house is still dangerous.
  - mschuster91 2y ago
    > Luckily BNC connectors are rare nowadays. This can manifest anywhere that has grounding issues and electrical wires that are not isolated from human touch, not just BNC. For example, in conventional Ethernet, you have to ground the shielding for EMF reasons, but you usually ground only one of the shieldings on both sides of a cable - conventionally, at least in Germany, in the distribution rack of the patchpanel, and if you connect two distribution racks/rooms, on the "upstream" side - but you never ground both ends as that can not just cause ground loops but especially very weird issues where fault current suddenly doesn't pass back to the AC distribution panel on cables with the proper wire gauge but through the (very tiny) gauge of a network cable shielding. That's a perfect recipe for invisible fires, and even assuming there is no fire, some points of the effective "micro grid" can be at a high enough potential to shock someone. Neutral connection losses/resistances in multi-phase grids are even worse because these aren't just a threat under fault conditions - here, "normal" operating return current makes its way back to the actual neutral/ground via whatever path it can, and that may even include water pipes [1]. [1] https://www.tiktok.com/@ericandrade45/video/7051359949812731142 https://www.tiktok.com/@ericandrade45/video/7051359949812731...

mschuster91 2y ago

> Also, for some reason we often got electric shocks when we touched the coaxial connectors, I guess it happened because the different players connected their PC do power outlets connected to different phases. Different phases should not cause electric shocks - these are a result of a ground connection being broken or impeded (e.g. due to a clamp not fastened tightly enough). You're lucky you didn't get yourself killed.

katzenversteher 2y ago
Thanks for the clarification. Luckily BNC connectors are rare nowadays. It happened at a friends house. I lost contact but I'm pretty sure he's still alive but maybe their house is still dangerous.
- mschuster91 2y ago
  > Luckily BNC connectors are rare nowadays. This can manifest anywhere that has grounding issues and electrical wires that are not isolated from human touch, not just BNC. For example, in conventional Ethernet, you have to ground the shielding for EMF reasons, but you usually ground only one of the shieldings on both sides of a cable - conventionally, at least in Germany, in the distribution rack of the patchpanel, and if you connect two distribution racks/rooms, on the "upstream" side - but you never ground both ends as that can not just cause ground loops but especially very weird issues where fault current suddenly doesn't pass back to the AC distribution panel on cables with the proper wire gauge but through the (very tiny) gauge of a network cable shielding. That's a perfect recipe for invisible fires, and even assuming there is no fire, some points of the effective "micro grid" can be at a high enough potential to shock someone. Neutral connection losses/resistances in multi-phase grids are even worse because these aren't just a threat under fault conditions - here, "normal" operating return current makes its way back to the actual neutral/ground via whatever path it can, and that may even include water pipes [1]. [1] https://www.tiktok.com/@ericandrade45/video/7051359949812731142 https://www.tiktok.com/@ericandrade45/video/7051359949812731...