• a poor connection, a poor connection is a result of poor internet.
  
• Being dropped from a game, If it happened all the time, to a multitude of people then possibly it could be the net code. However in most games (Mortal Kombat) dropping is not the result of poor net code.  
  
• changing, One thing to remember about netcode, is it is code. Code is the same every time, therefor if one match is laggy and another is not, the netcode did not "get worse"
  

poor netcode can totally have an effect on the lag in a game.  but it will be the same everytime unless someones internet is crap. mortal kombat does have bad netcode. the button delay is insane!

too informational; didn't read 
 
The netcode in MK sucks, Ed Boon needs to personally fix it after he gives everyone free DLC.

too informational; didn't read  The netcode in MK sucks, Ed Boon needs to personally fix it after he gives everyone free DLC.

too informational; didn't read  The netcode in MK sucks, Ed Boon needs to personally fix it after he gives everyone free DLC.

If the netcode didn't impact lag online, how come two people can play a lag-free game on SSFIV but then play a laggy game on MK? 

If the netcode didn't impact lag online, how come two people can play a lag-free game on SSFIV but then play a laggy game on MK? 

@Giacomito said:

If the netcode didn't impact lag online, how come two people can play a lag-free game on SSFIV but then play a laggy game on MK? 

Who said it didn't impact lag online?

I think it's funny how people bashed MVC3 for it's online lag.  MVC3 is absolutely playable.  I can play a session of random matches in MVC3 and find plenty of good matches.  MK9 is absolutely unplayable and I have yet to find a game where I felt like I was able to do anything beyond block and throw out random stuff that I would never do in a serious game.  Such a shame because the game is so much fun.

yes yes netcode is pretty lame 

@TechHits: I's always the same when in the same ENVIRONMENT. However, when things like NAT, connection stability and quality, and even hardware differe as much as they do even on a single platform like the Xbox 360, that netcode can interact differently with different factors in different ways. On top of that, the netcode always having the same effect doesn't mean that the EXPERIENCE will be the same because of the addition and interaction with other factors. So, when MK is inconsistent, it is because there are a number of factors that contribute to the netcode's behavior and that interact with the end result of that behavior.

If the netcode didn't impact lag online, how come two people can play a lag-free game on SSFIV but then play a laggy game on MK?