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[mode_seven]

As you will probably have noticed I've been having a fair few problems with my connection recently. The reason I think you'll probably have noticed this is that one the rare occasion I can connect I spend half the time complaining about my ping.

For the record, we have a wireless router upstairs, the computer I play TF2 on has its connection from this through a powerline adapter which up to now has been fine. No changes in configuration, I've scanned for spyware etc., no problems with other computers and they aren't using up the network connection. Basically, I've no idea what's wrong at the moment.

So, yeah, sorry I haven't been able to play so much. When I figure it out or it sorts itself regular demolition service will resume.

[Gasman]

Mode - are you saying that you are connected to your broadband connection from a powerline adapator (that's an electrical circuit network device, right?) to a wireless access point that is talking wirelessly to something plugged into your broadband pipe? if so, I'm bloody amazed you ever got decent results. Ethernet. Ethernet. Ethernet.

[mode_seven]

Heh, not quite. There isn't a wireless point in the chain, it's just broadband > router > powerline. I just mentioned the fact that's it wireless as that's how a couple of laptops using the connection are connected. Sadly there's no way we could afford to get ethernet points fitted.

[Gasman]

Okay. My networking head went wacky then. Noooooo!!!!!!! i would be looking at the internet activity of the other pc's on your connection. But i am no guru.

[Junta]

Mode, I went through this kind of hell for weeks when Goldrush first came out.

Despite being an IT techie I never truly got to the end of it (and I noted that my connection was fine on other servers).

1) Do you have issues on other servers?
2) Did a re-install of steam help (didnt for me)
3) What other wireless devices are using the connection (router should show MAC addresses for these devices)

I also found that the issues went away after a following bug fix from Valve. I've had connection issues 3 times in a row now, always after a Valve update.

Also - worth rebooting the wireless router - it might be to do with the DHCP settings (how IP addresses are allocated on your network).

[mode_seven]

1) Yep, afraid so.
2) I've yet to try, I'd rather not resort to it due to the hassle everything again but I'll certainly consider it.
3)On the wireless (off the top of my head) we have,

• My laptop
• Either one or both of my Dad's laptops, he sometimes connects one of them straight to the router, sometimes not
• Wii (network usage on this is usually negligible)

I'll head off to reboot the router right after I've hit the 'Post' button. I think it was a few days back, but always worth trying again.

[Zarf]

Before you want to start playing, open a command prompt and type 'Ping 217.163.25.215 -t', you should get lots of replies with consistent results below 50ms. If you start to get big inconsistencies, or Time Outs, it indicates a networking problem. If it's fine it'll be a steam / TF2 issue.
Leave it running whilst you try and connect, then go back and scroll through the results. Press CTRL-C to stop Pinging.

[mode_seven]

Yeah, have been pinging the server through command prompt, with varying pings of around 90 to 4000. Hence why with my original post I was assuming general network problems. I will investigate if there are any particular trends or differences when actually connecting to a server though.

[Zarf]

try Tracert 217.163.25.215, see where the bad pings start happening. If its early on it's a problem with your router, if it's later it's a problem with your ISP.

If everything is working right it'll look something like this :

Code:

C:\Documents and Settings\******>tracert 217.163.25.215

Tracing route to 217.163.25.215 over a maximum of 30 hops

  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  10.1.254.130
  2    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  host***.mdlmarinas.co.uk [212.58.**.***]
  3    41 ms    49 ms    39 ms  l0.lnsgw04.bdc.uk.as8586.net [213.246.145.232]
  4    41 ms    41 ms    41 ms  g0-2.lnsbr02.thd.uk.as8586.net [213.246.177.222]

  5    43 ms    44 ms    44 ms  g3-1.core01.thd.uk.as8586.net [212.58.37.118]
  6    44 ms    43 ms    42 ms  ldn-b1-link.telia.net [213.248.104.65]
  7    49 ms    45 ms    45 ms  ldn-bb2-link.telia.net [80.91.248.94]
  8    59 ms    44 ms    58 ms  ldn-b4-link.telia.net [80.91.250.237]
  9    44 ms    53 ms    44 ms  ge-6-22.car2.london1.level3.net [4.68.111.181]
 10    47 ms    43 ms    43 ms  ge-10-2.ipcolo2.london1.level3.net [4.68.116.138
]
 11    46 ms    45 ms    45 ms  217.163.25.215

Trace complete.

C:\Documents and Settings\******>

[r007]

While this might be obvious nitpicking, I prefer to play over a wired connection.
So far wireless was almost always the reason for me having a bad connection (i.e. someone turning on the microwave downstairs, the router firmware suddenly deciding to switch to the other antenna or something, whatever)...
For powerline the same basically goes, since devices being powered on and off might cause the connection to go haywire. To check for that, ping -t <your router IP> and monitor those times.

Another possibility is that theres a problem upstream, if you've got a DSL line for example, there might be crosstalk on the phone wires, or your telco changed somthing at the DSLAM which makes your modem go hiccup.
Oh, and you might have to tracert multiple times for the problem to show up if it's upstream.

Hope that helps.

[Millicent Bystander]

Have you tried something as simple as changing the socket the powerline adaptor is plugged into. 

I use one at work and realized that the idiot who set it up had plugged it into an extension, I plugged it directly into the mains and got a big improvement.

[mode_seven]

@Zarf: good idea, will try and that report back.

@r007: I'd love to be playing over a wired connection, we just don't really have the cash to sort that out nicely at the moment (though I guess I could just buy a stupid long ethernet cable and route it all the way from the router upstairs to this comp, we'll see). I don't think it's a problem with the upstream connection, as with net_graph on in game it always seems to be a problem with the incoming packets while the outgoing are fine.

@Millicent: Straight into the mains. Worth a try in different sockets though I guess.

The thing with all of this is, this setup had worked fine for a good couple of months without incident, and to the best of my knowledge the configuration of all of it hasn't been changed. Hence why I was originally stumped. At least I have a few ideas to follow up though, thanks.

EDIT:



Soo... not a solid answer, seemingly moreso earlier on but it's all a bit spread around.

[Junta]

I notice that the first hop in your tracert is much slower than it should be?

I know my setup is not the same (I use a wired direct link to my router and I get 1ms or 2ms on the 1st hop).

The tracert tells me that your hop to the router is taking a while 102ms! That's pretty slow compared to a direct connection.

My suggestion:

If you have an ethernet cable, temporarily re-locate your PC to the place where your router is (just for an experiement). If the connection dramatically improves (as I think it should) - then you can be confident that your home network needs some TLC. Otherwise, you'll know that the external network might be to blame. Its a start but I don't know how practical it is to move your PC for a couple of hours?

[mode_seven]

It would be kind of a pain, but doable. I'm busy the next couple of days but could probably try on Sunday.

I do have a rough theory as to what's happened, although it is just that and anyone's welcome to discredit me on this. The router's located upstairs in the main part of our house, whereas the comp I'm trying to connect with is in the extension. This means that the signal between the powerline adapters would have to take a pretty roundabout route going through the fusebox etc. There was a new eletricity meter installed about the time I started having problems, so I'm wondering if that could have triggered it.

Also, I managed to play for a few hours late afternoon/early evening yesterday, until my connection started to deteriorate, possibly as a result of all the extra electricity use in the house, I know how others have stated how temperamental the adapters are.

Here's another tracert done at about 23:30 yesterday:



EDIT: Also, just repeated it over my laptop (connected via wireless), first hop 58/98/98, remainder all ~25ms.

[Digital Pimp]

The powerlines adapters tend to cause me trouble at work. They pop rather easily and i never really recommend them for any gaming usage! You say nothing has changed but i see alot of these powerlines go through returns. Its one of the reasons I try not to order any in for stock!

As Junta says an ethernet cable will give you an answer.Have you tried pinging another server? Or have you just tried pinging your router?Get the routers address in the CMD Prompt using "ipconfig" then Ping 192.168.0.1 -t. Your default gateway IP might be different but its at least worth checking the chatter between you and the router. To cancel the continual pinging either close the window or CTRL+C