Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

Hi,

Hoping someone can help. Basically since the start of the year (roughly when the evenfaster rollout started, although the exchange here in Doncaster hasn't been upgraded yet) we've been getting disconnections from online gaming. My PC is connected wired to the router, and I play a couple of racing sims (rFactor and iRacing). I've been connecting to the same server in rFactor for years and never had a problem. Now I'm lucky if the connection will last one half hour race.

My Dad is connected wireless and plays Wow, and often gets periods of high latency and disconnections. Here's our signal info-

Downstream
Frequency - 339000000 Hz Locked
Signal to Noise Ratio - 38 dB
Power Level - 12 dBmV (is this too high?)

Upstream
Channel ID - 4
Frequency - 37500000 Hz Ranged
Power Level - 49 dBmV

The lights on the cable modem stay normal and pings look fine whenever I've checked them. It seems to be an intermittent problem, where the connection is fine but maybe for 10 seconds per hour something goes wrong and packets stop getting through. The router is a Linksys WRT54G. The cable modem is a SurfBoard SB4100.

Any help would be much appreciated :)
Simon.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

to be honest, Virgin media in some areas isnt ideal for gaming, i get ping rates of anywhere between 180ms to 360ms.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

Your power levels look normal.
The best thing to do when you do get disconnected is do a trace to the server and find out where packets are getting dropped.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

Thanks.

I dunno if this is relevant, but when we had cable TV connected about 2-3 years ago, the engineer tested the broadband at the same time and fitted an attenuator at the back of the cable modem. At some point between then and now the service went really bad for a long time (flashing lights several times every day), and removing the attenuator seemed to fix it, but I'm wondering if maybe it should be put back (if only I could find the damn thing).

I guess if those numbers look right then it's not needed.

Pings look ok AFAICS. Trouble is with doing any sort of tests is that the issues seem very brief, once I'm disconnected I can usually rejoin straight away.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

The Downstream Power level should be between -12 to +12 yours is right on the edge of -12 and could be causing you problems, what do you get if connected direct to the modem, because you would be asked this if you call Tech Support, as the connection with the router is unsupported.

What package are you on? as a Motorola SB4100 cannot support 20Mb and can struggle with 10Mb, and really could do with being replaced.


For help with your TV or Phone and for Broadband Technical Support:

Call Product Support/Faults on 151 from your Virgin Media Phone. It's absolutely free.

Or call 0845 454 1111 from any other phone line.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

I was half asleep when I answered and can see its a 2Mb connection, I would still see about getting your modem replaced though.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

Those are dashes not negative signs I think, since he's used them on every entry and there's definite spacing. As for +12 being out of range, my connection is rock solid at +14 and I have no problems with gaming.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

On a EX-Telewest connection your Downstream should be between -12 to +12 so either way he is on the edge.

You with a +14 are above the recommended higher level and should give Tech Support a call to get an Engineer out to adjust the Downstream in your street cabinet.

If you spoke to me I would book an Engineer out with that Downstream power level.

For help with your TV or Phone and for Broadband Technical Support:

Call Product Support/Faults on 151 from your Virgin Media Phone. It's absolutely free.

Or call 0845 454 1111 from any other phone line.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

Yes, that's +12 dBmV. I will do a reading without the router tomorrow. The problems seem much worse on weekends and the evenings.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

This could be more related to the network, but I could have sworn the product literature for the SB4100 used to state that it could manage up to a 28MBit service.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

Motorola 4100
From December 2000/January 2001 Customers started to receive the Motorola 4100. It is Docsis only (so will not work reliably if at all, on the parts of the network that use Eurodocsis). The 4100 models was Ethernet and USB, and Motorola soon introduced a model with USB as well, the 4100 (see below). Apart from the USB connector the 4100 also had a Standby button on the front. The 4100 remained in use until approximately October 2001.

Does not support 10 or 20Mbps Tiers of Service

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

Readings were the same without the router btw. I'm gonna play some UT2K4 tonight for a few hours and look out for any lag spikes or packet losses.

Since this all started around when VM started upgrading everyones speeds early this year I'd have to wonder if there's a connection. I posted a similar question on another forum and quite a few people reported much higher pings in the evenings on VM.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

Ah, my mistake. I thought the 4100 was the black one (with the external PSU), that looks just like the 3100.
Although even the 3100 stated that it could run at 28Mbit, this would have been quite pointless since the Ethernet connector on it only supported 10baseT.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

When i worked for Tech support a month ago...
we always advised -12 to +4 downstream power level...

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

I had a 4100 for years and it worked fine and dandy on 10mb on 20 it got to about 18mb then started to freak about a bit.
gaming is a lot worse now its the crappy lag spikes i still keep getting that ruin it.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

It's probably down to oversubcription or just general slowness on the VM network. Even browsing is slow in the evenings. The new STM only makes it worse :(

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

Hi,

This might be similar to my VPN connection dropping out every 45mins or so. Lots of mentions of power levels in this thread. Can anyone advise how I check mine? I have attenuators in my setup BTW.

Re: Online gaming disconnections on VM 2MB
 

Latest info on my drop-out issue. Having removed both my 4dB and 6dB attenuator from the wiring, and the splitter, and just put the cable cable directly into my modem, all is well. However, putting the splitter back in without the attenuators brings the problem back. More testing today...