Packet loss monitoring

Bifta · 25-03-2004, 00:58

As Pipex are clearly unable to fix my problem, I'm wondering if someone else can point me in the right direction.

My downloads are fine (if you use something like DAP, but I'm not bothered about that, they've always been the same and I can live with it)
My browsing is fine

(now this is where it get's weird)

My pings to various game servers are fine
My Traceroutes to the same servers are fine

But .. no matter what game I use or what server I connect to, be it BF1942, Call of Duty, Medal of Honour etc .. I get REALLY bad ping spikes and really bad latency making it literally impossible to play. I'm wondering if there's some way of logging the packet loss in one of these games to a file, or even to the console, I've not managed to find any way of doing it yet.

Anyone have any idea's? If I go back to pipex all they'll look at are the tracert's and the ping responses ... which appear to be fine .. so I won't get anywhere with them.

TheBlueRaja · 25-03-2004, 19:16

Why dont you just open a DOS prompt, (type cmd in run), and do a ping -t (IP address of a server). Then watch it until it goes nuts, do a CRTL-x to stop the ping, and save the output from the window. (Goto the title bar - right mouse click, edit->mark, select what you want with the mouse, title bar - right mouse click, edit->copy)

downquark1 · 25-03-2004, 19:18

Do you have a router or a software firewall that could affect speeds?

Bifta · 04-04-2004, 00:49

Sorry, meant to reply earlier, it's UDP traffic that's causing the problem so ICMP pings won't show anything up. Do you know of a UDP ping I can use for Windows? or, if I have to, I can install a brand of linux on my laptop if anyone knows how to do UDP pings (repeated pings a la windows) on that?

Chris W · 04-04-2004, 01:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bifta

Sorry, meant to reply earlier, it's UDP traffic that's causing the problem so ICMP pings won't show anything up. Do you know of a UDP ping I can use for Windows? or, if I have to, I can install a brand of linux on my laptop if anyone knows how to do UDP pings (repeated pings a la windows) on that?

this is a linux program that will give you a graphical view of packet loss

also i know this is not quite what you are looking for... but still might prove useful for analysis of connection problems

http://www.atelierweb.com/pscan/index.htm

Quote:

An innovative network diagnostic tool that adds a new dimension of capabilities to the arsenal of network administrators, information security professionals and all people concerned with safety on PCs. It features a top-notch TCP port scanner and is the only available network tool for the Windows platform able to scan UDP ports. It includes an internal database currently reporting on 3346 ports (officially assigned, unofficially used, or currently affected by network Trojan Horses), which translates to more than 5000 references. Provides instant information about connections and listening ports; Tcp, Udp and Icmp statistics; complete routing information; IP statistics and settings; addressing information; net to media table and interfaces. and is the only known tool able to discover which programs are using ports on the PC. Even Trojan Horses that use stealth techniques and change ports frequently are easily exposed.

Also, this according to the documentation here is capable of doing UDP pings.

Don't know if this is quite what you are looking for but hth!

Bifta · 04-04-2004, 01:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkeybreath

this is a linux program that will give you a graphical view of packet loss

also i know this is not quite what you are looking for... but still might prove useful for analysis of connection problems

http://www.atelierweb.com/pscan/index.htm

Also, this according to the documentation here is capable of doing UDP pings.

Don't know if this is quite what you are looking for but hth!

I'll give them both a go, thanks for your help.

Richard M · 04-04-2004, 01:21

Sorry to hear of your connection troubles Bifta, it would have been good to have you on the SH server tonight.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

Bifta · 04-04-2004, 01:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard M

Sorry to hear of your connection troubles Bifta, it would have been good to have you on the SH server tonight.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

Unfortunately it's beyond my control

It's all down to the wonderful company Pipex that so many people recommend. I've tried everything including

1) Full virus scan with up to date reference files
2) 2 spyware removers
3) a new router
4) new ethernet cables
5) direct connection to the router instead of via wireless
6) new filters
7) reinstalling XP

There's not much else I can do, the machine is as clean as a whistle, and pipex's only suggestion to cure my online gaming woes was

"please use our web proxy server" (the one that only caches http traffic...)

f*cking idiots.

Chris W · 04-04-2004, 01:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bifta

"please use our web proxy server" (the one that only caches http traffic...)

f*cking idiots.

sounds like a suggestion some ntl techs would make :pp

Bifta · 04-04-2004, 01:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkeybreath

sounds like a suggestion some ntl techs would make :pp

It seems like some of the more stupid ones have migrated to Pipex.