I can't play online games with this lag

Elliot Coad · 08-11-2003, 22:07

Hi people, I've been browsing the forums for a while and I've tried to piece things together but my direct question should clear it up!
I'm on NTL 600k and I've had no problems... ever! But since 2 weeks ago I get HUGE lag on PC games and my Xbox Live. I simply can't play online games anymore

. Now I've read some things that if I change my DNS server that it can solve things?
Could someone please shed some light on my woes?

Thanks very much for your time,
Elliot.

**Chris** · 08-11-2003, 23:00

Sadly the DNS server some of us started using the other week seems now to be completely preventing web browsing. I removed it from my settings. A good DNS might well serve up your pages for you faster than ntl's own, but I am not an authority at all on what impact DNS would have on online gaming.

My guess would be that online games rely on a data stream, and if that's the case I don't see how a Domain Name Service would affect that.

Elliot Coad · 08-11-2003, 23:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by towny

Sadly the DNS server some of us started using the other week seems now to be completely preventing web browsing. I removed it from my settings. A good DNS might well serve up your pages for you faster than ntl's own, but I am not an authority at all on what impact DNS would have on online gaming.

My guess would be that online games rely on a data stream, and if that's the case I don't see how a Domain Name Service would affect that.

Hello Towny, thanks for your reply. I know for sure that my Xbox Live uses DNS as there is an option to put in addresses manually. Would it be worth finding some DNS addresses and trying these? Also... where would I find them? lol. Thanks again.

darkangel · 09-11-2003, 09:33

a dodgy dns server would only cause you to time out before connecting to a server but otherwise after the initial connection it would have no effect, have u contacted Cs, is browsing and d/l slow, if not maybe u have an overloaded upstream

Elliot Coad · 09-11-2003, 12:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkangel

a dodgy dns server would only cause you to time out before connecting to a server but otherwise after the initial connection it would have no effect, have u contacted Cs, is browsing and d/l slow, if not maybe u have an overloaded upstream

My speed is great (upload and download).

EDIT: I've used my mates DNS address that he uses (blueyonder) on my Xbox now I have XBL! Hurray

.
I still have the PC to sort out though, where is the option to manually set the DNS on my PC?

darkangel · 09-11-2003, 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliot Coad

where is the option to manually set the DNS on my PC?

Start>control panel>network connections>Local Area Connection>select internet protocol and right click and set dns from there

Elliot Coad · 09-11-2003, 16:02

Cheers. It's worked. Thanks for your help

Elliot Coad · 09-11-2003, 17:35

Ok, update - It hasn't worked. It was working good becuase it was early in the day. Now it's in the evening everything's slowed down. Looks like it's out of my hands and into NTL's

**Chris** · 09-11-2003, 17:39

Well, darkangel confirmed what I guessed might be the case. The DNS server gets you where you want to go, but to get a nice, broad, continuing stream relies on some other part of the internet jigsaw. In this case, possibly NTL's capacity in your local area, although network congestion can occur anywhere on the internet between you and the XBL server.

Elliot Coad · 09-11-2003, 18:06

Ok thanks Towny. That's confirmed what I thought too.

is there anything NTL can do for my connection if I get in contact with them or will I just have to wait until they relieve the pressure?

**Chris** · 09-11-2003, 22:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliot Coad

Ok thanks Towny. That's confirmed what I thought too.

is there anything NTL can do for my connection if I get in contact with them or will I just have to wait until they relieve the pressure?

Welcome to one of the big reasons this site exists!

If the cause of your problem is NTL over-selling your part of the broadband network, then you have all our sympathies and you can comfort yourself with the thought that you're in good company. A number of the members on here have complained about their broadband being below speed.

It would be worth your while contacting them just in case there is a technical issue they can do something about, but if it's just their lines running past capacity, you're going to have to wait until they decide to invest in more bandwidth. (or go for a different ISP

)

Elliot Coad · 10-11-2003, 10:28

*sniffs/blubbers* NTL suck!

Now I know the technical term "over-selling my part of the BB network" I can use it more. I bet it is that because my friend who lives a few hundred yards away can't play XBL with the lag either.
Thanks for your sympathy and help Towny and co.

lol, I'm off to find the correct forum to find out what's up with sending and receiving email, it says I can't login! Mofo...

**Chris** · 10-11-2003, 11:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elliot Coad

*sniffs/blubbers* NTL suck!

Now I know the technical term "over-selling my part of the BB network" I can use it more. I bet it is that because my friend who lives a few hundred yards away can't play XBL with the lag either.
Thanks for your sympathy and help Towny and co.

lol, I'm off to find the correct forum to find out what's up with sending and receiving email, it says I can't login! Mofo...

aaah, another old chestnut. This is normally caused by one of ntl's 6 mail servers falling over and the other five struggling to cover the extra workload. There are two solutions:

1. If your mail client software (outlook express ro whatever) will allow you, increase the length of time it will try to connect to the mail server before it times out. If you can be bothered to wait a couple of minutes to get connected to the mail server, it will normally let you on eventually.

2. If you have an alternative paid-for email addy (some webmail accounts are also suitable for this - try Yahoo), go to ntlworld.com and permanently re-direct your inbount @ntlworld.com addys to the alternative. All your ntlworld mail will arrive via this alternative addy with no probs. I set this up myself about 6 months ago and haven't looked back.

Nemesis · 10-11-2003, 11:24

194.42.224.130
194.42.224.131

have always served me well for DNS

**Chris** · 10-11-2003, 11:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemesis

194.42.224.130
194.42.224.131

have always served me well for DNS

I'll give them a try tonite, thanx for that.

My browsing was much faster when I specified the Demon DNS instead of leaving it to NTL. I was gutted when the thing died and I had to delete it. I wonder whether Demon spotted non-customers using it and barred it in some way?