QL Random Connection Interruptions

[Sneak]

Title says it all really. Been playing for a while and recently it's started happening, usually 10 or so minutes into the game, the 'connection will interrupt' every 30 or so seconds for 5ish minutes before returning to normal. I did change a few settings to lower my ping so that may be the issue? I've played around with the maxpackets to no avail but the other settings I changed I've forgot.

So, any ideas?

[axbaby]

any other programs using bandwidth running in the background?

[Eraser]

Try with a clean qzconfig.cfg.
It's located in either one of two places, depending on whether you're running XP:
%appdata%\id Software\quakelive\home\baseq3

or Vista/Win7:
%userprofile%\AppData\LocalLow\id Software\quakelive\home\baseq3\

[SoM]

does QL use punkbuster ? i ain't sure, haven't played in a bit, if it does then do the pb_sleep 500

[Sneak]

Definitely not axbaby. How do I do that Eraser, delete it?

Nope, no luck SoM.

[SoM]

just delete it and QL will make a new cfg file

[Eraser]

does QL use punkbuster ?

I think it does

[themuffinman]

PunkBuster was removed a few months back.

And you don't just delete the .cfg files, you also clear your settings on the site:
Settings >> Game Settings >> Reset Settings Default

^^ This'll reset your configs server-side. It might not be settings related though - it might be your service provider. Make a thread on http://www.quakelive.com/forum if you can't come right.

[Foo]

What OS are you using, Sneak?

[Sneak]

Noticing this happen in other games so it's definitely down to the internet. CoD4 and Battlefield 2 to name two.

I'm running Win 7 64-bit.

Help?

[SoM]

i'm guessing you have all drivers updated ? especially DX and vid drivers ? while at it check for a new version of punkbuster.

PS got Crysis 2 and the bitch flies

[obsidian]

Are you running wireless? What kind of router?

Try doing some ping tests and look for abnormally high spikes:
-type cmd in your start menu.
-type ping -t http://www.google.com
-let it ping for a few minutes and look for spikes or lost packets.
-press control + c to stop.

Also try pinging your router to test it's connection, you'll need the IP of your router, usually something like this:
-ping -t 192.168.1.1

Let us know if the above reports anything that looks out of place for both WAN (ping google) and LAN (ping router) tests.

[Sneak]

EDIT: Linksys WRT54GS is the router, with the newest firmware.

i'm guessing you have all drivers updated ? especially DX and vid drivers ? while at it check for a new version of punkbuster.

PS got Crysis 2 and the bitch flies

Done, done.. and done! No luck.

Are you running wireless? What kind of router?

Try doing some ping tests and look for abnormally high spikes:
-type cmd in your start menu.
-type ping -t http://www.google.com
-let it ping for a few minutes and look for spikes or lost packets.
-press control + c to stop.

Also try pinging your router to test it's connection, you'll need the IP of your router, usually something like this:
-ping -t 192.168.1.1

Let us know if the above reports anything that looks out of place for both WAN (ping google) and LAN (ping router) tests.

Right. Ran them for 2 or 3 minutes each. Results for the WAN test here (note, is the highlighted ping a spike?):



LAN here:



EDIT: Linksys WRT54GS is the router, with the newest firmware.

[obsidian]

Yeah, that's a spike alright. I assume you did this while your computer is idle (not browsing Internet or transferring files between computers). You also have one on your LAN test at ~50ms. It's probably something wrong with the configuration of your router/network.


Are you running wireless? Router brand and model? What kind of network card?

[Sneak]

Yep, done idle.

Got the Linksys WRT54GS router and have had it for quite some time. Had an old Belkin wireless card on my old PC which worked perfectly. Recently I built a new PC entirely with a new wireless card: TL-WN851N (from TP-Link), however when I first had the machine running the internet was fine, running CoD 4 for hours without a spike. Recently I started playing QL however and that's where I noticed the spikes start, but I doubt that's the reason why as for a few days before the spikes arose I was running QL fine.

After the spikes started I updated the routers firmware to see if it would make a difference - it didn't. So, there's the low down.

[obsidian]

I'm not running wireless anymore, but back when I was, I was using Windows XP and Wireless Zero Configuration service was being really stupid and polling for new network connections once a minute causing lag spikes. WZC on XP didn't allow you to disable this stupid option so I had to disabling WZC entirely and use a different network manager to resolve this. I believe this has been improved in Vista/7, but I think you still need to manually check and disable Windows from doing automatic polls for new networks.

You can try this and see if this helps, though instead of the silly shortcut, maybe just copy those commands to a batch file and stick it in your startup folder, much easier:
http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=103 ... ostcount=1

[Sneak]

Super Edit: Hang on a minite.

[Foo]

Since you're on Windows 7, go to Start Menu Resource Monitor

Under the network section you can see all processes that are using network bandwidth. Watch it for a few minutes and you'll see the offending program causing the spike.

[Sneak]

In fact, Foo, which do I look at? Network or the TCP Connections?

[Sneak]

Apologies for double post but this is important.

Can you help me out with these screenshots? First two are just images of the resource monitor as a spike occurs.





Now this image is just as I've started up QL, no problem.



One below here, is after about 30/40 minutes, where I get hit. F*cking annoying.

[Foo]

Can't see anything suggesting that another process is impacting your connection, here. See how the last shot shows 'TCP Connections' holding steady at 10? That indicates there's no random process firing off a periodical data down/upload. The list of processes showing IO corroborates that, too.

Looking at the netgraph in QL in the background, that kind of connection interrupt is typical if you live in a shared place and someone else tries to surf a website while you're playing the game. Is there anyone else on your connection? Could someone have gained access to your Wireless LAN?

[Sneak]

Yeah my brother has his laptop on and the PC downstairs uses the same connection to, however I've never really had an issue with this until now.

Edit: Despite the random timings of the spike/s in the ping test, on QL (and BF 2 too I think) I'm getting one massive spike around the same time, around 30/40 minutes into each game, regardless of whether my brother is online, or even in the match with me. Any ideas?

[Sneak]

Again, apologies. Was just playing BF2 and the usual happened after some time of playing, maybe an hour or two, where the internet 'froze up', the standard 'There is an issue with your connection' message popped up on screen in-game. Whilst it was froze I checked the connection to the wireless on my iPhone and that was gone, it was connected to 3G before automatically re-connecting to the wireless as BF 2 kicked/backed me out of the game.

Wierd... was playing fine for 2/3ish hours and it happened, completely froze out for 5ish seconds until the server kicked me. Wtf is this?

I also noticed my ping bouncing around between 20ish and 60ish, resting between 20 to 25 for a few minutes before bouncing up as high as 60 - all whilst I played.

Note: This was at 3am, no other PC's or laptop's on in the house.

[Foo]

Ah, well at least you're getting somewhere. If your phone is also being knocked off then the problem must lie outside your PC.

Looks like your router/modem is having a spaz for some reason. Is it adequately ventilated? Could you swap in another to test, or temporarily run without a router and plug directly into the connection? You can also try disabling any 'firewall' that might be enabled on the router, or try a firmware upgrade if one is available.

[Sneak]

Well, the firmware is up to date, and there shouldn't be any overheating as it's well ventilated and has been well used. I haven't got another router to check but I'll try my brothers laptop on QL and see if the same problem occurs. I'll also take my PC downstairs and check it with the modem plugged in.