Tracert/Lag/etc

[Eggy]

I am using a 56k NTL dialup to access the internet and play Camelot.

Recently (last 2 days) I have had serious timeout problems: things will be fine, and then completely lag out for a period of 10secs or so. After talking to NTL (very unhelpful), I used AdWare to remove all Spyware from my PC, and also installed a firewall (Zonealarm) to see if it was a problem due to other programs using too much bandwidth. Also virus checked my PC - clean.

Problem still happened, so downloaded Ping Plotter (tracert) and ran some traces on the Excalibur IP. All responses came out flat apart from one part, which bridged the hop gap between NTL's network and London Opentransit. This ping was massive. NTL say it's nothing to do with their network, so I did a whois on the domain, and emailed the company (waiting for a reply).

The thing is, as well as this huge peak, every so often I just get 100% packetloss throughout, and it can't make any sort of route to the server.

Help! Anyone else having this problem, or know a way I can get round it? (Sensible suggestions please, don't even bother replying with "get broadband" because at the moment that's not an option.)

Regards

 

[Stina Handfast]

Getting broadband will not solve the issue at hand, I'm pretty sure... I also endure periods of extreme packetloss at the bridge to opentransit, in my case between Nordu.net (nordic student network) and stockholm.opentransit. It seems to come and go over weekly periods but, of course, it is worst during prime time. I do not think it's an issue you can help solving at your end. My only advice would be to send a bag of collected PingPlotter data to GOA, and send a little prayer to the gods that they investigate it.

 

[Eggy]

I've never had a problem before, and have been using the same 56k for months.

Also have discovered that the problem occurs on different ISPs, even if they don't use the same bridge onto opentransit, and ALSO an internal ISP that I use to access my uni's network, which indicates that the problem is likely to be something more local.

 

[shilak]

Been having the exact same problem the past few days, always seems to be an OpenTransit router either in London or Paris. Likewise, when I phoned NTL they said there wasnt a problem on their network, and I tend to believe them in this as I am only experiencing problems when I connect to DAoC. I also only tend to get them during peak times which leads me to suspect that its an overloaded router. BTW, using a 1Mbit NTL broadband connection here, so I dont think its that you are using dialup.

You would of thought that with all the problems with OpenTransit, GOA might actually move to a different ISP.

 

[belth]

Opentransit's network has sucked as long as I remember

 

[bloggs]

pffff NTL

 

[Whoodoo_RD]

Im on NTL broadband, no probs here, one of my work mates is on NTL dialup, he too has few problems other than a tightly clentched wallet.

Check your settings m8, the usualy DX8.1, via drivers, etc etc.

The other thing, if your system is at the lowish end of the SI spec, and youre using a software modem, that could be part of your problem. Before my days of DAoC, i was running a software modem to play various games, when I changed to a hardware driven external one, the lag factor dropped in all accounts.

Hope this helps.

 

[cadiva]

Me too

Yep, can confirm via PingPlotter that I've also had major packetloss under the old DAoC system (haven't had any probs since SI) with OpenTransit either the London or Paris server.

I'm using BT Broadband ADSL which has been (since it's installation 15 months ago) absolutely fantastic with very few problems at all.

Maybe if enough of us send our LDs and Pings to RightNow/Goa showing that there is a problem with OpenTransit, they might investigate.

I hesitate to say they'll do something about it cos we all know what it's like getting things done

 

[shilak]

Definately OpenTransit in London/Paris, I sent the trace outputs to GOA/RightNow highlighting the offending routers.

Whoodoo, definately isnt my system, I have absolutely no problem with anything other than DAoC. I have latest drivers for all my hardware and a P4-1700 with 512mb of PC800 using GF4-Ti4600 should be more than enough to handle SI.

 

[Jim_Spurious]

Hi Eggy.

What's the IP address of the router that is giving you trouble?
If you can get a copy of your tracert that would be helpful aswell.

Can't say that I have any problem - on ADSL Broadband [ but I doubt if thats any use to you ] so I cant check myself.

From experience of working with NTL I can tell you they disclaim just about anything, even when you can prove it. The only thing I can advise is keep trying different ISP's until you find one that doesn't go through that router. It may have a lot to do with your ISP, where you live etc.

Sorry I cant be much more help.

 

[Eggy]

Originally posted by Whoodoo_RD
The other thing, if your system is at the lowish end of the SI spec, and youre using a software modem, that could be part of your problem. Before my days of DAoC, i was running a software modem to play various games, when I changed to a hardware driven external one, the lag factor dropped in all accounts.

2.53ghz, 1gig RAM, 80gig HD, G4CE 4 TI4200

Nope, it ain't my spec

It seems the lag has subsided at the moment, and I have been able to play again

 

[-Wedge-]

Lucky git, 25% of all packages are droped atm for me :|

Havent had it this bad for a long while...

 

[shilak]

Last nights offending routers were ... 193.251.145.65 and 193.251.154.225 ... both owned by OpenTransit. Intermitent packet loss often resulting in most of my peak time play being with a 1-2s delay on anything I do, not ideal for a healer

 

[sars]

I do have adsl Eggy and i experience same problem as you my packet loss has been extreme last few weeks. havnt figured anything out yet, myself

 

[-Wedge-]

Well for me the game has been unplayable since yesterday. I dont know what happend but packet loss is around 20% basicly means I play with red squares all the time :|

 

[quinthar]

I have complained to GOA several times about the packet loss from Opentransit peering, Its mainly a question of your providers routing into the opentransit network (Owned by France Telecom fwiw) emails to them result in no reply.

I'm with NTL also and apart from the odd spike or two not had any major issues. I constantly run monitoring and QOS software on a spare machine to ensure that I have a full and realistic picture of my network and those machines that I connect to frequently.

tbh in most cases where there has been a failure in peering by opentransit it usually sorts itself out within a few days. I say this not to disuade you from sending emails to opentransit but to show there is usually light at the end of the tunnel.

If its any consolation I spent 2 months on ADSL (Griffin internet btw in case you were going to sign up) with between 5-40% packet loss over a 24 hour period (the packet loss and pings which ranged from 31 to excal to 600ms and 5-40% ploss over 2 months), they refused to acknowledge there was a problem despite me sending in my charts on multiple occaisions and then conviniently blamed it on the SQL virus jobby some weeks back.

 

[shilak]

OpenTransit is GOA's ISP so unfortunately we have no choice about routing through them to reach GOA. The only differences between the ISPs we choose to use is where there networks route information onto the OpenTransit network. At the end of the day GOA choose to use OpenTransit to supply their internet access and therefore should be trying to get a more acceptable level of performance out of OpenTransit on our behalf.

 

[old.FIN]

its providers prob atm, ask them.....u have been using it with no prob, so its not your fault, call provider and give then hell.

 

[Ziva]

This is insane... i have been playing this game since December with no lag/ping/frame loss at all ever since i switched ISP.

Now i have a DSL connection with 7800 kbps downstream and 512 kbps upstream (fastest i could find) and since about 3 days this game is unplayable and i find myself going LD all the time.

What did they do to make it so bad now? I called my ISP and they say they don't have any probs and all tests on my connection are fine. Seems like GOA/their provider f**ked up big time this time. Hope they fix it soon cause this sucks

 

[shilak]

Originally posted by old.FIN
its providers prob atm, ask them.....u have been using it with no prob, so its not your fault, call provider and give then hell.

Already called NTL, they say nothing they can do as the problems are in the OpenTransit network. Only people who can apply any contractual pressure on OpenTransit to fix it are GOA as it is their provider. I have sent GOA trace logs highlighting the problem routers in OpenTransit network, but it is yet to be seen if anything will be done.

 

[Jim_Spurious]

Ziva.

Shilak is totally correct.

The problem is with the OpenTransit network, and how your ISP routes on to that network. Different ISP's would often use different routers and so a lot of the time your connection speed to DAOC relies on which ISP you use rather than what your bandwidth is at your home... sucks, doesn't it?

If you are on a regular phone line you can keep switching ISP's until you find one that routes through a stable router onto OpenTransit. Unfortunately you dont have the same freedom with DSL.

The only people who can fix it for sure is OpenTransit, and the only people who can put pressure on OpenTransit are GOA. Best thing to do is try and drum up some momentum from other players until GOA finally listens.