Omg when will my Interwebs be better!!!

[Paranoia]

Ah okay.

Yea, there's some 'max delay' setting they can reduce to 8 or something, which can really improve latency, but I'm not going to ask for them to do that until I've sorted out whatever's causing this packet loss.

http://www.skyuser.co.uk/forum/gaming-s ... dband.html

[talkie]

Ah okay.

Yea, there's some 'max delay' setting they can reduce to 8 or something, which can really improve latency, but I'm not going to ask for them to do that until I've sorted out whatever's causing this packet loss.

http://www.skyuser.co.uk/forum/gaming-s ... dband.html

What if it's the max delay that's causing it?!! I'd not bother waiting tbh.

[Humbug]

What if it's the max delay that's causing it?!! I'd not bother waiting tbh.

agreed..

also dont tell then u are gettin packet loss atm as from reading that link they have to leave u with a stable line  

[Paranoia]

Spoke to them a few days ago, and BT are apparently supposed to be running some tests by this evening.

[Paranoia]

Line tests came back fine, so the Scottish gent started asking me some questions about my PC.

He said as I download quite a bit, BTs traffic shaper could be affecting me, BUT, this was only because he said I'd downloaded 3.5GB in the last 19 hours. He didn't have access to any older information, and I'd just redownloaded TF2, so that isn't a regular thing.

Then he got me to run 'netstat'. I've never really used this before, but he asked how many entries were returned. It was about 25, and immediately, he concluded that this was the problem and I had some sort of infection.

I was pretty confident I didn't have any kind of infection, but I knew I'd fiddled with the max number of half open TCP connections, so wondered whether that could be to blame. Anyway, he said that normally, you should get no more than 7 returned! I've run it today and there's more like 40, but most of them are 'localhost'... presumabley these aren't genuine connections to anything - did he mean 7 exlcuding these?

Anyone offer up any more advice? Interestingly, I didn't experience the loss yesterday.

Here's my netstat results:
[code/]
Active Connections

  Proto  Local Address          Foreign Address        State
  TCP    mercutio:1029          localhost:1110         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1033          localhost:27015        ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1042          localhost:2002         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1053          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1056          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1063          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1067          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1070          localhost:1110         CLOSE_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1092          localhost:1110         FIN_WAIT_2
  TCP    mercutio:1095          localhost:1110         FIN_WAIT_2
  TCP    mercutio:1098          localhost:1110         FIN_WAIT_2
  TCP    mercutio:1102          localhost:19780        ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1026         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1032         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1036         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1048         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1053         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1056         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1063         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1067         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1070         FIN_WAIT_2
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1073         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1078         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1082         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1092         CLOSE_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1095         CLOSE_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1098         CLOSE_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1142         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1239         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1240         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1248         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1254         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:1281         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:4589         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:4722         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:4723         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:4923         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:4936         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:4974         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:4978         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:4986         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:4990         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:4994         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1110          localhost:4999         TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1142          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1229          localhost:1230         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1230          localhost:1229         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1237          localhost:1238         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1238          localhost:1237         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1239          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1240          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1248          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1254          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1281          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1287          localhost:1110         CLOSE_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1293          localhost:1110         CLOSE_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1326          localhost:1327         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1327          localhost:1326         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1328          localhost:1329         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1329          localhost:1328         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:2002          localhost:1042         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:4589          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:4722          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:4723          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:4936          localhost:1110         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:5152          localhost:2391         CLOSE_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:19780         localhost:1102         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:27015         localhost:1033         ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1038          77.242.193.137:https   ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1041          web3.getdropbox.com:https  CLOSE_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1045          208.43.202.8-static.reverse.softlayer.com:http
ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1055          web1.getdropbox.com:https  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1060          channel32.01.05.sf2p.facebook.com:http  ESTABLIS
HED
  TCP    mercutio:1066          web1.getdropbox.com:https  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1069          ec2-75-101-129-205.compute-1.amazonaws.com:https
  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1072          wakoopa.com:http       CLOSE_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1094          65.55.21.250:http      TIME_WAIT
  TCP    mercutio:1097          65.55.21.250:http      FIN_WAIT_1
  TCP    mercutio:1100          67.215.64.64:https     FIN_WAIT_1
  TCP    mercutio:1103          67.215.64.64:https     SYN_SENT
  TCP    mercutio:1121          mg-in-f125.google.com:5222  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1146          by1msg5276719.phx.gbl:1863  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1243          ik-in-f109.google.com:993  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1244          ik-in-f109.google.com:993  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1250          spo.bris.ac.uk:993     ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1256          ik-in-f109.google.com:993  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1283          ik-in-f109.google.com:993  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:1453          62.41.56.140:1935      ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:4593          by2msg1242004.mixer.edge.messenger.live.com:1863
  ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:4726          72.21.211.100:http     ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:4727          72.21.211.100:http     ESTABLISHED
  TCP    mercutio:4938          75.126.76.147-static.reverse.softlayer.com:http
 ESTABLISHED
[/code]

[Zofo]

I'm not sure what all that means, you still haven't ran winmtr when u actually have the problem, type in the server ip you have bad ping with, that will defo show up any anomalies

[talkie]

That does seem a hell of a lot going on there

Here's a lil tutoral on netstat that tells you what this all means

http://www.grayhatplayground.com/Netstat.html

If you've XP..

Try getting this little application called fport:

http://www.foundstone.com/us/resources/ ... /fport.htm

It will do similar to netstat showing the open ports, but additionally maps them to the application, so you will be able to quickly see if you something clogging up your local network that shouldn't be.

Alternatively, if you have Vista, you can run the resource monitor tool which I think can give you the same information.

ctrl-alt-del
then task manager
then performance tab
then 'Resource Monitor' button

then expand Network section

[Paranoia]

I'm not sure what all that means, you still haven't ran winmtr when u actually have the problem, type in the server ip you have bad ping with, that will defo show up any anomalies

Aye, hasn't happened since!

That does seem a hell of a lot going on there

Here's a lil tutoral on netstat that tells you what this all means

http://www.grayhatplayground.com/Netstat.html

If you've XP..

Try getting this little application called fport:

http://www.foundstone.com/us/resources/ ... /fport.htm

It will do similar to netstat showing the open ports, but additionally maps them to the application, so you will be able to quickly see if you something clogging up your local network that shouldn't be.

Cheers for the tutorial.

The first thing I did was look at Kaspersky's Network Monitor, and there's no processes listed that seem malicious.

I do have quite a lot of apps that use the internet open... Firefox, Thunderbird, Pidgin, Wakoopa, Dropbox, Logmein, Steam, Ventrillo Server, SSH Server...

[talkie]

I'm not sure what all that means, you still haven't ran winmtr when u actually have the problem, type in the server ip you have bad ping with, that will defo show up any anomalies

Aye, hasn't happened since!

That does seem a hell of a lot going on there

Here's a lil tutoral on netstat that tells you what this all means

http://www.grayhatplayground.com/Netstat.html

If you've XP..

Try getting this little application called fport:

http://www.foundstone.com/us/resources/ ... /fport.htm

It will do similar to netstat showing the open ports, but additionally maps them to the application, so you will be able to quickly see if you something clogging up your local network that shouldn't be.

Cheers for the tutorial.

The first thing I did was look at Kaspersky's Network Monitor, and there's no processes listed that seem malicious.

I do have quite a lot of apps that use the internet open... Firefox, Thunderbird, Pidgin, Wakoopa, Dropbox, Logmein, Steam, Ventrillo Server, SSH Server...

Logmein is great for kill adsl connections.

Personally.. I would disable all of those whilst playing TF2.. and then you can eliminate them as the cause if you suddenly get high ping times.

[Paranoia]

Ah ha.. it has surfaced:

|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                      WinMTR statistics                                   |
|                       Host              -   %  | Sent | Recv | Best | Avrg | Wrst | Last |
|------------------------------------------------|------|------|------|------|------|------|
|                             192.168.1.1 -    0 |  124 |  124 |    0 |    0 |   15 |    0 |
|                             192.168.0.1 -    0 |  124 |  124 |    0 |    0 |   15 |    0 |
|               dr10.ennby.ov.easynet.net -    0 |  124 |  124 |   31 |   32 |   47 |   31 |
|                     5acf0026.bb.sky.com -    3 |  124 |  121 |   31 |   45 |   62 |   46 |
|           be2.er10.txlon.ov.easynet.net -    3 |  124 |  121 |   31 |   46 |   63 |   46 |
|          ae0-461.rt0.sov.uk.goscomb.net -    1 |  124 |  123 |   31 |   48 |  125 |   46 |
|         ae0-1624.rt2.the.uk.goscomb.net -    4 |  124 |  120 |   46 |   51 |  187 |   46 |
|         tele-north.killercreation.co.uk -    3 |  124 |  121 |   46 |   51 |  203 |   46 |
|            Service.alpha-networks.co.uk -    3 |  124 |  121 |   31 |   46 |   62 |   46 |
|________________________________________________|______|______|______|______|______|______|
   WinMTR - 0.8. Copyleft @2000-2002 Vasile Laurentiu Stanimir  ( stanimir@cr.nivis.com )



No sign of any application using loads of bandwidth or anything. I'm going to not reset the router, and see if it goes away of it's own accord.

[Paranoia]

Now I'm back home in Cardiff this is still something I want to try and get resolved.

The above post is the most telling I think, as the normal windows ping returns a normal ping, but tf2 is showing an elevated ping. Is it possible that BT/Sky are throttling my tf2 traffic??

Would love to get people's opinions on this once again. There's more details further up in the thread, but essentially, after a period of time, I start getting elevated ping in tf2, but this doesn't affect windows ping tool. Resetting my router fixes the problem.

I've phoned them before, and they fob me off - spyware, high download usage, bla bla bla... but it's bullshit. I'm hoping to persuade my parents to change ISP when they return from hols, but if we can get this issue resolved we may not need to - and that's why I'd love to hear your thoughts.

My two main theories atm are:

a) Failing router - the main indication of this, is that the problem goes away when the router is power cycled. The problem is, Sky ship proprietary routers, so I can't check another, and they refuse to send me a new one.

b) Throttling. - the main indication of this, is that it's only the ping in game that is elevated. - but why would they throttle such a low bandwidth app?

Many thanks.

[DevilsRefugee]

para, i feel your pain with high ping.  :evil:  :evil:

I really know all about troublesome ISP`s and the bother I had with Pipex; along with the "prime suspect" causing the current problem (I assume its an oversubscribed ACCESS line)...so I really dont want to fight another ISP due to the effort and hoops you have to jump through for any action.

The real kick in the teeth is if it is an over subscribed access line, switching to another provider will surely only produce the same troublesome pings.

I am even thinking of just starting with a letter of complaint to both O2 and BT and maybe just take it from there..

If you have no joy in a resolve then there are a few Organisations you can go to (but sometimes it can take months & £££) to get a result. I went to http://www.ispa.org.uk/ and followed the standard complaints procedure, but thankfully at the time Pipex got there fingers out and sorted it (shocking eh? Considering I told them who I was in communication with :cry:

[stoned_llama]

If rebooting your router fixes the problem, I'd be inclined to say it's 99.99% for sure not a throttling issue.

I'd bet it's your router tbh. Tried fiddling with settings? Tried a factory/hard reset? (noting down any access/login info first...)

Don't really know what else to suggest, sorry!

[lifeless]

rocky, your issue is cause O2 cram as many people onto their BT Central pipes as they can (link between BT's network and their own).  If you did manage to get out of your contract, I'd bet you wouldn't have any ping issues as long as you picked a _GOOD_ isp.  you'll defo have to give up bandwidth allowance (cause unlimited really doesn't work on BT based adsl) and probs pay more per month (no idea what access costs anyway)

[Lykaios]

The above post is the most telling I think, as the normal windows ping returns a normal ping, but tf2 is showing an elevated ping. Is it possible that BT/Sky are throttling my tf2 traffic??

how excessive is your ping from a standard tracert to ingame ping ?

if its the difference of 4-12ms then its nothing. because the pings work in different ways.

tracert > pings directly to network interface
tf2 > pings to tf2 server tickrate.

This is the same for unreal tournament where pings to the box would be 16ms but ingame it could be 24 -28ms