Problem: Game Timing Out but Internet Seems Fine

[P_body]

So I just moved to a new place. Sharing the landlord's internet for the moment. She's upstairs and I'm downstairs. I log on, and I can access the internet, netflix etc. But when I try to play (using zMUD) it will often just...freeze. Time out. I enter commands, but they don't go through--or at least it doesn't spit anything back out in the screen. I have a suspicion that at least some of it will go through to the MUD but just not register back on my screen. Nothing comes through from the MUD, none of my commands seem to go through. I have to reconnect, which it does immediately and without a hitch.  Keeps happening to me repeatedly.

 

When it times out, I tried A Google search and it worked just fine. I haven't tried streaming netflix simultaneously while playing, but netflix should have a buffer so there won't be a direct correlation between netflix and zMUD performance...Not sure what to do or how to fix it, but I can't play until I figure it out.

 

Any ideas on how to fix or even just further test this thing to figure out how to fix it?

[Volgathras]

It sounds like a firewall issue. But that's a guess.

[P_body]

Any idea how I go about testing that and resolving it? I don't have direct access to the firewall or anything to tinker with it. I would need to know, more or less, what needs to be done before I take it to my landlord.

 

Got any more details?

[Cephirus]

Well the firewall could reside on your pc but I would imagine that if a firewall was blocking traffic, he would not be able to connect. By sharing the internet do you mean you are using wireless? If so, it could be the strength of your signal, that or packet loss.

[P_body]

Yes. Sharing Wireless. The signal is medium, usually, 3 out of 5 bars. Currently it's at 5, but i've stlil experienced the same issues. Not sure how to test any of that though...Only way I know to do that is ping the MUD, but don't know what address to ping. If I ping the FL connecting IP, how do I specify the port in the command line?...or am I just talking stupid now?

[f0xx]

You usually play from this same computer you use now to connect?

[mya]

call the cmd.exe dos/prompt line and try to do a:

tracert 66.85.147.89

 

This will do special ping, that will check all servers your connection goes through.

Might show you something.

[Cephirus]

The problem is that you will not be able to get a ping response from that IP address, they have turned off ping response. I would perform a speed test and see what kind of up and down speed you are getting. I am currently getting @16Mbps download and 1Mbps upload. Here is a link to a site I frequently use:

http://www.speedtest.net/

[P_body]

@Cephirus

 

ping = 14ms

Download = 13.75Mbps

Upload = 12.80Mbps

 

 

Doesn't seem to be the problem.

 

 

@F0xx

No, not the same computer, but I've been using this one for a month (in a different apartment) without any problems. No issues until I moved here into this place. So I don't think it's hte computer.

 

 

@Mya

doing the tracert, I get it bouncing, but then after about 5-8 lines it starts timing out. There might be another one that it bounces through, then continues to time out.  before the time outs it hoversin the high teens or low twenties. Doesn't spike much above high twenties. It just times out...

 

 

Still no idea what's going on.

[f0xx]

@F0xx

No, not the same computer, but I've been using this one for a month (in a different apartment) without any problems. No issues until I moved here into this place. So I don't think it's hte computer.

You mean you've used this computer before to mud?

If that's the case, then the problem doesn't seem to be on your end. Try talking to your ISP and see what they say about it. Or try connecting to the mud from the PC of your landlord

[The-Nameless]

make sure she does not have static IPs setup. Double nating is bayad mmmkay.

[P_body]

@F0xx

 

Correct. I started a new job before moving, so I got a new laptop from 'em. Setup zMUD and I've been playing on it since mid august. No issues in the past. 

 

 

@The-Nameless

 

I'll have to double check that. I think the issue may be as simple as a weak signal. I know Wireless works better laterally, but really fails trying to go vertically between floors. I'll talk to her and try to figure it out. I've been able to MUD VERY little the last week and it's driving me a bit nutso.

[Celerity]

You could try logging in through telnet or turning off everything in zMUD to check if it is your client slowing you down. I had a problem for years where my scripts caused considerable lag.

[Cephirus]

Those are pretty damn good speeds, I am unfortunately only getting 1Mbps up and 16 down.

 

Do you experience this lag when accessing other sites, watching any streaming videos, playing other games, etc?

 

With the speed you are getting from the test, it may be something with the ISP, or something else in the network restricting you from getting the packets of data from the game. Usually most home networks do not employ security software and such that would cause this type of issue, which would have me first checking with the ISP and seeing if they have any insight. I could be wrong though.

 

You mentioned this issue was not occurring before, when did it first start occurring, and does it occur with any consistency? Like are you doing something specific in game, is it at a certain time of day, etc?

[crackwilly21]

This happens to me fairly regularly.  It doesn't happen when I'm on other sites, only when I'm on FL.  I'll sometimes freeze for several seconds, and then many, many, many rounds of combat will go through.  Sometimes I'll have to reconnect in order to get back to playing.

[Mmm Coffee]

As the problem seems to be isolated to you, I agree with Celerity.  Test response times with a barebones telnet client...also test response time from another Internet source.  That should tell you if it's a shitty wireless or something with your client.

 

Edit: On second thought, you should probably just retire your char

[L-A]

Hey,

 

Try with telnet first - it gives you a no frills connection that will tell you if you have functionality or not.  You're OS will determine how easy this is....

 

What happens next depends on if you can connect or not. 

 

* If you can, the issue is zMud.  Time for an uninstall, reboot and re-install;

* If you can't, the issue is your laptop....

 

L-A

[P_body]

Turns out my wireless connection just sucks. now affects browsing. Lag. Lag.lots of loading. Then awhile later, lag. lag...

 

 

Sucks, but oh well. Landlord won't get another router, so I guess I'll have to figure something out on my own. Would getting a router for downstairs fix it? Not quite sure how to pair routers...

[Bolgrum]

My general advice is if you are gaming.. Don't use wireless.

 

If you dont have any choice and want to test it to get it to cable-like quality:

 

open cmd and type 'ping -t 192.168.1.1' (or whatever your routers IP is)

that will give you a steady test of the wireless connection.

 

ctrl+c will end the test and show the results. Ideally you want no dropped packets over 5-10 mins and average of 1-5ms.

 

so many things affect wireless. literally the orientation of the USB port can make a huge difference if it is a USB dongle.

 

PM me if you want any help.

[Naruthiron]

Are you still having troubles? If so, try changing the (trying to remember, forgive me if i call it something incorrect) the channel. Depending on the router, it will have different default frequency ranges. Try changing it to a non-overlapping channel (usually channels 1 or 11 in common routers). 

It's not likely that this will be a fantastic change in signal strength, but it might help.

[The-Nameless]

802.11 a b g and n?