Issues with your router and ping? Help available

[Dillon 1st MRB]

Have you ever been in the middle of a game or worse yet, a match, and you suddenly notice that your ping is hovering around 300? Do you have inconsiderate roommates or family members who just don’t care about your gaming experience? Well, many of us have experienced this phenomenon, and wish to fix it. Well, there is a solution, and best of all its free.

The cause of the problem is your router. Routers are simple devices that share bandwidth among multiple devices. This sharing of bandwidth is quite handy as it allows for laptops and other computers to use the network and the internet. However, these routers were configured as cheaply as possible. The higher end solutions were created to prioritize data.

First, some background.

Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t need a “fast” connection to play on-line games well. Now, it does help with numerous aspects of games such as load times, update and map downloading, etc. However, for any of us who have netgraph active, we can see that DOD:S is only sending and receiving a small amount of data. It’s less than 10KB of data. But, what DOD:S needs is a constant stream of data. What is important is lower latency and that uninterrupted stream of data. Here is a quick and dirty diagram to demonstrate what we are looking at:

Basic Router ------------ Computer playing games – low bandwidth, low latency needed

\-------- Computer downloading files – high bandwidth, latency irrelevant

In this scenario, the router only moves data based on priority. Basic routers give priority to computers that require more bandwidth. You, and your latency (ping), are hosed.

Advanced Router ---------- Computer playing games – low bandwidth allocated, low latency ensured

\-- Computer downloading files – high bandwidth allocated, latency ignore

The misunderstood bandwidth

I played for years on a 1.5mb internet connection. It was a simple setup in that it was a modem plugged directly into my computer. My ping was always ~60 to the server. Latency (and your ping) is directly dependant upon geography. How far away the server is influences how high your latency is. Here is the big secret: your speed isn’t speed. It’s bandwidth. Think of it in terms of a funnel. If the data you are pushing through the pipe is smaller than the diameter of the pipe, it really doesn’t matter how wide the pipe is. Bigger is bigger.

The Solution

Check your router. Then check this list http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices

If you have this issue and your router isn’t on the list, either buy one that is on the list or sit on the carpet and cry.

What you can do is flash the firmware of your router so that it behaves like an advanced router. What this will do is allow you to prioritize the data based upon several criteria. Now, this is actual management, not the QoS (Quality of Service) setting that is standard.

You can prioritize by:

1. Application or Port Range

2. IP Address (Netmask priority)

3. MAC address

The following is taken from http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Quality_of_Service

Bandwidth classification based on the four categories will be enabled first on MAC addresses, then netmasks and finally services. If prioritizing by MAC addresses, highest priority should be express (exempt is NOT a priority) - up-prioritize programs via the ports (sidenote: regular internet activities are already top prioritized via inherent software). *A higher class does not necessarily mean better performance - match the priority to the needs of the MAC address.

Exempt - This class tries to keep the bandwith and packet flow untouched. Use for gaming. QoS settings do not apply to this class. This may not work well for VoIP.

Premium - The top bandwidth class. By default handshaking and icmp packets fall into this class. This class should be used sparingly. Occasionally VoIP service may be placed in this class so that voice receives top priority. Use per program requirement only.

Express - The Express class is for interactive applications that require bandwidth above standard services so that interactive apps run smoothly. Use for computers who have interactive data.

Standard - All services that are not specifically classed will fall under the standard class.

Bulk - The bulk class is only allocated bandwidth when the remaining classes are idle. Use this class for P2P services and downloading services like FTP.

Configure your gaming computer for Exempt and the file downloading computer as Express. This should greatly improve your gaming experience.

For questions on how to flash your router, please read the following site, as it will allow you to see if you are over your head. http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Installation

***** Disclaimer****** This is for informational purposes only. While not illegal, it does carry with it some potential to damager hardware. Flashing any firmware can render that equipment inoperable. Do so at your own risk. You cannot hold me or 1st MRB responsible for your actions based upon this information.