Wi-Fi timeout issues

[SubZeroAngeI]

Hello

When playing games I get lagg spikes every 10-20s, so bad that I get kicked from servers. The problem persists for 5 weeks now. Wi-fi (2,4Ghz) reception is good, other PC's in the house don't seem to be affected (or only slightly when my pc is turned on).

What I have done so far:
- turn router on/off
- reset router

- connect via ethernet (no problems when connected, but not a long-term option)

- place a secondary router

- Change wifi band

- try a usb dongle (worse reception, inconsistent pings and persistent time-outs)

OS: Win10 64bit

Specs:

CPU i7 2600k

MoBo Asus Maximus V Formula (BIOS v1903)

GPU gtx970 msi gaming

8gb g.skill DDR3 ram (2x4gb)

corsair Ax760 PSU

Scythe mugen rev 2b cooler

Drives: Samsung 850pro 256gb, samsung hd204ui 2TB, Seagate St1000dm003 1tb

Wifi: On-board broadcom adapter

 

Attached are 2 ping logs (simultaneously) to the router and to google using /ping -t in command prompt

Any help will be appreciated

ping router.txt

ping google.txt

[Belgiangurista]

If I understand correctly: you can run a pingtest on another device, located next to the gaming PC, and the pings are consistently 1ms (to your router)?

(It's to absolutely rule out 2.4GHz interference)

 

Here's a way to completely reset the wireless connection on your gaming pc:

(it's usually used when a pc does not connect to WiFi on startup)

 

open search, type "services.msc" open services.
Scroll down to "wlan auto config" right click, stop the service.

Navigate to
"C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Wlansvc\ delete everything in this folder  leaving only a folder called "profiles" delete everything in the "profiles" folder except for a folder called "interfaces" delete everything in the "interfaces" folder)

Restart "wlan auto config" connect to your wireless network, enter your passkey & restart your computer.

 

 

[LukaH]

hey if you own an android phone you could download an app called WIFI analyzer and see if there is any interference from other networks around you. 

[SubZeroAngeI]

Quote

If I understand correctly: you can run a pingtest on another device, located next to the gaming PC, and the pings are consistently 1ms (to your router)?

(It's to absolutely rule out 2.4GHz interference)

These pingtests were performed from my own (gaming) pc, 1 test pinging the router, 1 test pinging google. If I perform this test from another computer the pings don't timeout and vary from <1-4ms.

Quote

Here's a way to completely reset the wireless connection on your gaming pc:

(it's usually used when a pc does not connect to WiFi on startup)

 

open search, type "services.msc" open services.
Scroll down to "wlan auto config" right click, stop the service.

Navigate to
"C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Wlansvc\ delete everything in this folder  leaving only a folder called "profiles" delete everything in the "profiles" folder except for a folder called "interfaces" delete everything in the "interfaces" folder)

Restart "wlan auto config" connect to your wireless network, enter your passkey & restart your computer.

After I did this my ping went haywire and floated in the range of 10-300 for a few minutes, but is now stable around 1-4ms. However the time-outs still exist and are now accompanied by an increase in ping before the time-out.

UPDATE: Increase in ping seem to be present after the time-out as well

UPDATE 2: This did not solve the issue, packet loss stays the same at about 2%. However, the minimum latency has gone down.

 

Quote

hey if you own an android phone you could download an app called WIFI analyzer and see if there is any interference from other networks around you.

I have done this, there is a little interference from neighbouring Wifi, but I am on an empty frequency band.

[Belgiangurista]

WiFi analyzer listens to probes & beacons of other WiFi, and only WiFi. So, It can't pick up anything else that is 2.4GHz like: 

- babymonitors (these blast airwaves over all 13 channels! and are made to cover the whole house, so their power output is high)

- ZigBee

- Microwave ovens

- Bluetooth (low power 2.4GHz, hardly ever interferes with WiFi)

- Motion detectors

- ...

So to rule out interference, you'd need a spectrum analyzer (that costs 3500$ to 25000$) not an option

 

 

In this case: If you have a laptop or a phone/tablet you perform a wireless ping test next to the gaming pc (install 'ping' for android, 'net status' app for iPhone)

it's not 100% failsafe to rule out interference though.

 

- What type of router do you have?

- Are you running more then one router/AP? a WiFi extender? A single SSID on multiple APs?

- How long has this been going on? (is it since the Windows10 upgrade?)

- Have you updated your drivers?

- What is the reception of the pc? If you run WiFi analyzer  you should see the signal strength or RSSI. (a descent signal is between -70dBm and -30dBm, for gaming i'd recommend not going under -60dBm)

 

Do the pingtest on the on the other device:

1. You get similar timeouts? >> WiFi related.

- Buy a 5GHz router, your onboard WiFi supports 5GHz WiFi N (this has a shorter range, if the 2.4GHz reception wasn't all that great to begin with, you'll only worsen the situation) Make sure you devide the SSID in a 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz.

- Wireless keyboard/mouse can cause issues, but highly unlikely. Wireless headphones have more power output so unplug those while you run the pingtest.

 

2. You don't get the timeouts on the other device? >> PC related, but like I said: the slight chance of interference still exists.

- I can't help you, I came here to learn more about PC's, I'm an ISP repair tech for 5 years. WiFi problems are my job

- In the case of pc related problems I refer my clients to their dealer.

- You could try and bring the pc to a friends house and try if the problem still exists.

- You could monitor any network activity on your pc using 'Wireshark' (looks complicated, but with some basic understanding you can do a lot!)

[Belgiangurista]

Just thought of  something else: buy Homeplugs. Best on the market atm are the G.hn standard, these are amazing (check out Comtrend) if they are to expensive get a simpeler AV standard.

[SubZeroAngeI]

Thanks for the reply,

- The only thing that (presumably) could interfere with the wifi signal are the cordless phones we use at home, but if I take a laptop and perform the same ping tests at my pc, the problem doesn't show up.

- I'm using a single router (Sitecom WLR-4100 that the ISP provided [300mpbs 802.11n]), which I know isn't that good, but worked perfectly up to where these problems started.

- The problem "suddenly" popped up, I had windows 10 for at aleast a few months before the issue and didn't install or download new software around the time the issues started (so presumably not settings/virus related since it popped up all of a sudden without an install). I did get a new motherboard at the same time, but when I ping with an external usb dongle the time-outs also occur which doesn't suggest it's hardware related issue either...

- I have upgraded my drivers, the ISP however doesn't allow me to update the firmware of the router, but the problem didn't exist for over a year with the current firmware version.

- The signal strength hovers around -65dBm, but the pc has been in this place for 2-3 years and I have had very few latency issues because of the distance between the router and the pc. (not using any other wireless gear)

Even though the situation and placement of my pc is not optimal, I have had very little persistent issues and could usually deal with lagg spikes every other day. This timeout occurs every minute or so and seems different by nature than the problems I have experienced before.

[Belgiangurista]

kk, cordless phones don't give issues this is around 1.8-1.9GHz

-65dBm is fine.

 

is there a way to devide the SSID's? I read that the WLR-4100 supports 5GHz and so does your PC. 

IF you can: rename the WiFi: WiFi 2.4GHz and WiFi 5.0GHz and connect to the 5GHz. (it's faster, but a bit more limited in range)

 

I'm running out of options i can give you.  

[SubZeroAngeI]

Thanks for all the input, I'll be looking into powerline adapters which should improve overall stability. If this doesn't work a reinstall of windows and if that fails I'll be back...