Online FPS Ping Trouble

[ShakerSilver]

Ok now, I've been playing FPS for a long time now, and I've gotten good at them, but now a pressing issue is preventing me from continuing normal gameplay. The ping I usually get when on an online server is about 400 ms to 1000 ms. Pretty much, eh? The main problem may the awful internet connection I have (30Kbps down speed; 15Kbps up speed). I've tried almost everything I could think; lowering graphic settings, closed all other internet users, etc. Does anyone around here know any way I can fix it?

 

[xHipaboo420x]

Hmm.

Is it a wireless connection? If so, consider plugging in at the wall (if at all possible).

Try emailing your ISP and ask if there's a generally bad connection in your area and, if so, ask them for ways to improve it.

 

[Layz92]

If possible join servers in your own country. That by and large will improve your speed.

 

[ShakerSilver]

Hmm.

Is it a wireless connection? If so, consider plugging in at the wall (if at all possible).

Try emailing your ISP and ask if there's a generally bad connection in your area and, if so, ask them for ways to improve it.

Tried plugging into the wall. Didn't work. And my ISP did say their trying to improve the connection. But it might take a while. >_>

If possible join servers in your own country. That by and large will improve your speed.

I live in Lebanon, and there are no online servers here (except for CS and CSS ones). The closest server I connected to was in Israel, and that didn't help the Ping at all. >.<

 

[Layz92]

Well an international connection will tend to slow the game down. Also with the bad local connection mixed with an international server connection I would say you are out of luck until the local connection can be improved. Unless you want to go crazy and get sattelite internet at your place.

 

[ShakerSilver]

Well an international connection will tend to slow the game down. Also with the bad local connection mixed with an international server connection I would say you are out of luck until the local connection can be improved. Unless you want to go crazy and get sattelite internet at your place.

Hmm, well I have a friend here in Lebanon who has the same problem as do, so we never get to play online (most notably in TF2). Is there any way we could make some sort of local server without? Yes I know about dedicated servers, but like don't we need to give up one computer to run it or something?

 

[Rauten]

I do not recommend satellite connections for online gameplay. I once played WoW with a guy using one of these. He never, ever went under 2000ms.

By the way, lowering graphics is not a solution, it doesn't help ping.

If you have TF2 (may work with other VALVe games, but I'm unsure) open the console and type "net_graph 4", and keep an eye on the data. Your problem might not be ping itself, but packet loss or choke, and if that's the case, netgraph shows how many packets you're losing or are being choked (a normal connection should show zero in both values, maybe a 1 every now and then).
If it's constantly over zero, then the problem isn't ping itself, it's your packets taking a vacation, rioting or going AWOL instead of heading to their designed destination.
To turn netgraph off, just type "net_graph 0".

 

[Layz92]

Yeah dedicated servers require a dedicated computer as the name suggests (to my knowledge). I have no experience with them to know what sought of hardware setup you need to get things at an acceptable speed though. Might want to go to steam forums for that sought of server knowledge maybe.

 

[ShakerSilver]

I do not recommend satellite connections for online gameplay. I once played WoW with a guy using one of these. He never, ever went under 2000ms.

By the way, lowering graphics is not a solution, it doesn't help ping.

If you have TF2 (may work with other VALVe games, but I'm unsure) open the console and type "net_graph 4", and keep an eye on the data. Your problem might not be ping itself, but packet loss or choke, and if that's the case, netgraph shows how many packets you're losing or are being choked (a normal connection should show zero in both values, maybe a 1 every now and then).
If it's constantly over zero, then the problem isn't ping itself, it's your packets taking a vacation, rioting or going AWOL instead of heading to their designed destination.
To turn netgraph off, just type "net_graph 0".

Well, I tried that out, and it showed that the loss and choke values start at 0, but then jump up to 6, 10, or 12(not necessarily at the same time), and then go back down. I'm guessing this is bad, so do you have any tips on fixing it?

EDIT: By that, I mean it constantly goes up and down in terms of loss and choke values.

 

[Rauten]

I do not recommend satellite connections for online gameplay. I once played WoW with a guy using one of these. He never, ever went under 2000ms.

By the way, lowering graphics is not a solution, it doesn't help ping.

If you have TF2 (may work with other VALVe games, but I'm unsure) open the console and type "net_graph 4", and keep an eye on the data. Your problem might not be ping itself, but packet loss or choke, and if that's the case, netgraph shows how many packets you're losing or are being choked (a normal connection should show zero in both values, maybe a 1 every now and then).
If it's constantly over zero, then the problem isn't ping itself, it's your packets taking a vacation, rioting or going AWOL instead of heading to their designed destination.
To turn netgraph off, just type "net_graph 0".

Well, I tried that out, and it showed that the loss and choke values start at 0, but then jump up to 6, 10, or 12(not necessarily at the same time), and then go back down. I'm guessing this is bad, so do you have any tips on fixing it?

Not much can be done, unfortunately. And yeah, it's kinda bad, not supposed to happen.

Check the integrity of your cables. They may LOOK ok, but might actually be somewhat broken inside. Get yourself some new cables just in case, they're not expensive, and with any luck, it'll improve things a bit.
Whatever piece of hardware you use (DSL router, ISDN router, Cable modem, whatever) try to ask friends and family for a spare one to do some testing, see if by using a different one it happens to improve.

Other than that, keep nagging your ISP. If different cables and router didn't help, it's most likely an issue your ISP is causing.

P.S. Isn't TF2's very first option "Create Server"? I'd swear that it creates a server that can also join and play, but you'll need a decent machine if you want to host and play at the same time.

 

[ShakerSilver]

Not much can be done, unfortunately. And yeah, it's kinda bad, not supposed to happen.

Check the integrity of your cables. They may LOOK ok, but might actually be somewhat broken inside. Get yourself some new cables just in case, they're not expensive, and with any luck, it'll improve things a bit.
Whatever piece of hardware you use (DSL router, ISDN router, Cable modem, whatever) try to ask friends and family for a spare one to do some testing, see if by using a different one it happens to improve.

Other than that, keep nagging your ISP. If different cables and router didn't help, it's most likely an issue your ISP is causing.

P.S. Isn't TF2's very first option "Create Server"? I'd swear that it creates a server that can also join and play, but you'll need a decent machine if you want to host and play at the same time.

Our ISP is trying to make the connection better, but it might take a while. Plus, "Create Server" in TF2 creates a LAN server, not an internet server. The only way to do that is to create a dedicated server.

 

[Rauten]

Our ISP is trying to make the connection better, but it might take a while. Plus, "Create Server" in TF2 creates a LAN server, not an internet server. The only way to do that is to create a dedicated server.

Hhmm it's not exactly a LAN server, but yeah, it is more complicated than that, required some meddling with the console to get it to be joinable through the internet. You should ask at the steam TF2 forums, I bet someone knows how exactly it can be done.

 

[Sneaklemming]

Well an international connection will tend to slow the game down. Also with the bad local connection mixed with an international server connection I would say you are out of luck until the local connection can be improved. Unless you want to go crazy and get sattelite internet at your place.

Hmm, well I have a friend here in Lebanon who has the same problem as do, so we never get to play online (most notably in TF2). Is there any way we could make some sort of local server without? Yes I know about dedicated servers, but like don't we need to give up one computer to run it or something?

You and your friends could connect via a hamachi server. I don't know how its done with steam games off hand, but look it up, there'll either be a guide, or several notices that its impossible. Such is the way with steam.