internet gaming on xbox360

[donkey1982]

hello not very technical minded and have had enough of phoning vm. was wandering if one of you fine people can have a look at my internet readings as i am having trouble when trying to host games on my xbox360. people are always complaining of lag when i host even though im on 20meg when i do speedtest on pc i regulary get 17000kb/s - 21000kb/2 download and 710kb/s - 730kb/s upload. i do use a netgear router but have tried direct connection with no diferrence in quality. got other friends on same internet package and some on less who can host games no problem and it is really getting to me! thankyou!



Cable Modem Information
[ADMIN EDIT (Russ) - modem information removed]

Cable Modem Status
Item Status Comments
Acquire a Downstream Channel 586750000 Hz Locked
Connectivity State OK Operational
Boot State OK Operational

Cable Modem Downstream
Downstream Lock : Locked
Downstream Channel Id : 2
Downstream Frequency : 586750000 Hz
Downstream Modulation : QAM64
Downstream Symbol Rate : 6952 Ksym/sec
Downstream Interleave Depth : taps12Increment17
Downstream Receive Power Level : -2.8 dBmV
Downstream SNR : 32.4 dB

Cable Modem Upstream
Upstream Lock : Locked
Upstream Channel ID : 5
Upstream Frequency : 41584000 Hz
Upstream Modulation : QPSK
Upstream Symbol Rate : 2560 Ksym/sec
Upstream transmit Power Level : 44.5 dBmV
Upstream Mini-Slot Size : 2

Cable Modem Upstream Burst




Req


Init Maint


Per Maint


Short Data


Long Data


(1)


(3)


(4)


(5)


(6)
Modulation Type QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK
Differential Encoding Off Off Off Off Off
Preamble Length 64 128 128 72 80
Preamble Value Offset 184 128 128 176 168
FEC Error Correction (T) 0 5 5 4 9
FEC Codeword Information Bytes (k) 16 34 34 76 236
Scrambler Seed 338 338 338 338 338
Maximum Burst Size 0 0 0 12 0
Guard Time Size 8 48 48 8 8
Last Codeword Length Fixed Fixed Fixed Short Short
Scrambler on/off On On On On On

Cable Modem Operation Configuration
Network Access : Allowed
Maximum Downstream Data Rate : 20480000
Maximum Upstream Data Rate : 768000
Maximum Upstream Channel Burst : 1600
Maximum Number of CPEs : 1
Modem Capability : Concatenation Enabled, Fragametation Enabled, PHS Disabled

Cable Modem Event Log
First Time Last Time Priority Description
Mon Jun 09 07:00:07 2008 Mon Jun 09 07:00:07 2008 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - ...
Sat Jun 07 07:10:22 2008 Sat Jun 07 07:10:22 2008 Warning (5) DHCP RENEW WARNING - Field invalid in response
Thu Jun 05 13:34:45 2008 Thu Jun 05 13:34:45 2008 Critical (3) Started Unicast Maintenance Ranging - No Response received - ...
Tue Jun 03 19:10:32 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:32 2008 Information (7) CableModem software upgrade failed
Tue Jun 03 19:10:32 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:32 2008 Error (4) SW upgrade Failed after download - Incompatible SW file
Tue Jun 03 19:10:32 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:32 2008 Information (7) SW dload: Invalid image signature!
Tue Jun 03 19:10:30 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:30 2008 Notice (6) SW Download INIT - Via Config file cmreg-ntlhm250-bund03.cm
Tue Jun 03 19:10:30 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:30 2008 Information (7) CableModem software download started
Tue Jun 03 19:10:30 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:30 2008 Information (7) Software upgrade has started.
Tue Jun 03 19:10:29 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:29 2008 Information (7) A software upgrade filename was specified in the config file.
Tue Jun 03 19:10:29 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:29 2008 Information (7) Authorized
Tue Jun 03 19:10:29 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:29 2008 Information (7) Registration complete!
Tue Jun 03 19:10:29 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:29 2008 Information (7) We registered with a DOCSIS 1.0 config file!
Tue Jun 03 19:10:29 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:29 2008 Information (7) Received a REG-RSP message from the CMTS...
Tue Jun 03 19:10:28 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:28 2008 Information (7) Sending a REG-REQ to the CMTS...
Tue Jun 03 19:10:28 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:28 2008 Information (7) CableModem SNMP configure complete
Tue Jun 03 19:10:26 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:26 2008 Information (7) IP init completed ok
Tue Jun 03 19:10:26 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:26 2008 Information (7) CableModem TFTP init ok
Tue Jun 03 19:10:26 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:26 2008 Information (7) CableModem DHCP client init ok
Tue Jun 03 19:10:26 2008 Tue Jun 03 19:10:26 2008 Critical (3) DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) MAP w/initial maintenance region received
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Beginning initial ranging...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) downstream time sync acquired...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Downstream sync ok
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) starting ds time sync acquisition...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Locked on the downstream. Waiting for UCDs...
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Downstream lock ok
Time Not Established Time Not Established Information (7) Sync Start
Mon Jun 02 19:04:56 2008 Mon Jun 02 19:04:56 2008 Critical (3) DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
Mon Jun 02 18:58:48 2008 Mon Jun 02 18:58:48 2008 Critical (3) DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.
Sun Jun 01 13:11:43 2008 Sun Jun 01 13:11:43 2008 Critical (3) DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response.

[cimt]

I'm not sure if this will help find the problem, but can you do a tracert and a ping to www.virginmedia.co.uk in Command Prompt and then post the results? If I'm correct with what the problem is, then I think it may be due to packet loss.

[LostintheNW]

I have found when I host games on my xbox that the lag can be caused by other users who have joined your game, I get very bad lag on Gears when our American friends join...not to mention the fact that people appear to use certain programs on their pc's to affect the running of a game played on live so that they can gain some advantage with lag - happens a lot in Gears

[donkey1982]

C:\Documents and Settings\Home>tracert www.virginmedia.co.uk

Tracing route to www.virginmedia.co.uk [212.250.162.12]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.1.1
2 6 ms 18 ms 6 ms 10.72.152.1
3 8 ms 7 ms 7 ms cosh-t2cam1-a-v109.inet.ntl.com [80.3.162.17]
4 10 ms 6 ms 7 ms cosh-t2core-a-ge-wan62.inet.ntl.com [195.182.174
.109]
5 9 ms 10 ms 28 ms win-bb-a-so-720-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.188.249]

6 9 ms 13 ms 11 ms win-dc-a-v904.inet.ntl.com [213.105.175.206]
7 10 ms 10 ms 19 ms www.virginmedia.com [212.250.162.12]

Trace complete.

C:\Documents and Settings\Home>ping www.virginmedia.co.uk

Pinging www.virginmedia.co.uk [212.250.162.12] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=121
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=121
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=121
Reply from 212.250.162.12: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=121

Ping statistics for 212.250.162.12:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 16ms, Maximum = 20ms, Average = 17ms

[cimt]

There's my theory out the window... You have no packet loss.

[donkey1982]

LostintheNW yeah i know what your sayin mate but this happens when i host a private lobby with just 12 people in it all from england!

[cimt]

Have you tried hosting games with less of you?

[donkey1982]

yes i have and works pritty good with say 6-10 but when payin £37 a month i would like to think it would br capable of much more, i know my problem is nothing compared to other vmbb users but still enoying, especially when friend are only on 8 meg in ireland and hostin lag free 12 people easily

[LostintheNW]

Originally Posted by donkey1982

yes i have and works pritty good with say 6-10 but when payin £37 a month i would like to think it would br capable of much more, i know my problem is nothing compared to other vmbb users but still enoying, especially when friend are only on 8 meg in ireland and hostin lag free 12 people easily

True that you shouldnt in theory experience lag - but we are talking Virgin here, since they have come into existence shall we say, the connection has been terrible. I have the same connection as you and can just about sometimes host a GOW match without lag, but if I do rainbow 6 I am lucky if I can get more than 8 in the room without huge ping drop outs from other players.

[donkey1982]

why is it when u mention to vm "online gaming" they simply dont care, stating that u are indeed getting the download speed,which although i am it just must not be a stong connection but they dont look into this. my friend had a problem just like mine and they sent an engineer out and he went to the green box outside and put him on the top tier or something to ensure maximum signal levels however when i mention this to vm they dont want to know!!! ive had enough of gettin booted out of online games and considerin going somewhere else!

[dj rob st]

you probs got crap latency, you can have more mb connection than other people and fast download speeds etc but if you dont have a good latency then in games it shows up

[smeagoly1]

Iv'e noticed over the past two months, when doing a tracert or ping, to both bbc.co.uk and Virginmedia.co.uk, every 10 mins or so I'll get a 25-50% pcket loss.
But testing 3 times off the trott will get 0% packet loss and semi decentish pings.
Seems like in gaming, every 10 mins massive drop off, even in the middle of the night, or early mornings haha.

But know the feeling most of us gaming get now, we don't download, and still get dropped out of games due to bad connections.

I did phone up once, and all I got was "we do supply upto such and such download speeds, but smeg all do you get when asking about consistency of the connections.
Mind you I have also noticed they have dropped "also for gaming" from their lower tier broadband packages.

[xShaDowZz]

I have the same problem.
I think that its to do with the Router that you get with Virgin media. Its Crap.
i have asked Many people and everyone who's connection is good does not use the Wireless router that Virgin Media send out as it prioritises things. Thats what iv been told so i decided to splash out on a New router:

Linksys Wireless-N Gigabit Gaming Router WRT330N.

This will set you back aroung £70-£100.
But most good routers are around the same price.
I have a thread about the same problem and with this router i found out tht it was not the connection but the free wireless router that i got with my service.
I have also been informed that PC World sell some Good belkin Routers so you may want to have a look at a new router if some1 cant find a different solution.

---------- Post added at 16:54 ---------- Previous post was at 16:52 ----------

This is the one my friend has:
Belkin B5DUK035 54G Router and USB Adapter Kit
Around £50 From PC world. He says it works great with Virgin media.

[donkey1982]

Originally Posted by xShaDowZz

I have the same problem.
I think that its to do with the Router that you get with Virgin media. Its Crap.
i have asked Many people and everyone who's connection is good does not use the Wireless router that Virgin Media send out as it prioritises things. Thats what iv been told so i decided to splash out on a New router:

Linksys Wireless-N Gigabit Gaming Router WRT330N.

This will set you back aroung £70-£100.
But most good routers are around the same price.
I have a thread about the same problem and with this router i found out tht it was not the connection but the free wireless router that i got with my service.
I have also been informed that PC World sell some Good belkin Routers so you may want to have a look at a new router if some1 cant find a different solution.

---------- Post added at 16:54 ---------- Previous post was at 16:52 ----------

This is the one my friend has:
Belkin B5DUK035 54G Router and USB Adapter Kit
Around £50 From PC world. He says it works great with Virgin media.

ive tried direct connection modem 2 xbox and still the same! its def internet but vm wont do anything!

[Uncle Peter]

If VM are choking UDP anywhere within their networks then this will potentially hobble your capability to host games with large* numbers of players

Some time ago I ran some end-to-end throughput tests from my VM connection to a box I've got sat in the dmz back at work. The results seemed to suggest that this is the case.

*at or near the hosting limit of the game in question