Packetloss...

[fivecheebs]

I am really confused about this so any help will be greatly appreciated.

I have had LFS for ages, Its pretty much always been the same folder just moved with me when i format / upgraded and its always been fine. My momo started to annoy the missus and i ended up playing less and less until i stopped. I never had any connection problems limited to LFS ever. Then i got the news of the new patch and decided to start up again and try a joypad... So i downloaded patch T and set up the joypad looking forward to blatting around. This is where the problems start..

Single player is absolutely fine, the game runns beautifully. When joining a server, any server, i get packetloss and jerky gameplay. The jerks happen at regular intervals, about 5-6 seconds between. All the other cars on the track appear to lag to me, and i lag to everyone else... Outside of the game my pings and speeds are completely normal, and i can play other online games with no issues.

Since the problem was limited to my LFS install i unzipped it again to a new folder, and ran demo mode to eliminate a config issue. The same probelms occur.

My router is set up to forward both TCP and UDP packets on the right port, i even reassigned them.

I am just really confused :shrug: Does anyone have any ideas?

Heh! i didnt have many posts here but whats happened to my post count?

The same thing happened with patch U

[SKurjz]

Packetloss is a problem with your internet provider if it is happening with every server. It has nothing to do with your LFS installation.

[mrbogeyman]

Packet Loss seems to be very common at the moment.....

Check the thread I started in this section for a useful tool for checking packet loss. Or just google for 'Ping Plotter'.

[SamH]

Who's your ISP? Are you wireless to the router?

First things first, remove the port forwarding on your router. Unless you're HOSTING a server, that's a variable/confuser you don't need to be dealing with yet. People who join other peoples' servers don't need any port forwarding.

(The less said about wifey the better!)

[Anton-GR]

Hi fivecheebs,
I have exactly the same problem as you. I first start the game 10 days before already at U patch and I got my S2 lisence at the same day. It worked fine both offline and online. Then 3 days before I bought a Logitech Formula Vibration FB wheel. As soon as I installed it my problems started. I continue to play fine offline but when I try to race online I got a 1 sec freezes every 5-6 seconds interval.In spectator mode cars moves seems very jerky too. I was lucky because the problem starts as soon as I installed the wheel so I pinpointed it there.
I found a temporary solution (which I suggest you to try too) and I am in search for a more permanet one.
So my solution is to unplug the wheel, start the game, go online and as soon as I join a server I plug-in the wheel again. When I do that all works fine as before. No lag and packets lost at all. I even change servers at will with no problem. The only limitation is dont exit the game. If you do that you have to do the same procedure again.
Strange solution for a strange problem, but it fits to me.Hope it fits to you too :)

PS1: Looking forword for a more proffesional and clear solution :smileypul

PS2: Packet loss has nothing to do with my provider and my connection as I can play lot of other demanding games online with no problem

[mrbogeyman]

Hi fivecheebs,
I have exactly the same problem as you. I first start the game 10 days before already at U patch and I got my S2 lisence at the same day. It worked fine both offline and online. Then 3 days before I bought a Logitech Formula Vibration FB wheel. As soon as I installed it my problems started. I continue to play fine offline but when I try to race online I got a 1 sec freezes every 5-6 seconds interval.In spectator mode cars moves seems very jerky too. I was lucky because the problem starts as soon as I installed the wheel so I pinpointed it there.
I found a temporary solution (which I suggest you to try too) and I am in search for a more permanet one.
So my solution is to unplug the wheel, start the game, go online and as soon as I join a server I plug-in the wheel again. When I do that all works fine as before. No lag and packets lost at all. I even change servers at will with no problem. The only limitation is dont exit the game. If you do that you have to do the same procedure again.
Strange solution for a strange problem, but it fits to me.Hope it fits to you too :)

PS1: Looking forword for a more proffesional and clear solution :smileypul

PS2: Packet loss has nothing to do with my provider and my connection as I can play lot of other demanding games online with no problem

your problem sounds as though it has something to do with your wheel, not packet loss.

try turning on 'minimum sleep' to at least 1ms. this should be in the 'misc' section in the options menu if i recall correctly.

[Anton-GR]

My problem has to do with my wheel which for some reason messed up with LFS's online code. Thats my oppinion. And I will try to explain why I believe that with facts.
1)LFS works perfectly offline with the wheel.(means that wheel dont have any problem with the offline portion of the game)
2)LFS works perfect online with wheel unpluged(means that program hasn't any problem by itself to comunicate properly)
3)LFS has lot of latency when I am going online with wheel connected (I see that in the game's lagmeter) (means that game has a problem with online comunication when the wheel is connected)
4)Other games works perfect offline and online with the wheel.(means that wheel by itself hasn't any problem to work or any interferense with my connection)
5)Cases 2 and 4 eliminates the posibility to have a provider or connection problem.
5)LFS works perfect online with no latency if I start it with wheel unpluged, join a server and then plug in the wheel -game setup is same in all cases- (means that the problem arrises only if the game starts with wheel connected.I cant explain why this is happend...I wait an explanation from people who have more knowledge.What I suppose is that it has something to do with game initialization and wheel itself mayby?

Things I did when I tried to fix my problem:
1)Download the latest wheel drivers
2)Try all usb ports for the wheel
3)Try any possible configuration in the game's setup (even the minimum sleep option from range 1-15secs)
4)Trying the wheel with lot of other games offline and online.
5)Check my connection status with external windows programs for latency and download-uploads speeds.

[SKurjz]

Are you using a usb modem?
Could the network card be sharing an IRQ with the wheel...

Both of these would create issues only when online...

[Anton-GR]

Are you using a usb modem?
Could the network card be sharing an IRQ with the wheel...

Both of these would create issues only when online...

Yes I have a usb DSL modem.Its realy a possible case and I think about it too.But on the other hand why I dont have any problem when I start the game and then I connect the wheel? If I have an IRQ conflict then isnt it more expectable as soon as I connect the wheel the problem to be appeared again? Same thought for other games I refer above. Isn't it more possible to have problems with other games too if it was an IRQ conflict?
Anyway I would like to invastigate this posibility more seriusly but I need help on how and where to look for that possible conflict.
Thanks.

[SKurjz]

Well the USB modem I think is definitely the reason, now to figure out how to solve the problem...

Now perhaps the issue doesn't surface once the game is started and then the wheel connected based on priorities given to the devices I don't know as I have never used a USB modem (and never will so long as I have a choice)

Seriously suggest you try and get a different modem if you can.... If you can't ... guess we can both try google...

[Anton-GR]

I only wish the friend who started this topic read it again and try the solution I give and give us also some more infos like if he has usb modem too and if his joypad has usb connection. It will helps if we cross that info and results :)

[fivecheebs]

Hi Guys... Real life can be a pain in the ass sometimes.. sorry ive not been back before now.

Anton, That problem you have is 100% identical to mine the way you describe it. However if i start the game, join a server, then plug in the pad, the lag starts. (i tried this last night by coincidence) My pad is a logitech one though, but my MOMO is also logi and i never had issues with that....

I am 100% sure this is not an internet connection problem, as all testing and other online gaming dosent show any problem.

I dont have a USB modem, but also considered interupt or DPC comflicts. I run a small network at home (i am a network admin / hardware engineer by trade) that connects to the net via a D-link router. To test for interupts and DPC issues i used process explorer, and found there were some small intermitant CPU useage by each one (1.54% and 12.3% max each respectively) that then die down to nothing. Not really enough useage to cause a problem imo, but i carried on testing none the less.. In game the interupts and DPC still carry on exactly the same with thier respective CPU use, with or without the joypad plugged in. Same thing in windows with or without the joypad plugged in. The properties of the NIC and pad in device manager showed differnt locations too....

Incase this is still hardware i run a DFI Lanparty NF4 ultra-D, venice 300+, 1gb g-skioll TCCD ram, and a x800XL and a 74GB raptor. Plenty man enough for LFS. The Gamepad is a logitech cordless rumblepad2.

It certainly seems like these drivers muck about with LFS netcode! very odd though :shrug:.. I'll hopefully get a chance to try teh pad on another machine on my network tonight, its not as powerful but it will do the job, ill let you lot know later on hopefully.

Cheebs

[Anton-GR]

Cheebs you didn't make clear to us. If you start the game with joypad disconected and play online you had not lag and when you plugin your pad the lag came back again? Or you keeping had lag with or without the joypad?

[fivecheebs]

Sorry, too many things happenening in my head right now....

If the pad is out, the game is fine (except a lack of steering :lol: ) As soon as i put the pad in it lags.

LFS+Logi pad = lag (weather its plugged in from the start or not)
LFS-Logi pad = smoother than a very smooth thing lubricated with baby oil.

[ree44u]

hi I have started having this problem today. Exact same symptons as yourself. I have tried unplugging my wheel and pedals and trying the above suggestion but nothing makes a difference... :(

The only thing I can think of that I have changed ever with LFS is I downloaded all the setups from teaminferno in a zip file and put them in my setups folder, I did that yesterday and now I have this problem.

Could that have anything to do with it you think? :shrug:

[ree44u]

http://www.lfsforum.net/showthread.php?t=6948

it seems there are many others who are experiencing this packet loss, just now I had a crackly sound coming through the speakers while trying to spectate on a race... :shrug: all the time everyone is lagging and the game is jerking forward at regular intervals...

this is dissapointing... I really wanted to race tonight :(

[ree44u]

I have just tried a fresh install and it is still jerking around being all laggy, I don't understand this, I'm really gutted :(

[mrbogeyman]

http://www.lfsforum.net/showthread.php?t=6948

it seems there are many others who are experiencing this packet loss, just now I had a crackly sound coming through the speakers while trying to spectate on a race... :shrug: all the time everyone is lagging and the game is jerking forward at regular intervals...

this is dissapointing... I really wanted to race tonight :(

packet loss has nothing to do with your controllers, its your internet connect. just to make that clear.

like i said above, have you tried changing the minimum sleep setting at all? i think it is under misc in the options menu. it often helps when dealing with laggy controlers.

if you try things and rule them out then at least we can get closer to helping you resolve your problem.

[Anton-GR]

packet loss has nothing to do with your controllers, its your internet connect. just to make that clear.

like i said above, have you tried changing the minimum sleep setting at all? i think it is under misc in the options menu. it often helps when dealing with laggy controlers.

if you try things and rule them out then at least we can get closer to helping you resolve your problem.

Did you read my previeus post? I write down exactly all the symptoms and what I try....dont just tell that it is the internet connection....and yes I try the sleep option at range from 1 to 15.

[ree44u]

thanks mr bogeyman, i have replied to you in the other thread in this technical help forum to keep it all together, thanks for helping! :)

[mrbogeyman]

Did you read my previeus post? I write down exactly all the symptoms and what I try....dont just tell that it is the internet connection....and yes I try the sleep option at range from 1 to 15.

i think you misinterpretted my meaning slightly. no worries.

[Anton-GR]

Really sorry if I missundestund you. No worries at all :)

[SKurjz]

In Anton's case its not packetloss in the sense most of us think it is. The packets are getting lost between his modem and his CPU. This is purely a USB issue, and I think swapping to an ethernet modem would solve this right away.

Anton do you know anyone with an ethernet modem you could at least test with?

[Anton-GR]

Unfortunetly no :( And at the time been I can't afford an other 100 euros for an ethernet modem just for a wheel I bought 10 days ago and for one game's fault. For the moment I can live with my temporary solution :)

[fivecheebs]

Bogeyman - I realise now its not actual packetloss.... when i started the thread i had no idea it was caused by the pad.... (i'll edit the title to reflect that)

I havent had a chance to try minimum sleep yet, ill get to that tonight or tomorrow i think, I didnt try it yet as Anton has the exact same problem, even if he can get around it by plugging in his wheel after he joins a server, and it didnt work for him.

SKurjz - I'm not using a USB modem, (i know anton is). I have a router as my gateway over ethernet network connection. I dont think this is a hardware issue any more.

Interestingly i tried my pad on another machine on my network witht he same results. Strangely the lag didnt appear until i had configured the controller correctly. One of the axis was reading strangely, while it was screwy, i didnt get the probelm, once i had sorted it out the lag came back.

Either its a bad driver on Logitech's part, or LFS is confused by this controller (LFS is the only game i have problems with). Thats my feeling at the moment, although this might change as we find out more stuff...

[Anton-GR]

Cheebs, did you correct that fault calibration you refer at (which I suppose appears when you plug your pad after the game started) from inside the game or out of it at windows level? eg joypad's profiler or joypad's propperties? Try to correct decalibration from game's setup if possible because if you go out to windows for calibration the problem will appear again same as you start the game with pad connected. At least that happend to me.

@Skurjz : The explanation you give is the more logical, taking account the symptoms but what makes me sceptical about it too, is the fact that cheebs doesn't has usb modem and I have problem only with LFS. I am not a computer technician but I suppose if it was a hardware conflict I should have problem in general and not only with LFS.
My opinion is that something goes wrong with LFS's code for online play and some usb controlers (Logitech till now as no other models is reported yet).I hope a developer see this thread and make some invastigation about the problem (wishes?) :)

[fivecheebs]

My sleep was already set to 1ms, i changed it to 2 and no difference, not tried the rest of the values yet.

Cheebs, did you correct that fault calibration you refer at (which I suppose appears when you plug your pad after the game started) from inside the game or out of it at windows level? eg joypad's profiler or joypad's propperties? Try to correct decalibration from game's setup if possible because if you go out to windows for calibration the problem will appear again same as you start the game with pad connected. At least that happend to me.
Yes i used the game to correct the fault. It was strangely stubborn though :shrug: The usual recallibration button didnt work at first, then it seemed to fix itself... Again, LFS is the only time ive seen these kinds of problems and im confident that the pad has no problems of its own in that respect.

@Skurjz : The explanation you give is the more logical, taking account the symptoms but what makes me sceptical about it too, is the fact that cheebs doesn't has usb modem and I have problem only with LFS. I am not a computer technician but I suppose if it was a hardware conflict I should have problem in general and not only with LFS.
My opinion is that something goes wrong with LFS's code for online play and some usb controlers (Logitech till now as no other models is reported yet).I hope a developer see this thread and make some invastigation about the problem (wishes?) :) I have been building PCs for several years. IRQ ocnflicts are not a new concept to me. I can catagorically say that its not a hardware confilct in my case. Since your symptoms are the same i am reasonably confident that yours arent either. Skurjz's thoughts are reasonable, but i have never seen a USB modem suffer with random packet loss. There were probelms with USB modems and Via chipset USB controllers (they used to crap out with the constant data transfer and the modem would die until a reboot), but we are going back about 4 years since that was commonplace...

As i mentioned in an earlier post i have a MOMO here. Its noises annoy the missus, but ill give it a go when it wont annoy to her to see if anything happens.