2.4Ghz gaming WiFi help

[pofadder]

Hi

Please help. We've set up a wireless link specifically for gaming. We've used the following equipment:
For the AP:
* RB600 with R52 radio card
* 15 dBi 180 degree sector antenna (for AP)

The AP is currently set to AP bridge.

The game users (incl. myself) use Acconet units (with built in 12 dBi panel antennas) for connecting to the AP. We connect to the AP in bridged mode.

For all purposes, everything works fine. We can connect and LAN, no problem. When we start playing, everything is ship shape. However, after a given amount of time, things go pear shaped. Response times will be low (10 - 20ms) initially, but would start to increase rapidly at one point until the connection folds over.

This happens with games like COD4 and similar resource intensive games. We tried Warcraft 3, but the problem didn't occur then. For info, we use TeamSpeak during wireless LANs.

Could someone maybe offer some reasons as to why one would suddenly start experiencing these high response times? What info can I provide to maybe help better understand the problem?

I would at first think that noise might cause the problem, but wouldn't one experience this from word go?

Could it also be a case of either the AP or the client unit heating up and resulting in the high response times?

Your help would be highly appreciated.

 

[bond007]

Ok, well looks like the setup is fine cause it works at first. Does everyone have the same problem? is it posibble that the radio card picked up moisture? during rain or something? cause it sounds like the unit might be picking up static which will become more as the resources ussage increases... Its jus an thought.... I have had the problem in the past using a routerboard.

 

[ambo]

As soon as the traffic on a network link gets near the capacity of that link the latency (response time) will increase dramatically (at an exponential rate IIRC). This is true of any link be it wired or wireless.

Now in the case of WiFi - you will largely be restricted by the speed of the slowest connection to the AP. This means that as soon as your data speed goes much above 70% of the theoretical speed of your slowest client on the AP then you are likely to start seeing increases in latency.

If there is other less important traffic going over the link at the same time then it would be possible to improve the situation through a little clever QoS. If it is only the gaming traffic on the link then you don't have many options. You can try improving the signal of the client devices to get better speeds or just play games that need less bandwidth.

 

[pofadder]

Thanks for the responses guys. I doubt whether the unit received moisture, as it only went up yesterday (Saturday 27 June); also, the box containing the unit has been thoroughly sealed. Might it be a faulty R52 card? The only real way to confirm that would be with a second (and newer) radio card.

Would there be any way to have the unit NOT be influenced by the speed of the slowest connection? Whether it be via hardware or RouterOS setup? I would've hoped that the RB600 would be capable of carrying a bit more traffic (as it is quite a serious hunk of hardware)?

We'll try experimenting with lowering in-game graphic settings etc. and see where we end up.

I was just thinking that there might be some RouterOS settings that could irradicate this hickup.

 

[ambo]

Would there be any way to have the unit NOT be influenced by the speed of the slowest connection?

Nope - its part of the WiFi standard and using different hardware won't change that. WiFi was designed for use for LANs, it was never designed to work well over long distances.

The only real option you have is to turn off the client device with the bad signal. You might be able to improve things for everyone else if you put up a second AP and get the dudes with the bad signal to connect there... but that may not help. And the guys with the bad signal still won't be able to play.

 

[agentrfr]

Is this you and a bunch of people in a complex, or something like a WUG?

 

[spiderz]

sounds like a Aggeneys-WUG ...

 

[Inevitable]

Isn't wireless just generally a bad idea for gaming?

 

[pofadder]

Is this you and a bunch of people in a complex, or something like a WUG?

Something like a WUG, yes.

Isn't wireless just generally a bad idea for gaming?

Probably. However, after having approached various telecoms companies for enhanced infrastructure (3G, ADSL, etc), and none having shown any interest in our pleas, this is our next best option (ito larger scale LANnig. ) But for online play, we are screwed. Some guys apparently manage with GPRS, but lately, our GPRS latency has been getting worse and worse. I think MTN is onto us.

 

[bond007]

How many people are there that connect to the radio card....? When you guys play is there file sharing going on as well? or is it dedicated... cause if thats the cause then dont think you should be having a problem with over capacity? very unlikely. Still think there is fault with the unit.

Unless you guys getting really bad signal strenth on your pcs. Then you can try to get a better line of sight. Why did you guys go with the pannel antennas? If i were you i would go with 15dbi grid for everyone. Little more expensive but so worth it. How far are you guys from the AP?

 

[TheFox]

We play 26 man games on ctwug with ingame latency in cod showing nothing more than 60-90ms if the network is running 100% (meaning no backbones down)

Wireless is fine for playing games on.

1. Is there bulk traffic running at the time
2. what are the signal strenghs of the clients rx AND tx
3. what is the CCQ of each client's connection, maybe try a different frequency
4. what routerOS are you running? what packages?
5. setting game gfx lower wont help in COD for the network

 

[dadecoza]

Isn't wireless just generally a bad idea for gaming?

Yes! It should be avoided at all cost!

 

[TheFox]

Dade is just a anti-gamer from CTWUG, ignore his remark

BTW bond007's question about total clients connected is a good Q too.

 

[pofadder]

Good news - problem has been solved (for the time being, at least). AP antenna angle was a bit out of wack. Went up today and refined it. We tested the connection tonight and it worked like a charm. Latency in COD4 remained below 50 for all players connected all the time (same guys who were previously connected). We even played a Red Alert 3 match and things went like clockwork!

To answer Bond's question - we are only around 5 - 6 guys currently connected to the AP.

To TheFox:
1. Is there bulk traffic running at the time - none
2. what are the signal strenghs of the clients rx AND tx - a lot better after tonight, but I'll have to note exact figures.
3. what is the CCQ of each client's connection, maybe try a different frequency - if I understand CCQ right, it is between 50 and 70 RSSI for each client now; before, it was 70 for some, 30 for others, which might explain why we were getting high response times.
4. what routerOS are you running? what packages? - currently RouterOS v3.10 on the AP - not running any packages, just bridged. Unless you can advise on a better setup for LAN gaming? At present, we set our client units and PC's to static IP's. It is a bit combersome, but works for us. We don't envisage ever having more than 20 concurrent users connected simultaneously. Can one use PPPoE for LAN gaming?
5. setting game gfx lower wont help in COD for the network - noted


So until further notice, things seem to be working fine. Thanks again for all the responses. In the end, it seems like it was poor connection quality between the AP and clients that caused this. Will revert back here if things go belly up.

 

[TheFox]

Good to hear, doing bridge is quite nice, since it puts you all on the same subnet, some games don't like routing over them.

As long as it stays one highsite, you wont encounter much issues me thinks.

 

[kilos]

Do u have DSL on Pofadder ?
I see Aggeneys is a mine 20km west of Pofadder
High site in Pofadder, make sure you put some tape over the uFL connector that goes on the R52 as it can pop off with the temperature changes from hot to cold.

 

[pofadder]

I reside in Aggeneys; it's actually about 60km from Pofadder.

No DSL in Aggeneys, unfortunetaly.

Thanks for the tip (tape over uFL connectors)