Network lag, rubberbanding driving me crazy

Hey all,

I've got some network lag issues. I rubberband around like crazy when I move, and my attacks and other key presses are serverly delayed.

It can take a full second or two before the client recognizes a key press like an attack and executes it.

Movement keys (WASD) seem to repond immediately, though like I say I have rather huge amounts of rubberbanding.

Any idea how I can trouble shoot this? I think it's my ISP, because other on the same server don't always report the same problems I'm having. But I going to need to be able to show problems in my ISP (which is ATT on the west coast) in order get them to maybe do something.

My ping in /netgraph seems ok, around 140~ ms. The netgraph looks ok too, although when things are really bad I'll see yellow or even red spikes in the graph. I have some duplicates and retransmits in the /netgraph display, although usually it seems to be a low number.

My network seems to be a bit laggy overall, including HTTP and downloading, but it might be possible to see issues with some sort of general network test. Any ideas where I could get one?

Other ideas too what I could try would be useful.

I tried the "CoH Support Tool" but it's not where the FAQ says it is.

Here's the basic output of the COH Helper program.

---System information gathered by CoH Helper version 0.2.0.2---

DxDiag gathered at July 19, 2010 17:20 (-07:00)
Operating System: Windows Vista™ Ultimate (6.0, Build 6002) Service Pack 2 (6002.vistasp2_gdr.100218-0019)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: MXG061
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A06
Central Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU T7400 @ 2.16GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.2GHz
Memory: 2046MB
.Net Memory Report: 1162MB out of 2045MB available
Page File: 2567MB (1762MB currently in use)
C Drive: (Hitachi HTS721010G9SA00 ATA Device) 22402MB out of 83058MB (26%) free
D Drive: (Hitachi HTS721010G9SA00 ATA Device) 6667MB out of 10239MB (65%) free
E Drive: (TSSTcorp DVD+-RW TS-L632D ATA Device) zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\Windows
DirectX: DirectX 11
DirectX Diag version: 7.00.6002.18107 (32-bit version)

Display Notes: No problems found.
Sound Notes: No problems found.

No problems found.
Input Notes: No problems found.

Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor's Max Resolution: (blank)
Video Device Name: NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GS
Manufacturer / Chip: NVIDIA / GeForce Go 7900 GS
Video Memory: 1016 MB
Driver Version: 7.15.0011.7431
Driver Date: 2/22/2008 5:46:00 AM
Driver Language: English

Sound Device Description: Speakers (SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC)
Driver File: stwrt.sys
Driver Version: 6.10.5290.0000
Driver Date: 12/1/2006 2:40:46 PM

Sound Device Description: Digital Output Device (SPDIF) (SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC)
Driver File: stwrt.sys
Driver Version: 6.10.5290.0000
Driver Date: 12/1/2006 2:40:46 PM


WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product:
Motherboard Version:
BIOS Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
BIOS Name: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A06
BIOS Version: DELL - 27d70402
BIOS Release: 20070402000000.000000+000


Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 1440x900
3D Resolution: 1440x900 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: Yes
Maximized: No
Screen Position: 0, 0
Refresh Rate: 60Hz
Vertical Sync Enabled: Yes


Physics Quality: None
Maximum Particles: 50000
Max Particle Fill? 10.000
Physics Card Enabled: No


Anti-aliasing: Off
Anisotropic Filtering: 4x
Texture LOD Bias: Smooth
Water Effects: None
Bloom: 1.000 (turned off)
Depth of Field Enabled: No
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: Yes
Shader Detail: Unknown (5)


World Texture Level: Medium
Character Texture Level: Very High
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 0.800
Entity Detail Level: 1.000
Shadows Enabled: Yes
Shadow Mode: Stencil shadows
Shadow Map Shader: Unknown (0)
Environmental Reflections: Disabled
Advanced Occlusion Settings: No
Ambient Occlusion: Off
Occlusion Strength: Off
Blur: Bilateral
Ambient Resolution: Performance


Gamma Correction: 1.000
Geometry Buffers (VBOs) Enabled: Yes
Suppression of FX When Camera Close Enabled: No
Close Suppression Range: 3.000
Show Advertisements: Yes

Audio Mode: Performance
3D Audio: No
FX Sound Volume: 0.105
Music Sound Volume: 0.105

Show Advanced Graphics Options: No
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.250
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: 147648 bytes/second
Current Game Version: 1800.201006040036.8T
Installation Directory: C:\Program Files\City of Heroes

Mod files in the Data directory
No modifications found

Let me remind people that this is a laptop.

The newest drivers for this laptop video chipset are dated Feb. 2009.

It's "possible" that more current desktop drivers might be able to be used using the nVidia Mobility Modder tool. This tool was created by the same fine people that made the ATI Mobility Modder tool.

If you decide to use the above tool, it is at your own risk. I cannot be held accountable for what people do to their computers or how they do it. I can only be held accountable for what I do myself.

Oh yes, wanted to add:

Last night on Virtue, I was messing around by myself. I had a few lag spikes, but things were looking ok.

So I joined a team that was advertising in Sharkhead, and my connection immediately when to heck, and less nice places. Yellow lag spikes everywhere, and rubberbanding too.

Note this is 100% network. The lag was so bad I never joined them inside a mish, so there was no additional load on the graphics card. I was still solo outside in Sharkhead, minding my own business, but the network connection suddenly went to heck.

So, is there a potential problem with the teaming code on the server?

My problems started only recently, say about 2 to 3 weeks, and I can't remember if there was a server patch around the same time. But it was a bit suspicious that I was fine solo, but as soon as a joined a team, the connection immediately became less stable, even though there was no other changes (still solo in Shark, for ex.).

And finally:

When I do see rubberbanding, I also see very high error rates on the /netgraph display. I'd have to look again to be sure (this was last night, going from memory) but I recall very large numbers of duplicate packets, as well as high numbers of retransmits and lost packets showing up as soon as the problems started.

try resting your modem and router(if you have a router). to do this, do not push the reset button. instead, shut down your comp, unplug the modem from the comp and remove the power plug from the modem. if you also have a router, unplug that also. wait 2 mins. then plug back in the modem to the comp then plug in the power cord to the modem. wait another 30 secs after all the lights for the modem have come back on then turn on your comp. if you have a router, before turning on the comp, plug the power cord to the router and wait another 30 secs. then turn on the comp.

also, try to free up space on your hard drive. then do a disc clean up and defrag.

Thanks for all the ideas guys, this is really helping.

I was on Virtue today (about 12 noon PDT) and things were quite smooth. I joined a team for some paper mishes and had no problems. We had 5 folks and 3 masterminds at one point so things where pretty heavily loaded. No problems.

It's a bit cooler out right now that it has been. I wonder if there's an over-heated piece of equipment on the ISP side that causing problems.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharker_Quint try resting your modem and router

This is a good idea, I'll try it next time I'm having issues. If nothing else, if there is an malfunctioning piece of equipment on the ISP side, it'll give me a chance to connect through to some other machine while someone else gets the bad one.

Quote:

also, try to free up space on your hard drive. then do a disc clean up and defrag.

I haven't done a defrag recently, but I kinda doubt it's the problem. Why would it be fine sometimes but not others? Esp. in the same location & gfx (Sharkhead, as above). Still I'll keep this in mind as a last resort.

I did recently run CCleaner and two virus checkers (Super-Antispyware and SpyBot Search and Destroy), just in case. No real issues found.

Until a few months ago, We were on a wireless network.
NEVER again. The Lag, rubber banding and all the symptoms you are talking about were our constant companions too.

If you can get a wired connection, I highly recommend it. The great majority of your problems will disappear, just as ours did.

Good luck.