Pinging wireless router - request times out every 15 seconds

common_parlance

Hi there, I've got a laptop running Vista and connected via a Netopia (model: 2247-02) wireless router using Eircom's 7mb broadband package. The problem is that when playing online I keep getting these big lag spikes at intervals of between 13 and 17 seconds. If I manage to do a speed test between these interruptions, I get 6 Mbps so I don't think there's anything wrong with the line, these interruptions are the only issue. I'm no computer expert but I think I was able to figure a few things out from various internet posts.


First: I did a "ping -t" from my laptop to the router and the response is consistently about 1 or 2 ms, except every 15 seconds or so, when the request times out (see attachment).

Second: This only happens on my laptop, not on the PC (running XP) in the same room connected through the same router.

That means it must be some kind of setting on my laptop, right?

Third: From reading the web I know there's an issue with Vista where it searches for a new connection every 60 seconds, but this is happening on a much more frequent and less uniform (in that it varies by a couple of seconds each time) basis than that. Also, I've tried many of the fixes mentioned online (disable WLAN AutoConfig, use Vista Anti-Lag, WLAN Optimizer, and a few more I can't even remember) and none of them had an effect.

Fourth: Performance Monitor doesn't seem to record any weird spikes in network or CPU activity so I don't think there's a virus at work. My antivirus isn't picking anything up either.

I rang eircom and they have run out of ideas, but told me I should ring Microsoft. Microsoft told me to pay them £40 for support or ring Dell. Dell also wants €50 or so for support, which is a touch cheeky.

Any ideas how to fix this annoying problem?

cpu-dude

common_parlance wrote: »

Hi there, I've got a laptop running Vista and connected via a Netopia (model: 2247-02) wireless router using Eircom's 7mb broadband package. The problem is that when playing online I keep getting these big lag spikes at intervals of between 13 and 17 seconds. If I manage to do a speed test between these interruptions, I get 6 Mbps so I don't think there's anything wrong with the line, these interruptions are the only issue. I'm no computer expert but I think I was able to figure a few things out from various internet posts.


First: I did a "ping -t" from my laptop to the router and the response is consistently about 1 or 2 ms, except every 15 seconds or so, when the request times out (see attachment).

Second: This only happens on my laptop, not on the PC (running XP) in the same room connected through the same router.

That means it must be some kind of setting on my laptop, right?

Third: From reading the web I know there's an issue with Vista where it searches for a new connection every 60 seconds, but this is happening on a much more frequent and less uniform (in that it varies by a couple of seconds each time) basis than that. Also, I've tried many of the fixes mentioned online (disable WLAN AutoConfig, use Vista Anti-Lag, WLAN Optimizer, and a few more I can't even remember) and none of them had an effect.

Fourth: Performance Monitor doesn't seem to record any weird spikes in network or CPU activity so I don't think there's a virus at work. My antivirus isn't picking anything up either.

I rang eircom and they have run out of ideas, but told me I should ring Microsoft. Microsoft told me to pay them £40 for support or ring Dell. Dell also wants €50 or so for support, which is a touch cheeky.

Any ideas how to fix this annoying problem?

Pinging your router should always be <1ms - never any higher than that. It could be a faulty wireless card in the laptop itself (especially if the XP machine is working fine). Try borrow a friends wireless USB adapter, connect via that instead of the internal card and see if there is any difference.

EDIT: What make of wireless card is this? What make of PC is it also?

common_parlance

cpu-dude wrote: »

Pinging your router should always be <1ms - never any higher than that. It could be a faulty wireless card in the laptop itself (especially if the XP machine is working fine). Try borrow a friends wireless USB adapter, connect via that instead of the internal card and see if there is any difference.

EDIT: What make of wireless card is this? What make of PC is it also?

Yeah, I noticed when I connect the laptop to the router with a cable it's <1ms, but playing like that would involve sitting in the corridor which is less than civilised . However, both the PC and the Laptop ping at 1ms or 2ms when connected wirelessly (though the PC doesn't have the interruptions). I'll try that though with the wireless USB adapter if I can get my hands on one! Cheers.

EDIT: There's an adapter in the PC so I'll just nick that and see what happens

The wireless card is an "Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection" and the Laptop is a Dell XPS M1530. The PC was a Dell once upon a time but I think there is very little of the original machine left after lots of upgrading over the years.

cpu-dude

common_parlance wrote: »

Yeah, I noticed when I connect the laptop to the router with a cable it's <1ms, but playing like that would involve sitting in the corridor which is less than civilised . However, both the PC and the Laptop ping at 1ms or 2ms when connected wirelessly (though the PC doesn't have the interruptions). I'll try that though with the wireless USB adapter if I can get my hands on one! Cheers.

EDIT: There's an adapter in the PC so I'll just nick that and see what happens

The wireless card is an "Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection" and the Laptop is a Dell XPS M1530. The PC was a Dell once upon a time but I think there is very little of the original machine left after lots of upgrading over the years.

I thought so to be honest, I've seen this problem at lot (especially with the Dell XPS, my housemate had the same problem with the M1330.

Dell uses it's own customer Intel drivers and they can cause problems, you need to download and install Intel's own drivers from their site and it should sort it out. Here's the direct link. Just remember to completely uninstall the Intel drivers and utilities before you install these.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/confirm.aspx?httpDown=http://downloadmirror.intel.com/17749/eng/ICS_Dv32.exe&agr=&ProductID=&DwnldId=17749&strOSs=&OSFullName=&lang=eng

common_parlance

cpu-dude wrote: »

I thought so to be honest, I've seen this problem at lot (especially with the Dell XPS, my housemate had the same problem with the M1330.

Dell uses it's own customer Intel drivers and they can cause problems, you need to download and install Intel's own drivers from their site and it should sort it out. Here's the direct link. Just remember to completely uninstall the Intel drivers and utilities before you install these.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/confirm.aspx?httpDown=http://downloadmirror.intel.com/17749/eng/ICS_Dv32.exe&agr=&ProductID=&DwnldId=17749&strOSs=&OSFullName=&lang=eng

I've tried the adapter and it works perfectly, which is greeat. No more interruptions.

As for trying to fix the Intel adapter I've already got, I tried uninstalling the drivers and then installing the ones you linked, but that doesn't seem to do the trick; the ping spikes are still there. When you say be sure to completely uninstall the Intel drivers and utilities, is it enough to remove the adapter via device manager or is there other stuff I should be looking for?

Sure, all else fails I can just go out and pick up a new USB adapter. Either way I'm pretty chuffed to have a way around those spikes. Thanks!

cpu-dude

common_parlance wrote: »

I've tried the adapter and it works perfectly, which is greeat. No more interruptions.

As for trying to fix the Intel adapter I've already got, I tried uninstalling the drivers and then installing the ones you linked, but that doesn't seem to do the trick; the ping spikes are still there. When you say be sure to completely uninstall the Intel drivers and utilities, is it enough to remove the adapter via device manager or is there other stuff I should be looking for?

Sure, all else fails I can just go out and pick up a new USB adapter. Either way I'm pretty chuffed to have a way around those spikes. Thanks!

Glad to hear it.

Yes all the Intel ProSet Wireless stuff in your programs list, they should be removed completely.

Control Panel > Programs and Features

common_parlance

Hmph, tried removing both the Intel ProSet Wireless stuff as well as the device and drivers from Device Manager, the spikes are still there when I install the new Intel drivers. Should I just write the card off as a dud? (Thanks Dell!)

Pimp Ninja

I had this a while back too, dont remember what adapter I was using at the time.

Basically i bought about 4 different wireless adapters from different manufacturers and tested them all out of the box. The best one I found was a 3com (3CRUSB) so I stuck with this.

Unfortunately dont have the cash to do this type of experementation anymore, but thats what I ended up with.

hevsuit

I have exactly the same problem.
I have the 3mb package with the same router.
About the last 3 months or so, every 10 seconds i get a HUGE lag spikes that render playin multiplayer online games extremely frustrating.

I have a wireless usb adapter from Buffalo, and because of the spikes i have bought a PCI-Network interface card, but to no avail...:mad:.

On windows sidebar, the network widget looks like a heart rate monitor with all the spikes.:mad::mad:.

Anymore developments guys? cos the thread had been inactive for a while.thx

common_parlance

Well, I finally ordered a new USB wireless card and that was it: BANG and the spikes were gone. It wasn't even a fancy one, it was just a few pounds on ebay actually. My advice is to try borrowing some wireless internet dongles from friends and see if the spikes disappear with any of them. new adapter did the trick for me anyway!