Linksys Fix UT Problems with Router

TrashCan · Post by **TrashCan** » Wed Mar 21, 2001 7:20 pm

Well it looks like Linysys have finally fixed the weird UT problems when running a UT server. You will have to request the latest beta from sosorio@linksys.com (v. 1.38.2) as it is not publically available. I would be more extatic but I specifically asked about any betas for this problem from Tech Support before I spent $500 on a Netopia R9100 router and got no response whatsover. I fork out the money and then a day later read about this on DSLReports

I got the firmware anyway and it does seem to work. Any suggestions for what to do with a spare router?! (Preferably nothing indecent)

Gaming-Module · Post by **Gaming-Module** » Wed Mar 21, 2001 7:39 pm

Me and a friend of mine have the same issue with UT with our 4port cable/dsl routers ( 100 dolla model ).

It would cause me all kinds of screen blacking out problems and strange zoomed in views at start, and inability to start a game.

Thanx for the post man.

TrashCan · Post by **TrashCan** » Thu Mar 22, 2001 2:46 am

This beta is now available for public download from www.dslreports.com/forums

Make sure you read the thread properly as there are two versions depending on which model of Linksys router you have.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Thu Mar 22, 2001 6:59 am

Holy smackerals....$500 on the R9100? $280 for the R910 for me, and I've since seen it for $250 retail.

I'm still not going back to the Linksys for my home. My confidence in it's 24/7 performance on running a server isn't all there.

Did you unbox the Netopia yet? If so, did it work well for ya?

TrashCan · Post by **TrashCan** » Thu Mar 22, 2001 2:24 pm

Yes I've had the Netopia working for almost a week and am very happy with it and will keep using it (bit more demanding to set up though - it would help if Netopia got all there documentation together, there are too many addendums etc, took me about an hour to find out how to forward ports - it would have been nice if they hadn't decided to change what they call it!).

I'm in the UK so an R910 would have cost me about $380 trade (like you I am in the business) so the price difference is not that great (the R9100 was closer to $470) and the R9100 is a bit more upgradeable. Actually the R9100 would have cost $540 but I got it for an NFR (not for resale) price.

As it was the Linksys cost $190 (retail)....and yes...I know you can buy them for $99 your side of the pond! And all these prices are excluding 17.5% VAT (fortunately I get this back as this equipment is entirely for business use

)

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Thu Mar 22, 2001 6:14 pm

Trash, I'm curious how heavy you run your UT server from behind the router, as in comparing it's performance on the Linky with the new firmware vs: the Netopia. Meaning how many clients you let in, what your line speeds are, etc. I must say, the Netopia lets me ping much lower as a client than I did going out through the Linky or the NetGear. I'm gonna hold onto my Netopia. Yes their documentation was pretty light, had to read updated and changed docs off their website, it's def not a user friendly device for the home consumer.

The U.K., eh? Just got done on a week long project working with the head IT of a casting company based out of the U.K., he was over here this past week. I built a new domain, 3 servers, in one of their newly acquired casting companies over here, he came over to supervise the installation of a Lotus Notes system. Think he was based out of Melbourne? Lots of fun, lots of ales went down after work each night at the local pub.

TrashCan · Post by **TrashCan** » Thu Mar 22, 2001 8:02 pm

I'm just a light user, only got cable so am limited to 128k uplink - its just me and three friends from work that play so I appreciate that the Linksys could crack under a heavy load but there is no doubt that the new firmware is a huge improvement (in this respect anyway). I've read elsewhere that you have server problems at the moment so you haven't had chance to give the Netopia a good hammering either. I must admit the Netopia inspires more confidence but is that just because it cost more and is more difficult to set up?

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Thu Mar 22, 2001 11:21 pm

Yeah my 3rd comp in the home LAN died, so used the old NT 4 PDC junkbox as a stand in, but she's just too old and slow to crank up a good server on. I don't like serving on my gaming rig, as it's unfair with me on a zero ping, and a server just runs to much better as dedicated, plus I use web admin, so it's easy to kick idiots, change maps, etc. I did start up a server on my main rig and had around a half dozen in for a bit with no glitches except for the normal lag on my aDSL once I get up past 5 peeps. (115 tested upload)

Plus I'm digging the Netopia at home, since it's so robust and full featured, I can play with and learn lots of advanced router stuff that I don't get into on my job (Windows networks from the server to workstation level)

TrashCan · Post by **TrashCan** » Fri Mar 23, 2001 3:06 am

I'm with you on the advanced features of the Netopia. One of the reasons I decided to change to the Netopia was to be able to play B)

SheepThriLL · Post by **SheepThriLL** » Tue May 01, 2001 4:16 pm

any of you's peeps know why the hell i cant get 2 computers to ping good over my adsl pac bell 1200 down 105 up connect?> one computer connected and playing ut is fine, sub 100 and rock steady... 2 computers, intermittant lag to 500+ ping for both, only to drop back down to sub 150 for both, and then back up again.... unplayable. i dont understand. netgear 314 router. ive posted all over the place... have seen one other user with dsl with this problem. no answers of yet.

HELP ME>.. im gonna have to sell my body on second street in order to buy ANOTHER dsl account at 50$ a month?

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue May 01, 2001 6:22 pm

I've read this problem from quite a few users, seems more prevalent with cable users, but a couple of DSL users. I've had the Linksys, NetGear, and currently the Netopia, I have aDSL, an Efficient Networks Speedstream modem, and I've played through all 3 routers with 1,2, and 3 LAN clients, logged onto the same UT server, without any ping spike problems. One machine yields a 40 ping, 2 machines a 60 ping, and all 3 machines an 80-100 ping or so.

BTW TrashCan, honkin new gaming rig, so old rig is now server, which I can run under load, and the Netopia routers CPU usage with 6 clients is still under 30%. That router can handle it well.

SheepThriLL · Post by **SheepThriLL** » Wed May 02, 2001 11:47 am

im stumped. some say get a hub or switch to evenly split my bandwith. i dont know. tried aol plus for my other phone line. it sucks.

hey, stonecat, do you have multiple ip's? or do you have 1 floating ip like me? could that make the difference?

oh, and i visited the main central office. apparently they MICROWAVE the signal out since there is no pipeline out of this county. interesting? but probably isnt a reason for this problem. just thought id mention it.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Wed May 02, 2001 1:50 pm

If you have 1 account, meaning 1 IP address, you cannot split that evenly using just a hub or a switch. You need a router. Well, technically you can argue you can use a hub or switch, and also use software like SyGate, WinGate, Proxy, or Windows ICS, but you need a machine with 2 NICS, and I prefer hardware sharing over software sharing.

Most of the routers out there have a built in hub or switch, and those indeed take your single IP address for the ISP, and share it evenly to your network in the house.

I have a single aDSL account, which gives me 1 IP address via DHCP. It changes every now and then, sometimes a different IP several times per month, but lately I've had the same one for the past couple of months. Regardless, I don't really care if my IP changes. If I were to run a game server, it would advertise no matter what IP I have, and people could easily log in from their built in game server list.

SheepThriLL · Post by **SheepThriLL** » Wed May 02, 2001 3:22 pm

yes. i already have a netgear 314 router, and i thought it was supposed to do the trick. someone posted in another thread that i should get a hub if i had another 40 bucks to spend, and that would split the line in half and maybe get rid of the spikes cuz maybe both computers are trying to hog the upload pipe>?? i dont know.. what is your upload speed stonecat?

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Wed May 02, 2001 6:50 pm

I live pretty far from the CO, so my tested speeds are 685/115. Pretty slow compared to many, but my ISP is good, my hops are very low, and pings are often the lowest on most servers I play on.

I'm still fuzzy on what exactly your problem is, in what game, as a client, or are you trying to serve?

For your best possible setup with that NetGear router, you will want to plug your computers NIC right into one of the switch ports in the back of the router. That is a full 10/100 switch, which is much better than a 10/100 hub. Switches are better than hubs. Adding a hub to the mix, or daisy chaining any other hub/switch from the device will only slow you down. The less hardware in the mix, the better.

SheepThriLL · Post by **SheepThriLL** » Thu May 03, 2001 11:43 am

I only try to play UT unreal tournament as a client. i dont wanna host. once again my upload is 105, down 1200. one connection, i ping average for dsl (probably bcuz of the microwave thing), about 100ms (best is 40, worst is about 200) perhaps its the damn game, ive heard that it is processor intensive and compared to other games sends alot of information while gaming online. but i still dont get the 2 connection horrible, 1 connection excellent part of the equation.

i don't know... just shoot me

thanks for trying to help.. and please DONT STOP!

SheepThriLL · Post by **SheepThriLL** » Thu May 03, 2001 11:46 am

and to clarify, you are saying that an additoinal hub or switch wouldnt do anything,.. i didnt think so. i have the network set up like you said. how else could you set it up?

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Thu May 03, 2001 11:18 pm

The only thing I could suggest to rule out your network is to temporarily take the router out of the mix. Plug your gaming computers NIC right into the DSL modem, and try playing. If your gaming is all better, then perhaps your router is bum. If it's about the same, you know your network/router is fine, and the problem lies in your ISP.