Question for networking types...

I share an internet connection with my roommate via a cable modem, siemens gateway and netgear four port switch... I'll be playing BF, and when he tries to get on to a server for his RTCW: ET sessions, I get "Warning! Connection problems detected!" and then disconnected...

It doesn't happen every time, but last night I was playing and it happened like five times... and I was pretty pissed about it, lemme tell you...

I thought what a router or gateway+switch was supposed to do was share your available bandwith equally... I mean, we can play online at the same time usually, but sometimes it just boots one or the other of us off...

If anybody has any insight or knowledge on this or could at least point me in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated...

[Horsepower]

sounds like packet collisions. try upgrading the routers firmware.

[Camel toe joe]

nah maybe he was downloading a map..the best solution would be to pull your roommates plug...

[SHWoff]

Some thoughts:

1. TCP/IP is opportunistic - if the bandwidth is available, TCP/IP will try to take advantage of it.

2. No QoS means there is no way to guarantee a specific amount of bandwidth to each of the 2 machines. I know of may high-cost ways of implementing QoS but I don't know of any low-cost methds....

3. It is very possible for one app (game) to stomp all over the other app (game) especially if the apps rely on time-sensitive client updates (like most online games).

Unfortunately, I don't think there's much you can do unless you can find a router or other piece of hardware/software that will allow you to configure specific bandwidth by app or IP address...

Originally posted by SHWoff
Some thoughts:

1. TCP/IP is opportunistic - if the bandwidth is available, TCP/IP will try to take advantage of it.

2. No QoS means there is no way to guarantee a specific amount of bandwidth to each of the 2 machines. I know of may high-cost ways of implementing QoS but I don't know of any low-cost methds....

3. It is very possible for one app (game) to stomp all over the other app (game) especially if the apps rely on time-sensitive client updates (like most online games).

Unfortunately, I don't think there's much you can do unless you can find a router or other piece of hardware/software that will allow you to configure specific bandwidth by app or IP address...

So you're saying that I would have to limit the available max bandwidth on both machines? I guess that's a possibility and makes sense, but I just don't want to limit my machine when I'm downloading stuff when my roommates not around, and I'm sure he feels the same way...

Part three of your post makes sense too, because last night I got disconnected and he wasn't even trying to connect to a server, he was just browsing the available server list...

My roommate was thinking that if he put a Y in the cable before it gets to the cable modem and then hooked up another modem for his machine that that might work... I don't think that will do anything though, based on my (limited) networking knowledge... I mean, that's what routers and switches are for, sharing one connection, right?

I can see why people who fully understand networking make so much money...

[yaDad]

Originally posted by Rule of Wrist
My roommate was thinking that if he put a Y in the cable before it gets to the cable modem and then hooked up another modem for his machine that that might work...

if you do something like this you would have to get another IP right ....which is paying for another cable hookup which you obviously dont want to do.

where is the choke point for the bandwidth on a cable system actually at....the modem?...i know its not the cable...im not sure but coax cable can carry a helluva lot more bandwidth that the up and down speed that i get.

[Horsepower]

have you tried upgrading the firmware yet? this should be your first step before you do anything else.

[cavalierlwt]

I have the same setup , play the same game, only I use a linksys Gateway router, and I don't have this problem. My cable speed is 1500/256
Maybe you need to use a different router.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys... I was busy last night and didn't have time to mess with the firmware thing... I'll look into it tonight after work...

Lewt... I thought that might be a possibility, I might have to break down and get a dedicated router if the problem persists...