Experiencing lag in multiplayer games. Need Help.

[Boston48 10]

Hello, I have been playing Arma 2 for a little while now. When I am in single player my PC runs this game just fine. My graphics card is a GTX 465 and I can run on max settings at 1920x1080 resolution. But when I am in a multiplayer game all of the other players in the game are lagging but me. Sometimes it is a lot... and some times it is a just a little bit jumpy, but there is always some sort of lag. I have done as much research as I can and am starting to get a little aggravated. I have already lowered my settings, but that didn't seem to help. Could someone please give me some info on how to fix this?

- Thanks!

[ArmAriffic 10]

Is it your internet connection?

[Boston48 10]

I don't believe so. My connection is pretty good. It's not ridiculous lag... People are just jumpy, like they don't move smoothly.

[walker 0]

Hi Boston48

Very few people experience this, so it cannot be the game, it must be some aspect of your setup, which is good because that means there must be a solution.

I have seen a video of this in another thread; so I do not disbelieve you, I asked them to tell me what server they were logging on to but they did not get back to us so either they solved it them selves and did not tell everyone else, or they were not that bothered.

So once again:

1) What server are you logging on to be specific, name that server?

2) What country are you based in?

3) Who is your ISP?

4) What is your broadband upstream and downstream bandwidth?

5) What is the contention ratio of your broadband package?

6) What time are you logging on?

7) What other programs are running when you run the game? Watch out for things like film or television background down-loaders or bittorrent type programs which are often badly written and only check programs running on desktop before thinking you are not on the computer and they can therefore download your pron/films/TV Programs.

You will need to download a program like Net-limiter, there is a freeware version and a trial period of the full product, so that you can see this properly

http://www.netlimiter.com/download.php

8) Run ArmA Windowed and bring up Windows Task Manger to see what else is running.

9) Have you got any other people sharing your bandwidth in the house? Is your flatmate downloading Pron 24/7? Watch out for consoles that have broadband connections they are bandwidth hogs even when they appear to be turned off and they even misdirect themselves to the wrong internal IP address, turn them off or disconnect them from the Internet while playing ArmA.

10) DO NOT TURN OFF ANY FIREWALL! Any one who tells you do this is either either a numpty or evil. All you need to do with such things is make sure the ArmA ports are open.

11) Make sure you have not got a virus or Trojan or other nasty. I presume you have a software fire wall and virus checker.

13) Get Hold of Hijackthis http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis/ make sure you have no nasties.

14) Make sure your ISP are not shortchanging you with a bad router close to home or some nasty traffic shaping program that stops you using games or PtoP applications, and that is misidentifying ArmA. Use a package such as ping plotter to trace from you to the servers IP address so you check this.

http://www.pingplotter.com/download.html

Once again there is a freeware version and trial period of the full product.

When you done these steps get back with your results especially if you solve your problem, too many who fix their problems go along on their merry way and do not share their solutions! BAD MOANERS! :mad:

If all else fails I will get you to log on to a major server at the same time as me and the admin so we can check it out.

Kind Regards walker

Edited January 22, 2011 by walker

[Boston48 10]

Okay so as far as I can tell, it is probably my connection. But to answer a few of your questions (Don't have a lot of time, so I have to make this quick). I live in the United States. My internet providers is Charter. My broudband downstream is roughly 16mbps, and my Upstream is roughly 1.05mbps (With nothing else running and nothing else on in the house). And you asked what server I am logging into... Truth is that I have tried a ton of servers at any time of the day and the same thing happens in every single one of them. I tried the netlimiter thing, but I was not really sure of the point of it, if I have nothing else running. Thats about all I had time to do, I will do some more later.

-Thanks!

[Boston48 10]

Well I don't have much time. But this is what I got for ya' so far. As far as the server thing, I have logged onto a ton of servers at almost any time of day and this problem still occurs. I live in the United States. My Internet Provider is Charter. My broudband upstream is roughly 1.05mbps and my downstream is roughly 16mbps (With nothing else running in the house.). I have nothing else running on my PC when I play. I tried netlimiter, but I was not sure what to do with it since I have nothing else running. I just hopped on ArmA a few minutes ago and my lag still continues... haha. Thats about all I had time to do. I'll do some more later. Thanks!

[visceralsyn 10]

Currently running ArmA² server, not Operation Arrowhead or Combine Arms, from Memphis, TN. If you are not on the west coast, you should get a sub 75ms ping to my server. Running on 16Mbps down / 2.2Mbps up Comcast Cable. And have been doing a few things to work some of the AI-Stutter out.

Servername: Syn's ArmA²

...Syn...

[walker 0]

Hi Boston48

Fill in the Blanks

1) What server are you logging on to be specific, name that server?

Ans.) Blank

None so far named.

2) What country are you based in?

Ans.)

USA

3) Who is your ISP?

Ans.)

Charter

4) What is your broadband upstream and downstream bandwidth?

Ans.)

upstream is roughly 1.05mbps and my downstream is roughly 16mbps

5) What is the contention ratio of your broadband package?

Ans.) Blank

6) What time are you logging on?

Ans.) Blank

7) What other programs are running when you run the game?

Ans.) Blank

Watch out for things like film or television background down-loaders or bittorrent type programs which are often badly written and only check programs running on desktop before thinking you are not on the computer and they can therefore download your pron/films/TV Programs.

You will need to download a program like Net-limiter, there is a freeware version and a trial period of the full product, so that you can see this properly

http://www.netlimiter.com/download.php

With Net Limiter just bring it up from Quick Launch, it is a Blue Icon with two White capitol L shapes one rotated 180 degrees, and look to see what applications are sending data in and out of your computer it will give a DL Speed and UpL Speed for all running applications

8) Run ArmA Windowed and bring up Windows Task Manger to see what else is running?

Ans.) Blank

No Information supplied

9) Have you got any other people sharing your bandwidth in the house?

Is your flatmate downloading Pron 24/7? Watch out for consoles that have broadband connections they are bandwidth hogs even when they appear to be turned off and they even misdirect themselves to the wrong internal IP address, turn them off or disconnect them from the Internet while playing ArmA.

Ans.)

nothing else running in the house

10) DO NOT TURN OFF ANY FIREWALL! Any one who tells you do this is either either a numpty or evil. All you need to do with such things is make sure the ArmA ports are open.

Ans.) Blank

Please Confirm, you have opened up requesite ports for ArmA.

11) Make sure you have not got a virus or Trojan or other nasty. I presume you have a software fire wall and virus checker.

Ans.) Blank[/b]

Please confirm you have a proper virus checker and firewall.

13) Get Hold of Hijackthis http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis/ make sure you have no nasties.

Ans.) Blank[/b]

Please confirm you have checked to make sure you have no nasties using you as a spam whore. Supply Hijack this log file.

14) Make sure your ISP are not shortchanging you with a bad router close to home or some nasty traffic shaping program that stops you using games or PtoP applications, and that is misidentifying ArmA. Use a package such as ping plotter to trace from you to the servers IP address so you check this.

http://www.pingplotter.com/download.html

Once again there is a freeware version and trial period of the full product.

Ans.) Blank[/b]

Check to see where the lag is occuring, supply your ping plotter log (you may wish to blank out your IP address if it is a static one you own but not if it is dynamicly supplied by your ISP as are most IP adressess.

Kind Regards walker

Edited January 22, 2011 by walker

[visceralsyn 10]

10) DO NOT TURN OFF ANY FIREWALL! Any one who tells you do this is either either a numpty or evil. All you need to do with such things is make sure the ArmA ports are open.

This is retarded, since you do not know, there should be no need to open ports for a client application. If a client is behind a router, and most people do use routers, routers/NAT is a firewall. Running software firewalls does not provide more protection, it provides an additional obstacle for communication. Most users of Windows XP Sp2 or Sp3 have the Microsoft Firewall and a 3rd party firewall active, and wonder why they have connection issues. If the service is on, the product is on, not disabled via the control panel.

So its in fact not 'a numpty or evil', your statement is. Maybe do some research on firewalls, NAT and TCP/IP in general, before making crass statements that you cannot back up with any facts.

...Syn...

[walker 0]

Hi VisceralSyn

I know they could have a router with a hardware NAT Firewall but they might not have, so it is better to err on the side of caution.

I know of many who do not have a router and instead connect straight to the net via a cable or ADSL modem. I agree such people are becoming rarer but the amount of Spam Whores proves my case. And if he has a laptop you are asking for trouble if he logs on to public free WIFI locations for the majority of people messing around with such things is just asking for trouble.

Kind Regards walker

Edited January 22, 2011 by walker

[Boston48 10]

I know of many who do not have a router and instead connect straight to the net via a cable or ADSL modem. I agree such people are becoming rarer but the amount of Spam Whores proves my case. And if he has a laptop you are asking for trouble if he logs on to public free WIFI locations for the majority of people messing around with such things is just asking for trouble

I am not running a laptop. I am on a top of the line PC.

I have also solved the problem a bit, by literally turning everything else off in the house, and turning off all other programs on the computer. Still a bit laggy, but its tolerable.

I will fill in the blanks of your questions later when I am at my computer.

[Gunter Severloh 3952]

Other things that create lag for you is a poor performing PC, and Im not talking about low end specs

which obviously you do not need to worry about, but a fragged hardrive would add to it, registry errors,

internet optimization, and among other things overheating GPU which Im assuming yours is not but it dont hurt to check.

[PsychoPigeon 10]

I can't stand these people who deny the problems. The lag hes CLEARLY talking about is because of bad netcode. NOTHING to do with his own pc or connection. Multiplayer is choppy even with a handful of people let alone 60 players. Players skip all over the place, as well as the AI. The problem has existed since the first Arma and will continue because people don't talk about it on the forums.

[walker 0]

Hi PsychoPigeon

It works like this.

If the program was at fault all would experience it.

Since a very few experience this "lag" issue it follows it must be something in this small minorities personal setup of their system.

I am not denying that it happens to this small minority because I have seen a video of it. All I can say is I have never experienced it and I have not got a high spec machine or broadband at the moment as I am out in the countryside.

So since I am not in possession of an out of this world computer it there for follows the game's net code is not at fault.

I play regularly on DAO's valhalla server and other than occasional normal ping drops from normal net problems the game is in the main as smooth as silk.

Since you are one of those who claims this problem exists on your computer it behoves you to track it down and fix it.

Kind Regards walker

Edited January 22, 2011 by walker

[visceralsyn 10]

Is your sole purpose in life is the stand in the middle of town crying 'Bad netcode' ???

[Gunter Severloh 3952]

I can't stand these people who deny the problems.

An to whom what people are you referring to?

Aint nobody denying the problems of Net code but your denying the possibility of other things that could influence if not

be more of a cause then the net code.

I suggested other possibilities as I know for a fact that when I optimize my registry, and internet, as well as have my

computer defragged, as well as any registry errors cleared my mp game runs smooth.

Lag also is an AI issue if you have a ton of AI ingame that when they die and you dont have a script running to remove

the dead bodies, your mp game will turn laggy as well.

I wouldn't mention something if it didn't work, it works for me, but apparently all these guys with thier high end computers

cant seem to run the game, then you take guys like me with a single core cpu, and a gtx 260 with win xp 32bit and the

game runs rather fine without issues other then I have to run on low settings, I usually dont get lag in mp, unless theres

a ton of AI on the screen, and then too I have broadband internet.

Surely it is a big influence to one's game lagging but Net code isn't the only issue to look at.