Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router

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Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router
Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router
2020-08-26 20:48:18
Model: Archer A20  
Hardware Version: V3
Firmware Version: 1.0.3 Build 20191026 rel.13901(5553)

Hi all,

 

About 2-3x per match, I see moments of severe packet loss where I'll just start teleporting around and my game client has to play catch up. This is actually more problematic than the ping.

 

For what it's worth, I used to be on a Spectrum provided router that was giving me around 30-40ms ping in Rocket League (North America). I switched to the Archer A20 recently and now I'm seeing that my ping is 80-90ms. I changed nothing about the configuration at all, other than the router. I have band steering turned on, otherwise most other things are default.

 

Anyone know how I can fix the packet loss, and why a crappy ISP router was giving me better ping?

 

Thanks,


Vexir

 

P.S. Important note - I was seeing many more packet loss moments with the ISP router, so overall it's improved, but I'm curious why the A20 gives worse ping and how I might eliminate these packet loss moments all together/

 

P.P.S. Setup info: PS4 original, w/2.4ghz wifi unfortunately. It's located about 6-7 feet away from the router, with an interior wall in between. I know that wiring in is probably a solution, but I'd have to run a cable around a door. I'm hoping there's a configuration solution.

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#1
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Re:Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router
2020-08-26 21:30:39 - last edited 2020-08-26 21:32:29

@Vexir Are you in an apartment or condo? Youre likely to be getting interference. Your spectrum provided route likely has a boost to eliminate the other interference. 

 

If your PS4 supports 5Ghz range. Turn off bandsteering and connect it. I dont even use 2.4 Ghz anymore. All my devices are hardwired and cell phone and laptop are only wireless devices in my home. 

 

If your PS4 only supports 2.4, hard wired is best in this scenario.

 

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#2
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Re:Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router
2020-08-27 05:56:07 - last edited 2020-08-27 05:58:17

@MKFlyers2K Condo. PS4 is 2.4ghz only unfortunately. I have an original box, not a Slim or Pro. 

This somewhat tracks. Spectrum techs have told me about the large amount of interference before. 
 

Is there a way to have the A20 configured to boost in a similar fashion?

 

----

 

Why would you ever want to turn off band steering? I'm not sure how it works but it seems to me that you'd want your 5Ghz devices to be distributed evenly between both 5Ghz bands, while rarely or never being shunted to the 2.4Ghz band?

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#3
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Re:Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router
2020-08-27 11:49:44
First I would bypass the router and connect a PC direct to the modem and see what speeds and Ping time you get. If not good, then you may need to get the ISP involved as it could be the modem, your wiring to the modem, or the ISP. I found using a better modem (MB8600) than my IPS speed calls for helped stabilize my speeds a lot. I have 200 Mbs service and most time s get over that (230-236). I think the additional channels up and down from the ISP makes a difference. If all is good with the modem/ISP test then next is the router and device placement. Turning the router, raise/lower, adjusting the antennas, moving it only a few feet sometime father away, all make a difference. Next I would try using specific channels and band width for the 2.4 band as interference on the channel and some devices are more sensitive to band width. Also, anything you can take off the 2.4 GHz band and put on the 5 GHz band will help. Change NAT Boost, turn off QoS, ensure IPv6 is working, and such. In my option, some of those automatic features that they put on routers these days do not work as good as setting things up manually. Convenience yes, but at a cost.
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Re:Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router
2020-08-27 12:33:37 - last edited 2020-08-27 13:09:30

@Vexir I have looked at your manual. Transmit power is already set to high. Nothing more outside of hard wire you can do other then what the most recent poster did. What kind of modem do you have again?

 

As far as your question around band steering. I am not a fan. Especially in areas of high interference, in theory it is supposed to detect which wireless range will be "optimum" but in my experience les then optimum results usually occur. Ie...... band steering might put you on a 2.4 ghz signal because it is seeing a "better" signal, however interference might slow you up. I would take a 20% 5ghz connection with no interference over a 80% 2.4 Ghz connection with a ton of interference.

 

To test interference and see what migh be the best 2.4 channel to use I would recommend downloading a wifi scanner app on your phone and seeing which one has less interference. You can then manually choose the channel you want. Since this is a condo you have to be careful, take your phone from room to room and do a eval on to see if theres a variance of interference from room to room. I would also do the same with 5ghz and set that channel as well. I NEVER use the Auto setting which is what your router is likely on. 

 

As far as testing via direct connection as recommended by the other poster. You can try that as well. But make certain you are using a excellent/or even new cat 6 cable. New cables are cheap at amazon and you and usually get them by tomorrow with prime.

 

PS4 especially older models have had notorious issues with wireless. If it were me id just get the cable and run it around, or make a wall outlet. In my case with my 2 bedrrom apartment, modem is in the middle room which is my office then I ran a cable through the wall to the master bed room, then another through a utility closet and into the family room. In my case I only use cat 6. I have a gig connction to internet. I get a solid 950 MBPS on any hard wire and minimum loss.

 

@ArcherC8 recommended "Change NAT Boost, turn off QoS, ensure IPv6 is working" in my 20+ years of experence, NAT Boost and QOS settings they are recommending arent going to do the trick in about 99% of situations. Now about IPv6. That can get interesting depending on your device. In your case with the PS4, the software can support it but to my knowledge they dont "use" it. 

 

Another option is to buy a powerline adapter, but way more expensive then a cat 6 cable and can add slowness to your connection.

 

 

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#5
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Re:Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router
2020-08-27 13:32:21

 

Vexir wrote

@MKFlyers2K

 

Why would you ever want to turn off band steering? I'm not sure how it works but it seems to me that you'd want your 5Ghz devices to be distributed evenly between both 5Ghz bands, while rarely or never being shunted to the 2.4Ghz band?

@Vexir 

 

I assume you meant Smart Connect? I've got an A20 V1 and there is no 'band steering' nor in the V3 manual. Smart Connect is:

 

=================

The smart connect function lets you to enjoy a more high-speed network by assigning your devices to best wireless bands based on actual conditions to balance network demands.1. Go to Advanced > Wireless > Wireless Settings.

=================

 

Smart Connect is basically so 'you' don't need to worry where the device connects too. However there are different implementations on Smart Connect. I think TP-Link uses Load Leveling function. That is it (the router) will both determine which band you device will perform on best and ALSO keep the number of devices per band equal. Doing so can decrease performance on some devices.

 

Band power is also a consideration. 2.4Ghz will go further than a 5Ghz band which drops off fast, but would be stronger that the 2.4Ghz at a distance.

 

If you want best performance, you should know which device you want connected to which band. I keep all my low speed devices on 2.4Ghz (not using Smart Connect), my 802.11 N Speed devices on 5-1Ghz band, and the 802.11 AC devices on the 5-2Ghz band.

 

If I were to use Smart Connect, our phones and iPad's which leave the house when we return would switch bands and in some cases (all are AC devices), depending what else in the house is on (Smart Connect handles the band assignment as device come on, and once on a band, this implementation is not 'dynamic' as the device stays there until the device is power off, or leaves the wireless signal area).

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Re:Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router
2020-08-27 13:46:13

@IrvSp Band Steering/Smart Connect are one in the same. I agree depending on our individual situation/enviroment it could be more beneficial to have it on. In my parents case with their single family home I have it turned on. They have little to no interference on 2.4 band. 

 

But in my case and in the original posters case we live in a condo/apartment. The 2.4 range is very unable due to interference. Even my 5Ghz has some "interference" so I moved my channel in 5ghz to a DFS channel that is not getting other interference. That took me a while because I am only able to find just a few channels in DFS that are not getting interference. But now I am on totally clean range with no interference. In my individual situation all my wireless devices (cell phone and laptop) are connected to 5ghz with 2.4 radio turned off. Everything else 10+ devices are connected via hardwaire on cat 6.

 

Disclamier: some devices dont support DFS channel and wont connect. IE... My Samsung Soundbar and surround system. I had to hard wire a wireless access point next to these devices and choose a relativly clean 5GHZ non DFS channel for them to connect.

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#7
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Re:Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router
2020-08-27 17:43:17

@MKFlyers2K 

 

Smart Connect is the name for the feature found on most residential routers, or at least, all I'm familiar with.

 

What does help determining 'interference', at least from near by SSID's is a Network Analyser... many available on mobile devices, and OS's.

 

I'm on W10 and I use Acrylic Home. I can see what channels all the SSID's are on that my network adapter (USB dual band) can see and the power.

 

5Ghz

 

 

All power graph:

 

As you can see, not much around me. Single family home.

 

With a tool like this you can discover the best channel to use. Even in a cluttered environment.

 

By the way, that last 2.4Ghz NETGEAR96 on Channel 8 comes and goes, too weak to bother me, and it is not set for the WIDE Channel.

 

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#8
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Re:Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router
2020-08-28 01:00:57

Thanks all. This still doesn't really explain why ping was 50% lower on the ISP provided router - any ways to fix that?

 

Also, here's my network analyzer tool - basic version. Let's just talk about 2.4ghz right now as the PS4 can't do 5GHz. As you can see, it looks like channel 11 has much less interference than 3, but the A20 is choosing 3 automatically. If it's supposed to choose the channel with the best performance automatically, why is it choosing 3? I'm sure there are many other factors to consider other than # of devices on a channel, but I don't know enough about wireless tech to say.

 

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#9
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Re:Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router
2020-12-05 15:24:39

I was using Spectrum provide some time ago and had some problems with it too. Recently I changed to A20, every thing if fine for now, I use them for around 3 months.

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#10
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Re:Packet Loss in Rocket League PS4 with Archer A20, and Worse Ping vs ISP router
2020-12-07 14:13:39

I'm also using Spectrum and have never had problems with the internet, maybe the problem is with in wrong updates of the game? I also have sometimes FPS losses, but it is recovering shortly, or it may happen when there is a hard battle. As I was told it may happen due to items I added recently. Recently I bought some item for this game, installed it and was fine, now was looking to buy rocket league items again, as this problem appeared, will try to solve it first. I'm pretty sure that it is not due to items.

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#11
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