IDNetters Forums

Technical News & Discussion => IDNet Help => Topic started by: netgem21 on Sep 22, 2010, 13:46:26

Title: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: netgem21 on Sep 22, 2010, 13:46:26
Hi guys

Just migrated my account to a new line and while the speed has improved dramatically, the ping/latency has increased. My previous line was used exclusively for ADSL and there were no extension sockets. The new line is used with voice calls/microfilters - could this be the reason for increased ping/latency? As an online gamer, this can be an issue. How can I reduce it and is it worth upgrading to SuperMax?

Thanks :)

(http://www.pingtest.net/result/24606992.png) (http://www.pingtest.net)

(See signature for pingtest on previous line)
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: Lance on Sep 22, 2010, 13:51:00
I think you need to do a proper ping test from the command prompt.

The variation between the two above could simply be explained by them being different servers, or a server load variation.
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: netgem21 on Sep 22, 2010, 13:52:00
Quote from: Lance on Sep 22, 2010, 13:51:00
I think you need to do a proper ping test from the command prompt.

The variation between the two above could simply be explained by them being different servers, or a server load variation.

Thanks Lance, can you give me the command for that?
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: netgem21 on Sep 22, 2010, 13:57:43
Quote from: Lance on Sep 22, 2010, 13:51:00
I think you need to do a proper ping test from the command prompt.

The variation between the two above could simply be explained by them being different servers, or a server load variation.

Don't worry, I've found it. On another note, I just pinged my router and these are the results I got:


Ping has started...

PING 192.168.0.1 (192.168.0.1): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=0 ttl=255 time=2.464 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=255 time=3.762 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=255 time=2.951 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=3 ttl=255 time=1.832 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=4 ttl=255 time=15.528 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=5 ttl=255 time=2.281 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=6 ttl=255 time=2.106 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=7 ttl=255 time=2.738 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=8 ttl=255 time=9.958 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.0.1: icmp_seq=9 ttl=255 time=4.261 ms

--- 192.168.0.1 ping statistics ---
10 packets transmitted, 10 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 1.832/4.788/15.528/4.226 ms

There are some spikes there, is that normal for a wireless connection?

Thanks :)
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: Happy Surfer on Sep 22, 2010, 14:11:20
I'm not 100% sure on the subject but if u are getting lag spikes pinging the router then I'd assume that it is wireless interferrence affecting the connection
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: Glenn on Sep 22, 2010, 14:15:05
If you are gaming, then a wired connection will be far less prone to the spikes you are seeing when pinging your router. If you can't run a cable to where the PC/laptop/Mac is, then take a look at homeplugs, these work well http://www.ebuyer.com/product/179960

Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: netgem21 on Sep 22, 2010, 14:20:43
Cheers guys...

One more thing - Home SuperMax. Is it worth going for to improve performance?
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: Steve on Sep 22, 2010, 14:24:23
Home supermax will give you exchange priority therefore you will see less variation in ping times throughout the day and from my own personal experience having suffered from exchage congestion it reduced the overall ping time.
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: netgem21 on Sep 22, 2010, 14:43:23
Quote from: Glenn on Sep 22, 2010, 14:15:05
If you are gaming, then a wired connection will be far less prone to the spikes you are seeing when pinging your router. If you can't run a cable to where the PC/laptop/Mac is, then take a look at homeplugs, these work well http://www.ebuyer.com/product/179960



Thanks Glenn, think I might get the Netgear XAVB1004. Are these things really as good as they say they are?
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: Steve on Sep 22, 2010, 14:49:38
Do really need the 4 port switch? The powerplugs will add some latecy to the circuit compared to a direct ethernet cable but throughput in my experience is more sustained than with wifi.
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: Glenn on Sep 22, 2010, 15:17:31
The throughput on my homeplugs is around the 190mbs mark +/- 5mps, I don't know how much extra latency they added.
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: Steve on Sep 22, 2010, 15:24:58
I think the figures here (http://www.faculty-x.net/homeplug-blog/?p=22) are something I would agree with as they seem comparable to when I tested a large file LAN transfer.

Some of the plugs have QoS settings which will prioritise traffic and thus give some control over latency
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: Rik on Sep 22, 2010, 15:26:11
Quote from: netgem21 on Sep 22, 2010, 14:20:43
One more thing - Home SuperMax. Is it worth going for to improve performance?

It knocked about 8ms of my (interleaved) ping, equating it to the fast path connection on my other line.
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: Glenn on Sep 22, 2010, 15:33:31
I was just going by the displayed figures.
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: Steve on Sep 22, 2010, 15:46:36
I think the units in the table I gave surely must be wrong as 200mbps is 25mb/s, what I was trying to say is you don't get the speeds they advertise over a sustained file transfer from one room to the next but they are certainly better than wireless.
Title: Re: How to reduce ping/latency?
Post by: esh on Sep 22, 2010, 16:07:29
I use all three methods of connectivity so I can comment somewhat.


Firstly, wireless will show strong ping variation with a small amount of packet loss. This is just life. I use a high-grade Intel wireless adapter, and some fairly generic homeplugs, and Cat5e (self-made) ethernet cable and these are the kind of values I can quote you from experience

Wireless: 5ms, with spikes to 30ms, 0.1% packet loss
Homeplug: 3ms, very few spikes, 0% packet loss
Ethernet: 0.1ms, no spikes, 0% packet loss

Secondly, changing routers can affect your ping a small amount. Moving from some dastardly Netgear box (15-20ms ping to DSL gateway) to a dedicated VM router, I get 7-12 ms.

I am using SuperMax.

Homeplug quoted values are nonsense. The plugs I have sync at 80mbps (they are quoted at 85mbps) but the data transfer rate only achieves 30-35mbps.