#$(%&(#%*@(# ISP!!!!

[Pooka]

Okay, I've had it.

When I signed up again for EQ I noticed that my connection to my server, didn't matter which server, would drop on me about every 15 minutes. Less frequently if I was dropping/looting greens all over the place and/or zoning a lot. (Misty Thicket pottery required a few zoning-binges, as did tailoring backpacks, etc.) And more frequently (Like 5 minutes) if I was sitting on the docks fishing and not saying much, etc.

I'd be sitting there when suddenly my packet loss would shoot straight to 100% and I'd watch it march it's way up.

It got downright predictable. It was fine when I was soloing, but as I get closer to a Druid's need to group, this constant disconnect-reconnect-rejoingroup thing is seriously irritating me.

I didn't make a fuss about it for three whole weeks because I was having to move (and have done so to the couch I'll be sleeping on until the place I'm going to move into eventually opens on the 1st.)

Now, I'm on a different network though there are now two constants left (Other than the fact that I'm connecting to EQ) that could be at fault here and I'm partially ranting, partially hoping someone else has encountered this problem and knows the solution. Because it's so regular and seems to be effected by activity level, it smells to me like a timeout protocoll of somekind.

The constants are my machine, a P3-850 running Win2K Pro (Maybe Win2K drops inactive connections or something? Can this be set otherwise?)

And the second is that I'm on a LAN-Dynamic IP Assignment network that connects to a DSL modem through a router. (As in, there's a firewall between me and EQ.)

Could either of these be responsible? Anyone know how I can fix this or should I give up on EQ (Again.) and count the purchase of Gold a loss?

I really don't want to do the former. I'd be hard pressed to find another way to consume so much of my free time. (I work graveyard and on my days off have utterly vast quanties of such time.)

[Fezzen]

You might want to try hitting the EQ Support sight and find a list of port settings needed for EQ and "punch" holes in your firewall to tell those ports to go directly to your system. Or if possible can you assign a specific internal IP to your system?

To me atleast, it sounds like your connection is re-syncing every so often and that is what is causing the drops. You might also want to make sure that your system is set to only use the LAN connection. If there is something in the background that is trying to force a different connection method that could cause some problems as well. You could try running a constant ping to your ISPs DNS server and whenever EQ dies out bring up the ping log to see if there is a problem going on with your ISP.

Myself: I'm using Win2k Pro and my connection is through a LAN that has a static IP DSL service hooked to the router. I can have three different systems up on EQ at once and they run fine... except for the few odd times when one goes linkdead and the others act like nothing happened. I chalk that up to tech-gremlins.

[Ngreth Thergn]

And How long has it been since a reformat?

Even win2k seems to die over time (windows is lovely isn't it!)

[Balkin]

I have a friend that had a router/firewall issue not long ago. He would drop every 15 minutes to a half hour as well.

What he did to fix it? He reset his router to the default settings, then let EQ come in whatever frickin port it wanted to. Prior to that, he had redirected the EQ hits to a different port of his own choosing. And was going link dead all the **** time. Now, he's up steady, accept for the occasional LD while in the bazaar selling over night *shrug*

You might want to reset the router so EQ comes in the port it's designed to enter in and see if it makes a difference.

[Jackmoove]

I use a Linksys Router and was having similar problems. upgrading the firmware on it fixed the problem. Give that a shot.

[Insert-RN]

The symptoms described here are just screaming that it's a Linksys - the 15 minute drop was something that I experienced myself, though I think in my case, it was 20. :)

The 4 port Linksys router that's in everybody and their dog's place for being such an easy to set up little thing is finicky.

It WILL stuff up your internet connection to things besides the Web if you have the wrong firmware loaded. Chances are you'll have to mess with it a bit, and try a number of different firmware versions until you get it right.

I had good luck with the firmware set from October of 2001, myself - no later version worked. Linksys is a bit odd in this respect - upgrading the firmware is, more often than not, a BAD idea. :)

If you aren't using a Linksys router, I'd say it's time to switch ISPs. :)

[Nizanko]

If it's a Linksys router, this problem can also be fixed - if a firmware upgrade is not available - by adding an entry in the "Port Triggering" option in the configuration.

Open your browser to 192.168.1.1 (or possibly 192.168.0.1) and click on "Advanced". Then click on "Forwarding" and then the Port Triggering button.

Add in an entry with the outgoing and incoming port ranges each set to 1024 - 65535, and apply those changes.

As mentioned, there may also be a firmware update that fixes this problem for you. Good luck :)

[Pooka]

Thanks for the suggestions folks, I'll talk with the owner of the current LAN and see what he can come up with.

Both LANs use a linksys router though I doubt I'll get him to open ports or downgrade firmware. However, when I get my own place... mwuhahaha. On the other hand, I can place my machine outside the firewall once I get a static IP from the local LAN owner. So I'll hopefully never have to rant like that again.

Again, thanks guys!

[Radnor]

Well, Like almost everyone else here, I have a Lynksys router and 2box most of the time.
Typical scenario: I have my alt in Bazaar on one, and play my main on the other. I will notice packet loss pretty badly, in DL for example, glance over at my Bazaar trader... Rock solid connection! This will go on for about 2 or 3 minutes; major packet loss on my main, while the bazaar char (on my slower computer) is happily purring along in a zone with 500 peeps in it!! I finally get frustrated, camp, log back in, and be happy for hours, with no interruption at all on my bazaar char the whole time...
I attribute it to The Borrowers myself. They have a fondness for IP packets, and prefer to bask in the gloriousness that is my G4 4600Ti rather than my Voodoo5, all the while happily grabbing packets from my network card... Really, this is the only explanation I find reasonable. ;)

[Pooka]

After moving my machine to the hub that resides outside the firewall, I spent a whole four hours on EQ without interruption.

Thank you all for your help!

[Fragmentals]

I have a similar problem running DSL and ICS. I go LD on the computer thats connected directly to the DSL but the other is fine. If I speak in group, tell or say it pops back to normal for about 30 secounds then starts cycling down again. So if you see me running through the world with random letters poping up thats whats up.
Fragmental