Question DSL Dial-up disconnects when logging into EA Games server ?

[DarthGizmo]

I have an old Speedstream modem that is DSL Dial-up and gets 2.6 mbps.

I realize this is an older and slower connection, but let us assume I don't change hardware for now.

When I try to log into the EA Games server, I lose internet connection.
This doesn't ever happen to me on any other gaming sites.

What could be the cause, and what is the solution?

 

[bill001g]

What do you mean you lose the internet connection. Do you have reboot the router or something.

If you were to open a cmd windows and let a constant ping run to 8.8.8.8 does that also stop when you launch EA.

It has been so long since people ran connection that slow it is surprising anything work. Web pages have so much garbage in them even they actually use quite a bit of bandwidth, at least compared to a 2mbps connection.

I could see sites disconnecting because they think there is some kind of error because of the slow transfer rates. They in effect get tired of waiting.

This is very different than if the router itself is disconnecting. You should see messages in the router......then again if you are using a really old router also those didn't tell much.

Although it should not just be one site that causes it you could be getting errors on the DSL line. At some point it gets too many errors and restarts. Most times you just get maybe a minute or so as the line resets itself.

I maybe could see you playing a game on slow connection like that but it must take close to a full day to download some of the games.

 

[DarthGizmo]

Thanks for the response,

When the EA server disconnects me from the internet, I completely disconnect and lose my connection, and in the dial-up I have to go into the control panel, Network and Internet Settings, select Dial-Up, and click on "Connect" again.

I'm sure when this happens, there is no ping at all, cause we are disconnected, it is dial-up.

The modem is a Speedstream 5360 Ethernet DSL Modem, yes it is old, does take me a day to get some games. Everything else we want to do on-line works fine.

Can I do anything to prevent the disconnecting?

 

[bill001g]

So it seems you are doing this in rather strange way. Most times you have a DSL modem/router that you set all the networks setting in. You pc just runs the same as if you have a cable modem or fiber box. In your case it appears you only have a simple modem or some other device to connect to the dsl phone line. It has been a very long time since I have ever seen it done that way. I would check the event viewer and see if there are any messages.

Maybe the modem has a message if you can get into it. Maybe it has a light or something.

You have 2 connections. The modem is running the actual physical line and talking to the ISP using PPPOA... ie point to point over ATM.
Your second connection is between the pc and kinda the ISP. It is running PPPoE ...point to point over ethernet.

If the physical line goes down your will lose both connection. If there is a problem only with the PPPoE then you lose the logical connection to the ISP. Now this could also be something related to the ethernet port even though that seems unlikely.

What is strange is if it really is only EA that breaks it.

I can't see how software would break the connection between the modem and the ISP unless there is some kind of data pattern that just happens to get more errors. Software also should not really be messing around with your ethernret/network settings.

I would hope the event viewer gives you a clue.

Maybe as a worst case option if you can't figure it out is look very cheap router. It doesn't need to be DSL you can do the same PPPOE trick on the router. This would move all the low level networks stuff to the router. I would look for used equipment. Maybe a friend has a old router in box in their garage. What you are looking for is almost worthless because it is so slow, but it still good for you. The shipping tends to be more than the device is worth so a local yard sale is the best place to find a used one. You can get new really cheap routers for $15.

It doesn't make sense that only EA would break it.....now maybe they are loading some anticheat stuff but there are still must faster connection that run PPPoE over a fiber even though that too is rather rare.

 

[DarthGizmo]

Thanks for your message.

What is the event viewer? Maybe I can check that, but not sure where to look.

Also, the reason I use an old dial up DSL modem is because I get sick from wi-fi signals. So a router would not be an option, as it puts out wireless signals.

 

[bill001g]

There are options that let you turn off the wifi radio chips.

Exactly where event viewer is found depends on which version of windows you have and what patch level. Microsoft needs to stop "improving" things.

I you push the windows key you should find it in the list. You can also type it into the search bar after pushing window key.

The new problem is going to be that if you are having trouble just finding the app you are going to have issues using it. Event viewer is a massive log of things that happen on your machine. Most the stuff is normal like all the stuff that happens when you boot the machine or shut it down.

This involves digging around looking for something that stands out as different around the time you are getting this failure. There are time stamps on all the records. Problem is they do not document this very well and some messages may not mean anything more than you already know like you lost internet connectivity.

It is purely something to hopefully get a clue where to go next. Your problem is very strange.

 

[DarthGizmo]

Yes, I understand, it is a complicated problem, made even more complicated by all the issues I'm having with Windows errors now too.

Just curious, if I buy a newer modem, how do I turn off the wi-fi? Is there a simple way to do it?

 

[bill001g]

It is very simple but the exact method is different on different brands of routers.

There generally is a button your just click that says disable radio. There might be 2 if the router has 2.4 and 5GHZ support.
It is almost always on the same screen you set the wifi id and passwords.

 

[Ralston18]

@DarthGizmo

FYI:

How To - How to use Windows 10 Event Viewer | Tom's Hardware Forum (tomshardware.com)

 

[35below0]

@DarthGizmo

FYI:

How To - How to use Windows 10 Event Viewer | Tom's Hardware Forum (tomshardware.com)

For some reason i am unable to click on this link?

 

[Ralston18]

Try:

https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-use-windows-10-event-viewer.2752289/

 

[DarthGizmo]

Thanks, I'm currently getting 2.6 mbps with this old modem, I think I can get more if I update the modem.

Just out of interest, is there such a thing as a non-wireless non-router ADSL modem that will give me 10 mbps?

 

[bill001g]

DSL stuff has always be rather limited selection, not sure why a lot of people used to use it.

There are modem only devices but they are even more rare than modem/routers. This is something that I have not looked for in years.

The key thing the restricts the speed you get is the quality of the telephone wire coming to your house. It has been a very long time since someone has posted here with speeds like 2mbps. Most even slow dsl is at least 15mbps.

This all depends on if your ISP has upgraded their equipment to something newer and there is not something strange with the wires between you and the phone company. This is a question you are better off asking your ISP they likely can tell you more about why you are limited to such a slow speed and they might have recommended list of modems and router.

.....the router though is purely a guess as to something that will fix your issue. I would still try the event viewer option first, your problem is very strange that just one software causes the issue which means it really should be related to that and not hardware.

 

[DarthGizmo]

I checked the Event Viewer, there is one critical error called "Kernel-Power".

A whole bunch of other errors called "Kernel Event Tracing", "Bonjour Service", "volmgr", "ESENT". "DHCP Client", "Application Error", "Microsoft Security Client", "Ras Man" "Ras Client"

and 22 errors of "Distributed Com"

Not sure what any of that means, do you know?

Last question, does the fact that I'm using this connection that takes an ADSL modem mean that I can't get an ADSL2 modem?

 

[bill001g]

Newer modem tend to be compatible with the older forms of dsl. The newest ones that support vdsl also support addl.

Event viewer has massive amounts of data which makes it confusing. Some of those are just normal boot things for example.

What you want to try to find are the messages the occur very close to the time you see the problem. Something that happens 10 minutes or a hour before is likely not related.

It is then search the internet for the messages that occur around the problem and hope you get lucky and get a clue. Microsoft does not document those messages very well.

 

[DarthGizmo]

Do you happen to know of any ADSL modems with routers that can be disabled simply by toggling a switch?

There are laptops for instance where you can turn off the wi-fi with a on-off switch. Is there such a thing for modems?

 

[Ralston18]

Not by a physical switch as I understand your question.

If using combined modem/router the the Admin simply disables the DHCP IP address functions per the applicable configuration menu.

 

[DarthGizmo]

Thanks for the info:

So, I finally got into the EA Server using a work around!!!

1. I realized that simply launching Madden disconnects my DSL modem

2. I ran Madden in windowed mode so I could reduce Madden and re-connect to the internet

3, After reconnecting I was able to play Madden normally and connect to the EA server and download rosters, play an online game with no latency at all, etc..

So we have established that it isn't my slow internet speed that prevents me from connecting to the EA Server, it is something to do with the launcher disconnecting my modem

I am wondering if getting Madden 24 on Steam instead would solve this launching issue. Does it have to do with the Game Pass App? Or maybe the EA Play App?

Do you have any theories on why simply launching Madden from the EA Play APP disconnects me from the internet?

Also, btw, I did a clean boot and I am still getting the explorer.exe application error, so people tell me this means the EA App is not causing that error.

 

[DarthGizmo]

I just had this happen with another game.

The online game server worked fine, but I got disconnected when I exited the game and it tried to upload my settings to a cloud sync.

So maybe uploading is disconnecting me, but downloading is fine.

Does this suggest a solution?