Me, Verizon, or Steam problem?

[eddy051]

Recently I purchased Counter-Strike: Source along with the other games that came with that. I have trouble connecting to servers, I seem to be having trouble with bad packet loss on the wireless connection. Let me give some information regarding the setup.

Verizon DSL 3.0/768 connection
Westell 6100 Modem
Linksys WRT54G router
Linksys WMP54G wireless card
Very good and excellent is the average signal strength
Computer: AMD 3200, 7600GS, 1gb PC3200 RAM.

Now the problem is I can update the server list momentarily, but after a few seconds it stops and then I hit refresh again; and it says unable to contact master server list. Here is the weird thing, if I try to connect to one of those servers that updated, it will join the server no problem, start out for maybe 3 seconds like everything is normal, then the ping will climb higher and higher, 100, 200, 300... etc until eventually 2000 and I get dropped from the server.

This problem seems to be only with counter-strike source and all other source games, the computer can play CS 1.6, DOD 1.3, and other games such as GTA: San Andreas multiplayer with no latency problems. This is a list of things I have tried;

-Resetting modem and router back to factory defaults/and rebooting the modem
-Updating router firmware
-Updating wireless card drivers
-Forwarding ports 1200, 27000 to 27015, 27020 to 27050 in the proper fashions on both my modem and router.
-I have setup static IP's on both computers so I can forward the ports properly
-I have used the testing feature Steam provides and it passes all checks
-I have also tried turning off the wireless zero configuration utility window provides and used only the Linksys software, which is how I have done it anyway. (it is still turned off)
-I have tried making a LAN game, if I create and the other computer connects to me the ping is high, 100-2000 jumping all over the place. If the other computer creates and I connect, the ping does the same thing to me; jumping all over the place from 100-2000.

I am not sure if this is on my end, or verizons end, or steams end? The fact that every other game works fine except source applications makes it extremely weird.

 

[Iceblue]

Are you able to connect wired? This is just to eliminate any issues with your wireless connection from the equation.

I'm not a gamer, so beyond "normal" network issues, I can't help you. But, the wired connection is simpler to set up and troubleshoot, and it is faster. So, if you can, connect that way as a step to try to figure out what is happening.

 

[eddy051]

Well, it appears from my new tests this is a network issue that is it out of verizons and steams help range.

I put the computer in my room and noticed it was getting a 95% signal strength. I connected, started up steam and joined a server, it worked perfectly, only played for about 5 minutes though. I also hooked the computer up with my ethernet cable, modem > router > computer and it worked as well, so I didn't bother with modem > computer.

Does this mean I am having bad packet loss when it is in the other room, and now how do I solve this problem. :?

UPDATE: I managed to get the router closer to the wireless computer by changing the way I had mine connected. Originally I had this setup:

Phone cord > modem > 6ft cat5 to router > then a 25ft cat5 to my computer
now I changed it to:
Phone cord > modem > 25ft cat5 to router > then the 6ft to my computer.

It knocked about 10 feet off of the distances, and boosted the signal strength by another 5% for an average of about 68% give or take a few, the game still wont work though so I am going to move the computer to where I can literally see the wireless card standing at the router. If this doesn't fix it then I don’t know what the heck is wrong. I will post back as soon as I do this, might take a few days as it involves rearranging the room.

 

[eddy051]

Well, problem solved. I moved the desk to the other side of the room to where I can see the antenna standing at the router, 97% signal strength and CS:S and all other source applications work fine. 8)

Thanks.