Dying drops my network.

[jagermonsta]

Hello, Here is a run down of the situation: 1. Two computers sharing a broadband connection through a wireless router. 2. Both computers running EQ2 with the two characters grouped together. 3. If one of those two characters dies, the internet connection for both computers will be dropped. So when my girlfriend and I are grouped together and she or I dies, we get disconnected from our server. Not only do we get disconnected but internet for both computers ceases to work. I am forced to power cycle both the wireless router and the cable modem. Why is this happening and what can I do to stop it? (My cable modem and router never have a problem unless the above situation occurs. This is completely a EverQuest 2 related problem, not my hardware.) Thanks!

[Wingrider01]

Ranadin@Antonia Bayle wrote: <blockquote>Hello, Here is a run down of the situation: 1. Two computers sharing a broadband connection through a wireless router. 2. Both computers running EQ2 with the two characters grouped together. 3. If one of those two characters dies, the internet connection for both computers will be dropped. So when my girlfriend and I are grouped together and she or I dies, we get disconnected from our server. Not only do we get disconnected but internet for both computers ceases to work. I am forced to power cycle both the wireless router and the cable modem. Why is this happening and what can I do to stop it? (My cable modem and router never have a problem unless the above situation occurs. This is completely a EverQuest 2 related problem, not my hardware.) Thanks! </blockquote>first step would be to see if the issuse can be reproduced using a wired connection to both machines, this will remove interference or packet overload on the wireless connection as being a cause of the drop

[jagermonsta]

<cite>Wingrider01 wrote:</cite><blockquote>first step would be to see if the issuse can be reproduced using a wired connection to both machines, this will remove interference or packet overload on the wireless connection as being a cause of the drop    </blockquote> Sure I could take the time and troubleshoot the issue myself and perhaps come up with a work around but you know what, I'm not getting paid. In fact I'm paying to play and for what I'm paying, I expect some support. (wishful thinking I guess...)

[StoneySilen]

Considering it sounds like a hardware issue on your side which is evident since you have to reboot your modem and router then it isn't a problem with EQ2.  The problem just shows up when playing EQ2 but isn't caused by EQ2, it is a underlying problem with either your modem or your router.

[jagermonsta]

Nitelen@The Bazaar wrote: <blockquote>Considering it sounds like a hardware issue on your side which is evident since you have to reboot your modem and router then it isn't a problem with EQ2.  The problem just shows up when playing EQ2 but isn't caused by EQ2, it is a underlying problem with either your modem or your router. </blockquote>My hardware is fine. I have 100% uptime until the reproduce steps occur above. The problem is caused by EQ2. It is a EQ2 issue. It should be investigated as a problem with the game/server and then corrected.

[Wingrider01]

Ranadin@Antonia Bayle wrote: <blockquote>Nitelen@The Bazaar wrote: <blockquote>Considering it sounds like a hardware issue on your side which is evident since you have to reboot your modem and router then it isn't a problem with EQ2.  The problem just shows up when playing EQ2 but isn't caused by EQ2, it is a underlying problem with either your modem or your router. </blockquote>My hardware is fine. I have 100% uptime until the reproduce steps occur above. The problem is caused by EQ2. It is a EQ2 issue. It should be investigated as a problem with the game/server and then corrected. </blockquote> Here I would disagree with you, I tend to two box/four box a lot on the machines and do not have an issue of being dropped when one or more of the boxed characters die. Then again I refuse to use wireless on my gaming machines. I agree with the poster that the issue appears to reside within your network.

[Wingrider01]

Ranadin@Antonia Bayle wrote: <blockquote><cite>Wingrider01 wrote:</cite><blockquote>first step would be to see if the issuse can be reproduced using a wired connection to both machines, this will remove interference or packet overload on the wireless connection as being a cause of the drop    </blockquote>Sure I could take the time and troubleshoot the issue myself and perhaps come up with a work around but you know what, I'm not getting paid. In fact I'm paying to play and for what I'm paying, I expect some support. (wishful thinking I guess...) </blockquote> This is not a "work-around", this is a suggestion to elimiate one possible cause of the link dead issue, if the problem goes away with a wired connection then the issue resides in your wireless network hardware/firmware. I multiple box a lot on a wired network and do not have the issue that you are describing.

[jagermonsta]

<cite>Wingrider01 wrote:</cite><blockquote>Here I would disagree with you, I tend to two box/four box a lot on the machines and do not have an issue of being dropped when one or more of the boxed characters die. Then again I refuse to use wireless on my gaming machines. I agree with the poster that the issue appears to reside within your network.</blockquote>My girlfriend uses a wireless card in her computer, I do not. I also don't agree with using wireless for gaming. But she is forced to do the setup of the room. We would rather have her on wireless then to drag a wire across the floor to her computer. We do not have the option of installing a jack or coming up through the floor. Again.... The problem does no reside within the network. Everquest 2 causes the problem. The network is 100% fine until EQ2 does what ever it does to screw things up. <b> Everquest 2 causes the problem... </b>Perhaps there is a compatibility problem between EQ2 and the hardware. If that is the case then EQ2 should be corrected to be compatible with it.

[jagermonsta]

<cite>Wingrider01 wrote:</cite><blockquote>This is not a "work-around", this is a suggestion to elimiate one possible cause of the link dead issue, if the problem goes away with a wired connection then the issue resides in your wireless network hardware/firmware. I multiple box a lot on a wired network and do not have the issue that you are describing.</blockquote>I did not call it a work around. You should perhaps re-read things a few times before trying to comprehend what was stated. I called it troubleshooting. From troubleshooting perhaps I could come up with a work around to fix the issue. The issue does not reside in the hardware or configuration. It is an obvious issue with EQ2. 

[jagermonsta]

Now don't get me wrong, I appreciate you trying to help me with your suggestions to what you think is causing the problem. It's funny to me though that you are so quick to blame the problem on my end. Basically for any thread in the entire Tech section of this EQ2 forum you can tell the person there is a problem with their hardware. That is a fairly easy approach you seem to want take. Problem: "My screen is dark and I can't see." Answer: "Your video card is busted." See what I mean?... Now there has to be a explanation on why the problem I am having only resides with Everquest 2 performing what ever it does when you die.

[Wingrider01]

Ranadin@Antonia Bayle wrote: <blockquote>Now don't get me wrong, I appreciate you trying to help me with your suggestions to what you think is causing the problem. It's funny to me though that you are so quick to blame the problem on my end. Basically for any thread in the entire Tech section of this EQ2 forum you can tell the person there is a problem with their hardware. That is a fairly easy approach you seem to want take. Problem: "My screen is dark and I can't see." Answer: "Your video card is busted." See what I mean?... Now there has to be a explanation on why the problem I am having only resides with Everquest 2 performing what ever it does when you die. </blockquote><p> Actually the first response would be turn up your gamma/brightness.</p><p>Not blaming anything on your network, just basic problem resolution. </p><p>Given the fact that there are few reported cases of what is occurring for you AND personal expierence that 2/4 boxing does not normally have that issue, the first thing to look at is the network setup. The game communications is based on the UDP protocol, there is a good chance that your wireless router is detecting the packet load from death as a packet storm or a denial of service attempt on your connection it can be shutting down the connection to prevent it.  From real world expierence with wireless networks in civilian business environment  they are more prone to throw a false positive on this type of issue and close the connection. while wired connection can also expierence this, they are less likely to throw a false positive then their wireless counterparts. UDP traffic is not entirely wireless friendly as compared to TCP traffic.</p><p>Once the wireless is either proven or exhonerated from being the culprit, the next step would be to either look at the configuration of the software/hardware firewll or better yet delve deeper into the configuration of the wireless entry point into your network, the firmware, the port triggering, etc</p>

[MattyJ]

Sorry for bringing up a dead thread, but... It seems to me that EQ2 triggers a problem that you have with your hardware, eq2 is not the problem, just the trigger. I play with 2 computers (sometimes more) on a wireless connection and have absolutely no problems what so ever. As far as support goes and paying for it, if you want help trouble shooting a problem, they'll ask you to do all this anyways.  It's the only way to identify the root cause of the problem. Does it only do it when 2 computers are pn the wireless? Does it only happen when both revive simultaneously? If you have 1 character revive and wait for it to be fully in the zone, and then have the other character revive, does it still happen? If computer 2 is surfing the web/downloading something, and you revive on computer 1 does it happen? There's a multitude of factors at play here, it needs to be narrowed down.  Blaming EQ2 based soley on assumption is premature.

[TSR-ChrisL]

Ok lets see what could be causing this for you then as I don't believe it is EQ2 causing your network to shutdown. Please read through <a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=353617" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> *** Read before posting ***</a> and post the requested information from there.

[Morgane]

<cite>TSR-ChrisL wrote:</cite><blockquote>Ok lets see what could be causing this for you then as I don't believe it is EQ2 causing your network to shutdown. Please read through <a href="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=353617" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">*** Read before posting ***</a> and post the requested information from there. </blockquote><p> Hey Chris. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Not to be a jerk or anything (really! I heart you guys... I rarely have any issues at all with the game or the customer service) but why is it that THIS thread gets a response from a TSR when myself and a few others have actually already provided the requested info? </p><p>Sorry... it's just that I'm getting desperate. I haven't been able to play EQII without crashing every 30 minutes for a few weeks no. I actually went to the WoW website and am thinking about downloading the 10 day free trial to see if I like it. I've been playing EQII for a few years now and was a happy customer until this. I've posted a thread with a description of my problem, a screenshot of the error message and lines and lines and lines of the requested DXDIAG and MSINFO files and nary a TSR has answered. </p><p>I miss my EQII, man. *sob*</p>

[willnotuse]

I agree with TSR-ChrisL.  The necessary information to troubleshoot has not been provided for this particular problem or thread. 

[Morgane]

<cite>willnotuse wrote:</cite><blockquote>I agree with TSR-ChrisL.  The necessary information to troubleshoot has not been provided for this particular problem or thread.  </blockquote><p> Very true, but providing that information doesn't seem to illicit a response here at the tech forum, either. <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> </p><p>I think I'll give Sony a call this evening... might get a quicker response on the phone. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[willnotuse]

Depends on the information given.  Networking information in this case is very useful.  I do know that EQII is sensitive to latency. Since he's on a wireless network I have to wonder what his signal strength is and if anything in the house would be interfering.  For example: cell phones, wireless phones, microwave oven, etc.  All of them could interfere. What model router and what model are the wireless cards?  Are there ANY other SSID showing (potential for Windows getting confused and then switching routers which would cause drop).

[StoneySilen]

I am not thinking that it is his router that is crashing if he also has to reboot his modem.  I have not heard of a crashing router causing upstream issues. I am wondering if his modem is the one faulting out.

[willnotuse]

Not necessarily a crashing router.  Could be a setting that's wrong on it if he changed it from default or possibly where there is a hardware fault with the router.  Something that would not show until a certain thing triggers it.   The best example I can give of this is the recent story that hit both Slashdot and Digg about iPhone causing a DOS against a university network.  The administrator blamed the iPhone at first.  Turned out later.. it was a problem with their networking gear provided by Cisco. One can assume something to be true but it's not always.