Hi AJB,
Let's go ahead and troubleshoot your system then to see
how we can get it configured so you can stay in the games
the same way those other backgammon players are able to.
I don't want to overwhelm you with information, nor do I want to make you
wait for more suggestions if my first instincts are incorrect. For this reason,
here's a fairly complete checklist of solutions, which should solve the problem.
Remember, if there is a step that you feel unsure about, we are here to help
you. Just post your questions and we'll do our very best to help you further.
With that said, here's the checklist of troubleshooting steps for you!
IF DISCONNECTED WHILE PLAYING:
1. Disconnects can be caused by your Modem or Network Cards and by other
programs running on your system. See above for help disabling those programs.
2. Another reason for disconnects could be an external router or modem that has
overheated. Try unplugging it for awhile, and contact your ISP to see if they have
a newer model if the problem keeps recurring.
3. Check for IRQ sharing: Click START / Run / type: msinfo32 / ENTER
Expand + Hardware Resources / Click on IRQ and notice if the sound card, video
card(s), and modem/network cards share the same IRQ. If they do, move them into
different slots, to prevent bottlenecks caused by too much traffic on the same IRQ.
4. Further to step 3., Make certain that your Network adapter or Internal Modem
is not in the slot directly beside the graphics card, as those two must be separate.
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CONNECTION:
1. Run this SPEED TEST:
http://bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/
2. Download the TCP Optimizer Utility:
http://www.speedguide.net/files/TCPOptimizer.exe
3. Double click the program to start it:
4. Select the type of connection you're using: DSL, Dialup, DSL (PPPoE),
or Cable, then click "Optimal settings", click Apply changes, and click Exit.
5. Reboot and run the SPEED TEST again. Notice any improvement? If not,
then the Internet "highway" that you're using may be under heavy traffic or
construction. I have a webpage you can use to examine that possibility:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/nibblesnbits/TraceRoute.html
ADDITIONAL CONNECTIVITY TIPS:
1. Extra items in your Networking Properties Components list may confuse and
delay your system while it's connecting as it has to choose which component to
transfer the data through. Solution: Remove unnecessary network Components.
If you don't use dial up, replace "Dial Up Adapter" with "Network Adapter" in:
these instructions:
http://www.oregoncoast.com/configuration/ConfigNetwork.htm
* If you don't use a Dialup Modem, delete it. In 99% of cases VPN components
aren't used, so you can safely delete those as well.
2. Advanced Users should Reinstall ICS and Networking Components:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q263276 Or..
another advice would be to simply unplug the computer, remove the card
you connect to the internet with, and then restart the computer to verify that there
is no longer anything installed in the Control Panel / Networking section.
Once done power off, unplug, reinstall the card, and create a new connection.
3. Lag/Latency can be caused by your Modem or Network Cards and by other
programs running on your system. Firewalls and even AntiVirus programs have
been know to slow a connection down. You can disable startup programs using the
method explained at:
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.htm.
4. Scan for Adware/Spyware/Trojans with Spybot from:
http://security.kolla.de
And then run an Online Virus Scan:
http://housecall.antivirus.com/
5. If you use a Router, or similar networking/internet sharing device, check for
firmware updates. There's been a lot of improvements with the release of DX 9.0b
which you should download and install from:
www.microsoft.com/directx
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
More information on the topic of online gaming connections is available at:
http://NibblesNbitsConnect.tk my site and the reference for this reply to you includes
Ports listings, Router configuration settings, ICS, DSL, Cable and Networking help.
Dialup Tips:
http://www.56k.com/trouble/#disconn
Zone.com Dialup Tips:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q228564
Hope that's been of help, please let me know how it went.
--
Cheers, Windows XP MVP Shell / User
Jimmy S.
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
Game FAQs:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;[LN];gms
Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite:
http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
MS Support at:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=sz;en-us;top
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________
| Hi, dear Jimmy
| The effort of your "few hours monitoring" has been very
| appreciated.
| But:
| 1) it doesnt answer the main question - the technical
| reason of those constant boots...
| 2) the fact that you havent notice (I wonder how and using
| what kind of tools) that any player has been booted during
| your testing time does NOT respond to my question...
| You may agree that the announced good performance (of the
| room servers?) for the other users does not consolate me
| in my complains.
| The "good news" you write are for the others, not for me.
| Now... here is the result of my recent monitoring time,
| made today, using the same room (Rated Under 1500 - 1),
| and during the past 2 hours (my strategy has been to enter
| the room and just stay there, not sitting and not playing):
| (Indicated times are GMT, I am in West Europe)
| Entering the room at 08:35 AM
| Boot at 08:38 AM (3 minutes after entering! Remarkable!)
| Re-entering the room immediately after the boot, such in
| all the cases mentioned below...
| More boots at...
| 08:54 AM
| 09:07 AM
| 09:15 AM
| 09:31 AM
| 09:59 AM
| 10:10 AM
| 10:17 AM
| 10:35 AM
| 10:58 AM
| 11:14 AM
| 11:15 AM (!!!!!!)
| 11:16 AM (!!!!!!!!!!)
| 11:29 AM
| 11:42 AM ......... and so on and so on.
| Now its :19 past noon and the boots remain with an
| impressive (and irritating) cadence, and frankly I give up.
| This situation dont change since the Zone "changes" came
| through and it was about this very strange anomaly I was
| asking (once again) for any reasonable and logical
| explanation. Other previous requests sent to Zmaster had
| only generic and automatic responses, not usefull at all.
| Apparentely you (I mean the Tech Zone Staff) have no
| answer for this. I deeply regret.
| Cheers
| AJB
| PS - I have been a very active BG HOST and please note
| that I was forced to quit precisely BECAUSE of the
| constant boots. Which I also regret. I wonder if and
| how "the Zone" also "regrets" the lost of (people used to
| say) a very competent BG Host. Maybe the Zone do not give
| a dime to this...
| >-----Original Message-----
| >Hi,
| >
| >Great news!
I spent the last few hours monitoring
| the
| >BG rooms to see if anyone was losing their connection as
| >you've reported has been happening to you, and nobody
| >was being booted. Whatever problems experienced then
| >are not being experienced by anyone in the games now.
| >
| >--
| >Cheers, Windows XP MVP
| Shell / User
| >Jimmy S.
|
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
| >
| >
| >Game FAQs:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
| scid=FH;[LN];gms
| >Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite:
|
http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
| >MS Support at:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
| scid=sz;en-us;top
| >My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I
| confer any rights.
| >_________________________________________________________
| >
| | >| Talking the BG sites/rooms/servers: 1) why is it
| >| impossible to stay in ANY room (palying or not) more
| than
| >| 10/20 minutes (very often, less than 5 minutes) without
| >| being booted? Under the "yellow" or "red" indication
| >| in "Net", closing the room to re-enter, sometimes
| >| the "room" asks "You are sure you want to leave the
| room",
| >| sometimes not... After having collected TENS and TENS of
| >| unfair "incompletes", my questions are: IS ALL THIS A
| >| JOKE? IS ALL THIS the "result" of the recent so-
| >| called "changes" in the BG area? My final comment is: I
| >| use to visit the Zone (BG area) since 1995 and I NEVER
| saw
| >| this stuff as bad as it is now. For some reason,
| the "Tech
| >| Sysop Rooms" disappeared. Very symptomatic. The most
| >| interesting in this sad story is: I already asked and
| >| asked and asked for any reasonable answer for all those
| >| anomalies (not to speak of the several and absurd "new
| >| bugs" during the games) and I NEVER got any valuable
| >| response from the Tech Zone staff... WHAT IS THIS??
| >
| >
| >.
| >
