Network Latency

[GravitonDX]

Hey hows it going? I'm in the barracks and my roommate and I share internet and cable Tv, which we do via coaxial splitters, but I've got a problem and I cannot seem to figure out where it is coming from with one workstation on the network.

I will begin with the scheme of how everything is wired up. From the wall cable we have 1 splitter connected to, which then has 4 outputs, 2 are to the modems and the other 2 going into the Tv's. On his side he has directly from the modem to his laptop. On my side I've got the modem going into a router, which I have my xbox plugged into and the other cable to my laptop. Everything is set up with the router and I also have it so the wireless feature will not broadcast or attempt to receive. The problem is my laptop will not get the same latency as his on the same game.

I first thought it may be my router, so I then proceeded by plugging my laptop directly into the modem, but ended up with the same latency problem as I would have double and sometimes triple the latency delay as him. For example he would be running about 162ms and I around 520ms on the same server and nothing but our laptops demanding connection.

With the router not seeming to be the problem I do not know what could cause him to get such a better connection than me and we have no other choice than to share. My only other concern would be maybe it would be his modem, but I don't know how that would affect him getting such a huge difference than mine. We also run firewalls configured with the correct exceptions for what we are doing.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, because I'm tired of thinking of this as a learning experience when I can't enjoy the down time I do get.

[Mpegger]

Some trouble shooting tips:

Have you tried your laptop on his end to see if you still experience the same latency? Tried his laptop on your end as well to see if his laptop gets the same latency problem?

If you find that your end of the split gets the same latency problem all the time, regardless of who's equipment is attached, the most likely culprit would be a bad connection(s) or wire(s) somewhere from and maybe even including the splitter up to the 'modem'.

Also, when dealing with coaxial cables, even a loose or dirty connection can make the difference between a "clean" signal. If you do find that the problem is only on your end of the split, take everything apart, check all the connections for any oxidation and give them a cleaning if need be, and then reattach everything securely.

One last item; I have had splitters where only one of the connections gave a problem. If you do find that only your end of the split is giving problems, make sure you mark the splitter (if it isn't already) so you know which end is giving the problems, and switch the cables around to see if the problem still persists (after cleaning any oxidation of course). If the problem still persist on that same end of the split, even after switching around the cables, then you would need to replace the splitter. If the problem is now on the other end of the splitter, then the problem was the cable itself.

[GravitonDX]

Alright I'm going to check out what you mentioned, they're really good ideas. I'll let you know what happens. Thanks.

[GravitonDX]

Well I fixed it for the most part, it happened to be the connectors and a web of other wires. I didn't realize they had so much pollen on them from an open window to keep the room from becoming stuffy. That and I untangled some wires and "cut some fat" away from the splitter and coaxial. It helped a lot and were pretty much the same i seems now without any big difference in connection.

I never would have thought just closing a window and doing some cleaning and organizing would make that much of a difference, then again there were tons of cables, but I thought it would be shielded from EMI/RFI and what not.

Thanks for the suggestion it really helped a lot.