Ping & Packet Loss Troubleshooting Guide

[Magicool 494]

In order to give assistance with packet loss  we need to find out where the packets get lost.

Either your house line, somewhere in your Intener Provider's (ISP) network or the destination's network.

A high ping is usually the result of either high packet loss (so the packets have to be resent) or a server/line under heavy load or a congested port/internet exchange point.

To do so we trace the route to a server and obeserve the results in the Windows-Console.

Additionaly I'm gonna show you how to directly write the results to a file in case you want to copy and/or attach it to posts, e-mails, etc.

 

How to test for packet lost, high ping and how to create the Netinfo file

 

1.  Go to Start > All Programs > Accessories, right-click the Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator"

or

Windows 10: Type cmd into the search bar right click command prompt an choose "Run as administrator"

Windows 8, 8.1: Press the Windows key and X together and then click on Command Prompt (Admin). Click Yes to the User Account Control message that appears.

Windows 7, XP, VISTA: Press the Windows Key and R on the keyboard or open the start menu. Type cmd in the box and press enter.

 

2.  Copy and paste the below commands into your command prompt.  

ipconfig /all > c:\netinfo.txt

Once the command prompt returns type: tracert 95.211.246.163 >> c:\netinfo.txt  (replace 95.211.246.163 with an IP adress of the server/s you experience packet loss on)

Once the command prompt returns type: pathping 95.211.246.163 >> c:\netinfo.txt (replace 95.211.246.163 with an IP adress of the server/s you experience packet loss on)

pathping can take up to 10 minutes depending on how many hops your routing to the server has so don't exit the console even if it may seems to be inactive!

(The console will give an estimated time on how long this operation will last)

 

Update March 2020: The IP adresses for the game servers can change at any time.

To get up2date IP adresses from the game servers you can use a packet analyzer like "Wireshark" to determine to which IP adress you're connecting to.

This can be a lot more helpful as you can see what server you're on that you're currently expierence issues with.

 

Game Servers IPs (as of 2016 may not be Up2date anymore):

EU: 95.211.246.163, 95.211.246.161 

RU: 91.225.125.137, 91.225.125.148, 185.106.206.12

US: 185.106.204.3, 207.244.116.1, 207.244.116.2, 207.244.116.3, 207.244.116.4

SEA: 161.202.139.103, 161.202.139.107, 161.202.139.108, 161.202.139.110, 209.58.162.113, 209.58.183.210

 

 

 

The file will be saved directly in the C:\ directory of course you can change the file's destination to any folder you like

If you don't want to create a file and only have the results diplayed directly in the console use the commands without:  "> c:\netinfo.txt" ">> c:\netinfo.txt"

 

How to determine where the packets get lost/the ping starts to spike:

 

The results of the packet loss test is displayed in the last part of the pathping operation:

- Hop 0 is your PC

- Hop 1 is connection from your PC to your router (LAN or Wireless/WLAN)

- Hop 2 is your router-> house line-> land line to your internet service provider (ISP)

From now on it's very hard to determing to who the hops belong if you're completely unexperienced with networking/routing.

- Usually Hop 3 to 4/5 (it can be a lot more hops depending how bad your ISP's routing is) are within your ISPs network a way to determine who the server belongs to is the server name displayed next to its IP adress.

For example my ISP is the Deutsche Telekom AG (DTAG) servers which belong to their network have a name usually like this xyz.xyz.yxz.yxz.DTAG.DE [IP adress in brackets].

 

I will list some other ISPs here:

Verizon: xyz.xyz.yxz.yxz.verizon-gni.net 

Vodafone: xyz.xyz.yxz.yxz.vodafone-ip.de

Kabel Deutschland:  xyz.xyz.yxz.yxz.kabel-deutschland.de 

Teliasonera: xyz.xyz.yxz.yxz.telia.net 

Virgin media: xyz.xyz.yxz.yxz.virginmedia.net 

Orange:  xyz.xyz.yxz.yxz.francetelecom.net 

BT: xyz.xyz.yxz.yxz.uk.bb.gin.ntt.net

UNET: xyz.xyz.yxz.yxz.unet.by

Telefonica Germany GmbH also known as HanseNet Telekommunikation GmbH, O₂ , Alice:  xyz.xyz.yxz.yxz.mediaways.net

(Of course there are a lot more and I don't know them all!)

 

But not all servers within the ISP's network may have the name displayed there to be 100% sure who the server belongs to use a IP-lookup site like: http://ping.eu/ns-whois/

The owner will be shown here: 

 

- After the Hops within your ISP's network the lines and servers and internet exchange points are owned by big network providers like Level3, Equinix if you encounter packet loss there then there is pretty much nothing you can do, not even your internet provider, you have to hope they find the errors by themselfes and will fix it.

- The last hop (sometimes the last 2-3 hops depending on how big the network of the site is you're testing. You can kinda tell if they have the same name/IP adress) is the destination's server.

 

Here an example for my connection to the EU game server:

 

 

What to do:

 

If you encounter high ping/packet loss from hop 0 to 1:  

Your LAN-cable is broken or your Wireless/WLAN connection is of bad quality, buy a new LAN-cable don't use Wireless/WLAN.

Maybe your router is broken or wrongly configured.

Also your LAN adapter could be configured wrongly (Windows LAN adapter settings). 

Troubleshoot each of the components.

 

If you encounter high ping/packet loss at hop 2:

Either your router, your house line, your (DSL/Cable)land line or the data center/DSLAM your line goes into are having troubles. 

Call your internet provider! To figure out which of these are the problem.

Most likely they wan't to know how you know there is a packet loss/ping issue.

That's where the Netinfo file comes in handy!

Say you did a pathping, send them the netinfo file/screenshots of the windows-console with the pathping results!

 

If you encounter high ping/packet loss from hop 3 to X(within your ISP's network):

Call your internet provider! Make them aware of the issue!

Most likely they wan't to know how you know there is a packet loss/ping issue.

That's where the Netinfo file comes in handy!

Say you did a pathping, send them the netinfo file/screenshots of the windows-console with the pathping results!

 

If you encounter high ping/packet loss outside of your ISP's network:

Pray. Since contacting companies like Level 3, Equinix, etc. as a single private person will go unheeded.

 

If you encounter high ping/packet loss at the last hop/your detitnation's network:

The destination's server/line is having troubles. Contact them.

Edited March 4, 2020 by Magicool

[Guest]

Hey there Magicool,

My packet situation is currently in excellent shape but I want to say thanks a TON!! for this tut! I have saved it to a text file in case myself or a friend ever needs it.

+1 hosanna cheers yessir salute salude GoodOnYah HatTip, Urulu

[SakamataChloe 1,496]

Once the command prompt returns type tracert www.warthunder.com >> c:\netinfo.txt

Once the command prompt returns type pathping www.warthunder.com >> c:\netinfo.txt

 

The servers hosting the game is not the same as the server hosting the website, IIRC.

 

Oh and normally, it's congestion in the FO lines linking countries, such as the AAG that services asia connections to USA that causes ping issues.

Edited March 13, 2016 by DJSnip3r

[Magicool 494]

The servers hosting the game is not the same as the server hosting the website, IIRC.

 

Oh and normally, it's congestion in the FO lines linking countries, such as the AAG that services asia connections to USA that causes ping issues.

 

I know I even said it here ;)

Sadly we don't know any IPs of the War Thunder game servers so if you pathping www.warthunder.com and you have 0% all the way through it still could be the game server since the game servers most likely don't run on the same server as their website.

 

Maybe one of the tech mods will give us an IP which we can ping, I doubt it tho since they often have to fight with DDoS quite often

Edited March 13, 2016 by Magicool

[SakamataChloe 1,496]

Maybe one of the tech mods will give us an IP which we can ping, I doubt it tho since they often have to fight with DDoS quite often

 

Last time I remember I came across one of the IPs for one of their hosting server. Too bad they changed afterwards.

[HipsterHeretic 30]

not all sure what to do with the numbers, highest ping is 40 ms in hop15

[Magicool 494]

not all sure what to do with the numbers, highest ping is 40 ms in hop15

 

you want to look at the packet loss column if you have packet loss where it says either 0/100 =0% or if you have packet loss something like 23/100 =23%

Edited March 13, 2016 by Magicool

[HipsterHeretic 30]

Yah i figured. I was a little rushy, it had not fully processed when I opened the netinfo.txt.. did a few tests now and it varies. I get a bottleneck in level3 Frankfurt it goes from 1% 99% but average around 30-40%... that's in hop 15 if I remember correct (on my phone now).. good thing is that I'm not going insane since the PL is not on my end. Not on warthunder either.. I guess I just have to wait it out then. Edited March 13, 2016 by HipsterHeretic

[__EasY__ 127]

Good guide, +1.

I just need to leave Australia and move to one of the regions close to the server now:(

[Magicool 494]

Yah i figured. I was a little rushy, it had not fully processed when I opened the netinfo.txt.. did a few tests now and it varies. I get a bottleneck in level3 Frankfurt it goes from 1% 99% but average around 30-40%... that's in hop 15 if I remember correct (on my phone now).. good thing is that I'm not going insane since the PL is not on my end. Not on warthunder either.. I guess I just have to wait it out then.

 

Yes Level3 is known to have port issues to other (especially german) ISPs for at least 2 years but neither they nore the ISPs want to upgrade since it costs a **** ton of money and they just pass responsibility for congested ports back and forth

Edited March 14, 2016 by Magicool

[relliK 3,228]

some additional notes:

 

- the game data is being transferred via UDP rather than TCP. this means there are no re-transmissions of lost or corrupted packets. a lost packet is gone... forever ^^

  (re-transmitting packets wouldn't work in a fast paced (realtime) game like War Thunder)

 

- the locations / data centers / service providers for this game have changed quite a few times in the last few years. on some server pools there are even more than

  just one location / provider (e.g. the european server was hosted at least in the Netherlands and in Germany last time i checked and at one point there were even

  hosted on different ISPs (Leaseweb and Softlayer/Networklayer.com)). so first the player needs to find out which server he/she is actually connected to to be able

  to get meaningful data on traces.

 

- doing pings/tracerouts on servers may not show accurate results... those commands (or tools like pingplotter etc) usually use icmp (protocol) and nowadays often

  internethubs (the hops in the trace ^^) dont respond to icmp packets. this means doing traces may show 100% packet loss on certain hops and wont even reveal

  the name / IP of that hop. though, since there isn't really all that much users can do about it it's at least a good start and if you are lucky it may actually reveal some

  useful informations (like specific tier 1 network providers that are known to cause issues at times)

  (one thing i need to check though... as far as i know the icmp packets are also handled on a rather low priority - so when there is quite some 'action' on the network

   or even a real congestion those packets may be dropped first (or even ignored) or the answer takes longer than usual... this means a user could see higher latencies

   and/or packet loss than there would be in-game)

 

those things (and some more ^^) made me stop even trying to do network analyses =/

the main problem i had were the frequent changes in the network structure (mainly the servers being moved to different providers and locations) - i stopped writing down

and tracing the IPs of the game servers when my list of IPs (related to War Thunder in one or the other way) went well over 100 ^o^

 

also the internet is quite 'dynamic' - routes to the servers aren't always the same... while sometimes it seems that traces always show the same route to a specific server

this may change anytime (actually this may even change lots of times while playing just one game). especially on high-load nodes (like the main exchanges nodes on

the internet like the DE-CIX in Frankfurt/Germany) or when there are even network congestions those routes may get changed which means that while playing a game

the packet loss and the latency may change all of the sudden (to the better or the worse ^^)

 

the internet is a living creature... or rather a beast ><

[SakamataChloe 1,496]

 

- the locations / data centers / service providers for this game have changed quite a few times in the last few years. on some server pools there are even more than

  just one location / provider (e.g. the european server was hosted at least in the Netherlands and in Germany last time i checked and at one point there were even

  hosted on different ISPs (Leaseweb and Softlayer/Networklayer.com)). so first the player needs to find out which server he/she is actually connected to to be able

  to get meaningful data on traces.

 

So that's the RNG part of why some matches, the cannons sparks while other games are ok?

Or why some times there's PL in some matches while in other matches, the PL is relatively 0%?

[relliK 3,228]

So that's the RNG part of why some matches, the cannons sparks while other games are ok?

Or why some times there's PL in some matches while in other matches, the PL is relatively 0%?

 

this could be one of the factors... if there are still different servers / locations. i haven't checked for quite some time tbh.

[CKecho 11]

Ping issues are going from 82 to 400 in game. Tried ISP and they reset from their point but still have issues. This has never happened until 1.57 loaded.  I am using wifi connected to lan line so maybe I should just use my direct lan computer to fix since says I need to pray??

1)in Admin Com Box windows 10:

2)running > c:\netinfo.txt

3)running  ipconfig/all>c:\netinfo.txt

4)www.warthunder.com>>c:\netinfo.txt

5) >>pathping www.warthunder.com>>c:\netinfo.net

 

enter, waiting.....

 

wondering while waiting, can I drop the level from high to medium to stop ping or not related?

hmm nothing and beed 20 minutes now. re writing program ...this stinks.

Edited March 19, 2016 by HotelEcho

[Magicool 494]

if you typed the commands exactly how you wrote them here then nothing is happening due to syntax errors you have made

 

WiFi is never good to use for gaming or other applications which require a low ping

Edited March 19, 2016 by Magicool

[DaReaILegend 947]

just gonna say thank you for this. i had a problem with random packet loss spikes and slow loading of websites. I did the pathping and tracert tests and got high packet loss between hop 2-3, called my ISP and they reset my modem to factory settings and it seems to work fine now. i got a 70/70 connection so there was no reason why i should wait 10 seconds for loading speedtest. told me to call back if the issue came back.

Edited September 5, 2016 by Serinad

[FredericusRer 5,089]

Thank you for your feedback, Serinad.

[Blaast 100]

Hello ! My ping, for various reasons I won't tell here, is stuck around 500ms (but it should get better in 3weeks).

So my question is : are ping enhancers allowed, and would I risk a ban using it?

 

Because, you know, it's a big laggy. Especially when it hits 999ms sometimes.

[Delfigrey 537]

The US server should be located in the US. Seems I keep getting tossed to the EU server and having gamebreaking ping as a result.

[Delfigrey 537]

EU West even though I have US selected. WTF, Gaijin?

[relliK 3,228]

1 hour ago, Delfigrey said:

EU West even though I have US selected. WTF, Gaijin?

 

that's not the game server but a statistics, login or profile server... (one of) the IP(s)s of the US server(s) for instance is 185.106.204.5

which appears to be located in Dallas. just been playing a battle on it so for me everything appears to be 'normal'

[Delfigrey 537]

If that is the server I am on, then my ping should not be so high. I could literally drive to the server site in an hour then.

[relliK 3,228]

5 minutes ago, Delfigrey said:

If that is the server I am on, then my ping should not be so high. I could literally drive to the server site in an hour then.

 

three possible causes i could think of:

1. in addition to the US server you may have selected the EU server (or any other) in the server selection.

2. you are playing a game mode that got that long waiting times that after a few minutes (last time i checked it was 5mins

    i think) the matchmaker is adding other server locations as well to reduce the waiting times.

3. the routing to the servers location is faulty or some node between you and the server i causing issues.

 

oh i forgot.. maybe some special events are only hosted on certain servers ^^ like the boats maybe ?! (dunnow since i 

dont have access to them 8D). i personally only tested default tank and plane battles (arcade) since i'm lazy hehe

[Delfigrey 537]

29 minutes ago, relliK said:

 

three possible causes i could think of:

1. in addition to the US server you may have selected the EU server (or any other) in the server selection.

2. you are playing a game mode that got that long waiting times that after a few minutes (last time i checked it was 5mins

    i think) the matchmaker is adding other server locations as well to reduce the waiting times.

3. the routing to the servers location is faulty or some node between you and the server i causing issues.

 

oh i forgot.. maybe some special events are only hosted on certain servers ^^ like the boats maybe ?! (dunnow since i 

dont have access to them 8D). i personally only tested default tank and plane battles (arcade) since i'm lazy hehe

The wait times in SB can trigger getting kicked to other servers depending on time of day. I usually don't stick around long enough for that to be a factor. I don't know what the time limit is for RB though so it may be doing it there. I only have US servers selected.

[MaybeMaybeNot 1,759]

what do you consider high ping exactly  and time related change is around 3-4min then system will select other 

On 3/14/2017 at 7:40 PM, Delfigrey said:

The wait times in SB can trigger getting kicked to other servers depending on time of day. I usually don't stick around long enough for that to be a factor. I don't know what the time limit is for RB though so it may be doing it there. I only have US servers selected.