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Udp, Packet Loss & Tolerance Questions


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#1 Sarsaparilla Kid

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Posted 24 July 2013 - 09:26 AM

I have had frequent disconnects after launching matches the last month (no issues with mech lab, though, and I had no disconnects prior to a month ago), and working with tech support, have determined that my connection currently suffers from high ping jitter and some packet loss. Using Wireshark, I determined that MWO uses TCP/IP for the mech lab phase, and once you launch a match, it uses UDP to communicate. My understanding is that UDP packets don't require that you receive them in order or that you receive every one to be able to maintain connectivity to the game. I have no issues with the mech lab, because TCP/IP packets are retransmitted if lost in transit.

So, the question, then, is if it's not supposed to matter if my connection drops some UDP packets, then why do I get total disconnects from the matches (booted back to mech lab) instead of a bit of lag or rubberbanding (I usually run around 100ms latency)? Is there a predetermined tolerance for packet loss for UDP, and is that tolerance established by the software, and can it be tweaked?

Occasionally interspersed with the UDP packets that I see in Wireshark, I also notice some ICMP packets. Are those checking for the existence of a connection at that point in time and making the determination whether or not to discontinue sending UDP packets, which boots me from the match? Looking at my Omicron file, it does mention an ICMP error and that the remote server is unable to locate my IP. So if it is an ICMP issue, can MWO eliminate that cross-check, or at least give it a second chance before determining the connection should be dropped?





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