Help with Ping/Latency on RT-N66U

[andykm717]

I really want to use the Merlin Firmware (especially for hosting OpenVPN) but it seems to be causing ping/latency issues.

I've tried several to stay on Merlin a few times in the past couple months, but I always run into the same issue. My ping/latency jumps dramatically when I'm on Merlin. Or my connection is unstable. It's very apparent when I'm gaming online. My ping is very unmanageable (usually over 1000ms). It moves a lot but is often so high I can't bear to play.

I then flash it back to Asus firmware and the ping/latency is much more stable and lower to where I can play normally.

I've tried reflashing multiple times each time either modifying something or not modifying anything at all to try and get it stable.

I do not have QoS on. I've tried with OpenVPN off. Pretty much flashed, set some static IPs in the DHCP and that's it.

Anything I can try to figure out what's causing this? I am completely stumped after digging around through all the settings and trying all different combos.

Thanks

 

[KGB7]

Lets start with basics.

Two things you could try one at a time; disable HW/Nat acceleration and Firewall.

Is this issue over wifi or Ethernet cable or both?

Is your ISP modem just a modem or is it also a router combo? If its a router combo, does it have firewall enabled? Then disable firewall or add your Asus router to DMZ on your modem/router.

Run tracert command to your isp. What do you get?

Ping your router, ping your modem, google, yahoo, cnn. What results do you get?

 

[L&LD]

You have to provide more specifics of the firmware you're using. And the steps you've taken after flashing to a different firmware.

Is it the (recommended for the RT-N66U) 374.39_0-em version that can be found in the Experimental folder?

Have you performed a reset to defaults? Power cycled the router after the update (not simply rebooting it)?

Have you manually entered any required settings after the reset to defaults, or are you loading a saved configuration file (which defeats doing a reset to defaults)?

Finally, do you use a new ssid for both bands or alternately; 'forget' the connection on each of your devices and re-associate them? This step is required to make your clients properly use the new wireless drivers the upgraded firmware uses.


Do you have any special optimizations or settings that don't apply with the new firmware?

You may want to try the following to see if they help with your network performance.

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showpost.php?p=102785&postcount=5

 

[sinshiva]

hey L&LD, your link is a maze of links lol

 

[RMerlin]

hey L&LD, your link is a maze of links lol

LOL

Forget about DD-WRT's Peacock thread, we got Breadcrumbs Thread here!

 

[andykm717]

Thank you guys for the suggestions. This gives me a lot to work with.

I was unaware that the experimental one was the recommended one. I'll try it.

I'll also try the other things like disabling HW acceleration, disabling firewall, full power cycle, re add the network profile.

Btw, this was occurring over ethernet and wireless. And my modem is strictly a modem, not a router combo.

 

[Builder71]

...
Have you performed a reset to defaults? Power cycled the router after the update (not simply rebooting it)?

Have you manually entered any required settings after the reset to defaults, or are you loading a saved configuration file (which defeats doing a reset to defaults)?
...

So, did you?

 

[andykm717]

So, did you?

Did Power Cycle.

I entered the settings in manually. Did not load a saved configuration.

 

[L&LD]

hey L&LD, your link is a maze of links lol

LOL

Forget about DD-WRT's Peacock thread, we got Breadcrumbs Thread here!

Hey guys, I am not sure exactly what you're referencing, but as long as the information that is needed is passed along, it's all good, right?

 

[sinshiva]

the peacock thread is an infamous dd-wrt thread named as such to make it easier to find via search engine.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=51486

it was pretty effective lol

 

[L&LD]

Thanks sinshiva, now I know.

It was and still is a good idea; I'll have to borrow it in the future (with due credit, of course).

 

[andykm717]

After flashing the recommended FW, resetting to factory defaults, power cycling, and trying some of the suggestions, it seems disabling the HW/NAT Acceleration alleviates a lot of the consistent lag/latency I was seeing while wired up. I did some tracert while flipping individual settings like the firewall and HW/NAT accel.

The latency spikes every once in a while but it comes back down. Games and such are much more playable now.

Why does the hardware/nat acceleration cause such latency?