Solved Serious Diablo IV Lag when using ethernet connection. HELP!

[Silarous]

I am running a GT-AX6000 on Merlin 388.2. When the computer is directly connected to the router with an ethernet cable I get horrendous lag spikes every 20-30 seconds or so. It will take my frame rate from 180fps down to 20-30fps for a couple of seconds and then it goes away only to do it again in another 20-30 seconds. If I connect the computer to the router through WiFi it plays smooth as butter, zero lag issues what so ever. Seems butt backwards...

Some things I've tested
-Tried a different ethernet cable
-Tried different drivers for the ethernet adapter
-Tried with QOS both enabled and disabled
-Tried with an entirely different computer (had the same issue)
-Tried connecting the computer to my phone as a hotspot. Worked great, just like WiFi on the router
-Tried firmware 388.2_2

What could be causing this? The router seems to be the culprit. Perhaps a firmware bug or setting that is only effecting ethernet devices? I was on a fresh install of 388.2 from a factory reset when this problem was discovered on Diablo IV's launch. The router has been running this firmware since it first released without any apparent issues. I did a upgrade without factory reset when I tried firmware 388.2_2. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! Thanks


***Edit***
Turns out, two Sony Bravia X940E smart TVs were doing something wonky on the network. Disconnecting them from their ethernet cables and connecting them via WiFi instead corrected the lag issue within Diablo IV. Not sure exactly why they are having issues when wired but it seems the issue has been resolved! Thank you everyone for your help!

 

[L&LD]

Flash the latest firmware, then reset to factory defaults. Do not use a saved backup config file.

What computer is this happening on? What Ethernet adaptor?

Doesn't look like a router issue from here, the client PC, drivers, os, are the likely culprit.

 

[Silarous]

Flash the latest firmware, then reset to factory defaults. Do not use a saved backup config file.

What computer is this happening on? What Ethernet adaptor?

Doesn't look like a router issue from here, the client PC, drivers, os, are the likely culprit.

The router was reset to factory defaults both before and after I flashed the 388.2 firmware when it released. There are two completely different PC's experiencing the same issue. Both are using the onboard ethernet adapter. My primary PC is using a MSI MPG X570S Carbon Max WiFi motherboard which comes with a Realtek 8125B 2.5G LAN adapter. The other PC is running a Asrock X370 Taichi motherboard with a Intel GigaLAN I211AT adapter. Both computers experienced this issue on two different ethernet adapter drivers. They are now both currently on the latest driver from Realtek and Intel. Both play fine over onboard WiFi.

 

[Slapdaddy]

Have you tried connecting to a different router port?

 

[Silarous]

Have you tried connecting to a different router port?

Yes, both the 2.5 and one of the 1gig ports. Another detail that is interesting is when the lag happens, it happens on both PC's at the same time. The lag is in sync.

 

[ATLga]

Yes, both the 2.5 and one of the 1gig ports. Another detail that is interesting is when the lag happens, it happens on both PC's at the same time. The lag is in sync.

Any switches in use? Sounds like spanning tree loop or some some of loop going on

 

[Silarous]

Any switches in use? Sounds like spanning tree loop or some some of loop going on

I do have several switches in the network. These two computers are connected directly to the ports in the main router though.

 

[ATLga]

I do have several switches in the network. These two computers are connected directly to the ports in the main router though.

Got another router sitting in the shelf that you can swap in and see if the behavior is the same on Ethernet as a quick test

 

[Silarous]

Got another router sitting in the shelf that you can swap in and see if the behavior is the same on Ethernet as a quick test

Unfortunately not. Though, I could always test directly to the modem.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Look in the router's System Log for error messages that occur at the same time as the lag. I'm guessing there won't be any but it's worth checking.

 

[ATLga]

Are your wired and wireless adapters both running at the same time? WiFi still connected while Ethernet is plugged in?

 

[Silarous]

Are your wired and wireless adapters both running at the same time? WiFi still connected while Ethernet is plugged in?

No. I don't normally use WiFi. I disconnected the ethernet and enabled the WiFi only for testing purposes (and currently for playing Diablo IV)

 

[ATLga]

No. I don't normally use WiFi. I disconnected the ethernet and enabled the WiFi only for testing purposes (and currently for playing Diablo IV)

IPV6 on or off?

 

[Silarous]

Look in the router's System Log for error messages that occur at the same time as the lag. I'm guessing there won't be any but it's worth checking.

This is logged as the lag is occurring...

Jun 4 10:06:18 dnsmasq-dhcp[6261]: DHCPDISCOVER(br0) 70:26:05:00:ad:97
Jun 4 10:06:18 dnsmasq-dhcp[6261]: DHCPOFFER(br0) 192.168.50.147 70:26:05:00:ad:97
Jun 4 10:06:18 dnsmasq-dhcp[6261]: DHCPREQUEST(br0) 192.168.50.147 70:26:05:00:ad:97
Jun 4 10:06:18 dnsmasq-dhcp[6261]: DHCPACK(br0) 192.168.50.147 70:26:05:00:ad:97

It seems to be logged all the time though. Even when playing on WiFi. That IP address is a Sony TV.

 

[Silarous]

IPV6 on or off?

IPV6 is off.

 

[degrub]

disable wireless/wired network in the Sony and see if the lag goes away.

 

[Silarous]

disable wireless/wired network in the Sony and see if the lag goes away.

I unplugged the ethernet from the Sony TV and then shortly after, another Sony TV I have started doing the same thing. Unplugged that one as well and so far it does appear the lag has greatly improved. Testing some more

 

[degrub]

you may be able to change the behavior by manually configuring the internet address in the Sony e.g. 192.168.50.147 thus disabling the DHCP request instead of using "auto" in the device. Use the gateway and netmask already present. should be something like 192.168.50.1 and 255.255.255.0 respectively. Reserve that TCP/IP address in the Asus configuration. Better yet, set the DHCP server address range in the ASUS to something that excludes any address that your static devices use.

works for other IOT devices as well if they allow it.

 

[Silarous]

you may be able to change the behavior by manually configuring the internet address in the Sony e.g. 192.168.50.147 thus disabling the DHCP request instead of using "auto" in the device. Use the gateway and netmask already present. should be something like 192.168.50.1 and 255.255.255.0 respectively. Reserve that TCP/IP address in the Asus configuration. Better yet, set the DHCP server address range in the ASUS to something that excludes any address that your static devices use.

works for other IOT devices as well if they allow it.

Thanks, I'll give that a try. This really seems to be the root of the issue. Lag over ethernet is about 95% gone. Actually playable now. Just weird that a DHCP request would cause lag spikes on ethernet devices but not over WiFi.

 

[Silarous]

you may be able to change the behavior by manually configuring the internet address in the Sony e.g. 192.168.50.147 thus disabling the DHCP request instead of using "auto" in the device. Use the gateway and netmask already present. should be something like 192.168.50.1 and 255.255.255.0 respectively. Reserve that TCP/IP address in the Asus configuration. Better yet, set the DHCP server address range in the ASUS to something that excludes any address that your static devices use.

works for other IOT devices as well if they allow it.

I set a static IP in the router and disabled DHCP in each TV. The logs went away but the lag remained. I unplugged the TVs again and the lag went away. Seems the TVs are doing something really messed up to the network.