OK, so basically I've been playing an online game, and after alot of investigation, it seems that for some reason my computer is dropping packets. I hardly know anything about computers, so bear with me. Basically a member of the customer support team linked me to this product. I traced to a random website, and basically I'm looking for help in interpreting my results. My computer is connected via Wireless to a Linksys router, which is connected to a modem for Comcast High Speed. I'm starting to think that something is wrong with my router, because I also have an X-Box 360 connected to it for X-Box Live. The Live has horrible connection, and it's nearly impossible to play online, although I can connect. The X-Box is wired to the router, while the computer has a wireless connection to it, BUT, they both seem to have the same kind of lag. Packet dropping. IE imagine playing an online game, unplugging your modem and plugging it immediately back in. Basically everyone who is moving continues to move in whatever vector they were on originally, while I can move around just fine. My signal strength is always maxed, but I get these occasional packet drops, and I really want to fix the problem. So, now I'm trying to identify why I'm dropping packets, and what I need to do to fix it.

This sounds like a job for PingPlotter. Start PingPlotter tracing to a game server that you regularly play on. Use a 2.5 second trace interval. Run PingPlotter for a few hours during a period where you also try to play your game - and you have problems. If the problem is chronic - just so bad you can't really play at all, then just collect data. If, though, it happens sporadically, then make note of the problems by right-clicking the time graph in PingPlotter and enter comments at the period where you had problems.

After you've collected a few hours of data, save off the data (File -> Save Sample Set...), then email that to support@pingplotter.com. We'll have a look at it and see if we have any advice for you. We can also post a picture back here with the data we think is pertinent.

- Pete

Awesome, thanks Pete, I'll get on that.

How do I find the URL for the game server I'm connecting to BTW?

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />Any luck with this? I too a laving problems with Xbox live.

This screenshot doesn't really include enough information for us to do a good job of troubleshooting. I'd start out by using this technique:

http://www.nessoft.com/kb/47

If you do that and don't see the problem, try following the instructions earlier in this post - collect a bunch of data and email that to our support team.

- Pete