Trying to understand how my internet works

[RaFi]

A little background, I am using a wireless internet provider, Telkom flatly refuse to install cables to my area. For the last 6 weeks I have been struggling with specifically Battlefield 3's online play. I get disconnected or kicked by the server or PunkBuster. I have tried various solutions but with no success. Before I go on the warpath with EA and PunkBuster, I would like to ensure the problem is not with me, even though I can play all the other games with no problems.

I use WinMTR to inspect the path to a BF3 server. At first there was a problem with the wireless part, but this is now more or less sorted. Now I see huge losses on the ADSL part and huge ping spikes. I suspect that as soon as the EA server or PunkBuster detect this loss, it kicks me.

My suspicion is that the service provider who provides the internet to my wireless provider has got problems. But I don't know how to prove it to them so that they will understand. It is also possible that I am horribly wrong.

I need someone to explain the following table to me, I used WinMTR to trace the path from me to my BF3 server, hosted by MWEB.

|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| WinMTR statistics |
| Host - % | Sent | Recv | Best | Avrg | Wrst | Last |
|------------------------------------------------|------|------|------|------|------|------|
1 ***.***.**.* - 0 | 107 | 107 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | <--- Is this my PC?
2 ***.**.*.** - 3 | 99 | 97 | 2 | 4 | 28 | 3 |
3 ***.**.*.**- 4 | 95 | 92 | 2 | 7 | 74 | 4 |
4 ***.**.*.** - 1 | 103 | 102 | 3 | 7 | 28 | 9 |
5 ***.**.*.** - 4 | 95 | 92 | 5 | 11 | 76 | 9 |
6 ***.*.*.* - 5 | 91 | 87 | 4 | 11 | 80 | 9 |
7 ***.**.*.* - 3 | 99 | 97 | 5 | 11 | 74 | 7 |
8 ***.**.*.** - 32 | 48 | 33 | 7 | 31 | 59 | 11 |
9 dsl-243-44-01.telkomadsl.co.za - 38 | 43 | 27 | 21 | 53 |104 |42 | <--- ADSL starts here?
10 cdsl2-rba-vl2663.ip.isnet.net - 37 | 44 | 28 | 0 | 62 | 103 | 90 | <--- Who or what is here?
11 cdsl2-rba-vl150.ip.isnet.net - 44 | 39 | 22 | 0 | 60 | 105 | 81 |
12 168.209.1.140 - 41 | 42 | 25 | 0 | 61 | 92 | 77 |
13 196.26.0.10 - 38 | 43 | 27 | 29 | 61 | 115 | 85 |
14 mweb-1.jinx.net.za - 44 | 39 | 22 | 30 | 57 | 104 | 85 |
15 tengige0-2-0-0.vic-up-1.mweb.co.za - 41 | 42 | 25 | 0 | 68 | 111 | 65 |
16 tengig0-7-0-3.vic-p-2.mweb.co.za - 38 | 43 | 27 | 37 | 66 | 104 | 100 |
17 vl-11.vic-hscore-1.mweb.co.za - 38 | 43 | 27 | 29 | 63 | 105 | 85 |
18 197-80-132-6.jhb.mweb.co.za - 44 | 39 | 22 | 41 | 68 | 101 | 101 |
19 197.80.198.66 - 43 | 40 | 23 | 0 | 67 | 112 | 112 |
20 196.28.69.40 - 44 | 39 | 22 | 27 | 59 | 128 |103 |<--- My BF3 server, empty and lonely.
|________________________________________________|______|______|______|______|______|______|
WinMTR v0.92 GPL V2 by Appnor MSP - Fully Managed Hosting & Cloud Provider

I understand that the first 8 lines is the wireless part of the connection, from my house to town. Line 9 is the ADSL in town, I have seen it in another gamer who stays in town's WinMTR test awhile ago, although he is with another ISP and not wireless. After that I am not sure about how the patch goes, except that the loss is totally unacceptable. But there is loss just before the line goes on the ADSL line as well, at line 8.

So can someone please explain (in very easy to understand language, preferably with hand puppets) what the story with the connection is. I would appreciate it very much. Maybe I can then start to solve my BF3 frustrations.

Another thing, each of the IPs in the wireless part is fixed, I always see the same numbers. However, my service provider pulled some other IPs from somewhere, claiming that they were mine. Is it possible to access the wireless network from another place and see different IPs?

BTW answering this post might be worth 200 Karma points.

 

[czc]

Its all routers along the way, isn't it? It definetly goes to JINX.

 

[HavocXphere]

Windows has this built in...you don't need a separate tool: Start->Run->cmd->tracert google.com

First line will probably be the device in your home - i.e. If you've got multiple wifi devices connecting to an access point in your home. If your connecting directly via some sort of antenna then this is already part of the wireless network.

Line 2 - 8 is the wireless network. WISP - Wireless Internet Service Provider.

Line 9 is the start of the ADSL network. This and line 9 is running on Telkoms network (They control all the ADSL infrastructure).

Line 10 -13 is routing over the IS (Internet Solutions) network. Your WISP is use IS bandwidth as his main supplier, but this still runs partially over Telkoms network.

After that it depends on what server your testing.

You're probably more interested in whats wrong though. The link between device(/line) 1 and 2 is definitely bad, so it the one between 7 and 8. The tricky part is that this is wireless tech...so some kind of loss is to be expected, so 1 & 2 might still be considered acceptable. 32% is not normal though.

If you shout at the WISP enough, he'll probably fix 7-8. This will probably make BF3 playable. 1-2 I don't think you'll get fixed...its possible that there are just some leaves or something blocking the line of sight a bit.

Until that 32% loss goes down you won't be playing any BF3 regardless of what you do with your PC.

If you can afford it, just lose the whole WISP setup and get ADSL. WISPs have pretty shitty reputations all round.

However, my service provider pulled some other IPs from somewhere, claiming that they were mine.

That'll be your IP on the wireless network (Not sure why IPs...plural). This represents the same device as line 1, but facing the other side. i.e. It has one IP you use inside your home network and one that represents it on the wireless network. This is a bit of a guess since I can't know what kind of device is sitting at line 1.

 

[RaFi]

I am using a bullet with a grid, Ubiquiti was mentioned. It is only my PC on the network, it connects into a little box which goes to the antenna. There is a tree partially in the way, I am planning on getting the branches removed, if the tree huggers allow me.

So you do agree that the loss at line 8 is not acceptable and also not something I have any influence over. I just wanted to make sure, this has been a problem for some time now.

Unfortunately ADSL is not an option where I live, for Telkom to run cables from town, Telkom has to do so through the old Venda district and they claim it is too risky. The wireless internet is the only option, unless I go for ISDN. And people thought that South Africa's fighter Air Force Base would have the latest in communication technology....

I now understand where the other IP came from, he used to indicate that the problem is not with him, he had a different IP for me and for the tower on the field.

Guess I am going to have to contact the provider and convince him there is problems with the last part in the wireless network.

Thanks for the help so far.