(FIOS actiontec router + Airport) Wireless lag in steam games

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(FIOS actiontec router + Airport) Wireless lag in steam games

I get unbearable lag while playing Team fortress 2 ONLY on a wireless connection but not when it's wired. My ping is around 5~10ish on both wireless and wired so it's not the connection so it must be the router I think.

I have an airport extreme N connected to the FIOS actiontec router via ethernet cable.
The fios actiontec router is connected to the internet via coax cable (because I have fios tv streaming to it too so I can't use the ethernet option).
The wireless is disabled on the actiontec so I'm using the airport wireless connection.
Latest firmware is installed on the airport extreme. Not sure if there's one for the actiontec. If there is, I don't know how to install it. Anyone else having this problem?

Macbook, Mac OS X (10.5.4)

Posted on Aug 28, 2008 7:35 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 15, 2008 10:47 AM in response to Koob

I am going through a similar situation except if I have any type of data volume (like a torrent or in your case a Steam game) going to a PC or Mac the Actiontec will simply stop assigning IPs to other computers hooked up to the network. When it does work the network speed is greatly reduced. From what I have read online about this issue, the Actiontec router that is supplied for you has a paltry 1kb NAT table which causes it to be overflowed easily. I've had two new routers shipped to me, and I had a few Verizon techs tell us the problem was too many wireless networks around me. They seem to not know what's going on or refuse to admit the issue.

It is possible to switch your FiOS internet service from coax to ethernet, but it will take some hard work. You'd have to run a CAT5 cable from your ONT box outside of your house to your Actiontec, but that means having to snake a wire through an outside wall which can be a bit daunting for the un-handy folk like myself. I don't know how to do it so I can't give you much advice on that. If you did want to continue with this route you'd have to call Verizon FIRST to get them to enable the ethernet port inside the ONT box. They might refuse to do it or say they can't do it remotely and have to sent a tech out (which is a lie), but if you are persistent you should be able to press them to switch the connection. Verizon will probably say you'll lose your TV set-top box guides and on demand service but that isn't 100% true. Next you'd need to run an ethernet cable from the Actiontec's WAN port to an unused LAN port on your Airport while leaving the coax cable connected to the Actiontec to get the guides and on demand. You shouldn't have to mess with any settings on the Actiontec after all of this. This should work as I have read here:

http://forums.macnn.com/92/networking/373479/airport-extreme-with-fios/

Another way is to bridge the connection which is the route I am trying right now. I haven't gotten it to work yet, but I haven't been able to devote a lot of time to it (NFL yesterday, work today) so I will see how it goes. If you want to bridge the connection a good guide is here; however, this guide is not Apple specific:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r17679150-Howto-make-ActionTec-MI424WR-a-network -bridge

Hope that helps. If this drives me too nutty I think I'm just going to bag Verizon and go back to Comcast (shudder) with cable internet. This is really a shame because the only gripe I have with FiOS is this issue, albeit a monstrous one.

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