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Kbomb20
May 13, 2019Aspirant
Lag spikes while gaming using Orbi RBK50 satellite
I have an OrbiRBR50 system and a PS4 pro connected to the satellite on a separate floor below the main router. I have wired connected the PS4 to the satellite router while the satellite is wirelessly connected to the main router. While gaming, I experience really bad lag spikes via this setup even though my download and upload speeds are very good. While troubleshooting the lag, I tried several configurations but one removed my lag spikes. I disconnected from the satellite and had the PS4 connect directly to the main router which is one floor above the PS4. The download and upload speeds are slower but the gaming connection is constant and the ping is faster. Is there something wrong with my satellite or is this behavior expected?
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What Firmware is currently loaded?
What is the Mfr and model# of the ISP modem the NG router is connected too?
Is the Orbi system operating in Router or AP mode?
What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between them to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected.What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings
Try disabling the following and see:
Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s).- Kbomb20Aspirant
I will need to provide this info when I get home since I am not infront of my system.
Kbomb20 wrote:
While gaming, I experience really bad lag spikes via this setup even though my download and upload speeds are very good. While troubleshooting the lag, I tried several configurations but one removed my lag spikes. I disconnected from the satellite and had the PS4 connect directly to the main router which is one floor above the PS4. The download and upload speeds are slower but the gaming connection is constant and the ping is faster. Is there something wrong with my satellite or is this behavior expected?
You are not the first to report this. My impression is that your experience is typical. A wired connection will ALWAYS be (1) faster and (2) more consistent than a WiFi connection, and it doesn't matter whether the WiFi is to the device or between the Orbi router and satellite. I ran a bunch of 5,000 ping tests connecting various devices to the router and satellite where the satellite was connected both wired and over the 5G WiFi backhaul. In every case, with every device, responses where there was any WiFi took longer on average and about 2% of the responses were quite a bit longer. Most of our wired connections these days involve point-to-point switches where there are no collisions. WiFi collisions may simply result in a slower and less consistent communication.
Just to be clear, I was using 60 byte ping packets. Average ping was from 2ms to 5ms, and the longest ping response was only 112ms (about 1/10th of a second). Are PS4 gaming packets longer? If they are, that might lead to more variability.
- Kbomb20Aspirant
But in both of my examples, I am using a wireless connection. One of them is through the satellite.
Orbi main router --Wireless-> Satellite --Wired-> PS4 Pro
Orbi main router --Wireless-> PS4 Pro
The first one has large lag spikes but much faster raw download and upload speed. Download speed 435mbs upload 25mbs
The second one has very little to no lag spikes but overall download and upload speed is slower. Download speed 255 mbs upload 23mbs
- SW_Prodigy
Kbomb20 wrote:
But in both of my examples, I am using a wireless connection. One of them is through the satellite.
Orbi main router --Wireless-> Satellite --Wired-> PS4 Pro
Orbi main router --Wireless-> PS4 Pro
The first one has large lag spikes but much faster raw download and upload speed. Download speed 435mbs upload 25mbs
The second one has very little to no lag spikes but overall download and upload speed is slower. Download speed 255 mbs upload 23mbs
With PS4 gaming, response time (aka latency) is more important than bandwidth/download speed. To get good playing experience, it's best to avoid the extra hop in between PS4 and Orbi, avoiding going through the middle man, Satellite's 5Ghz backhaul. If LAN cable from PS4 to Orbi isn't an option, powerline ethernet is PS4 next best friend.
To have good PS4 experience, avoid PS4 internal wireless for gaming, and change Orbi NAT type from Secured to Open.