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Hosting DCS at Server 2012 R2 -- extreme lagging, rubberband effect

mcdaniels

By mcdaniels
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mcdaniels

mcdaniels

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Posted (edited)

Hi folks,

we are running a newly configured Server for DCS World Multiplayer (9JG27). The idea behind it is to give the best flying experience in multiplayer.

 

The hardware is really "good":

 

  • Xeon® CPU E3-1225 v3 @ 3.20GHz, 3200 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)
  • RAM: 32.0 GB
  • Intel HD P4600
  • LAN: Intel I217-LM
  • 500 GB SSD Drive
  • Internetconnection guaranteed 200Mbit (1000Mbit uplink)
  • Operating System: Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard

Watching the load @cpu @lan @ram we can say that the server is nearly idle when running DCS. So in our opinion it cannot be the hardware.

 

 

 

CPU load 7%, Ram 15%, Network: 2Mbit downstream / minimal upstream.

 

The ping to the players was very low (from 30ms to 90ms), but the lagging, rubberband effect was massive. It was unplayable.

 

 

Any ideas, tips / hints are welcome.

 

 

@ED-Support: Might it be the OS?

 

 

Thanks in advance!


Edited by mcdaniels

AMD Ryzen 7 2700X@ 4Ghz, 32GB RAM, SSD, Gforce RTX 2080 8GB.

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9.JG27 DavidRed

9.JG27 DavidRed

Posted
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yes, we would really need help, as we just do not know whats causing the problem. if there are few people on the server, then the performance is un-comparable to any other dcs server ive been on...very low ping, perfect performance.

when more than ~15people are on the server, the problems start to appear, and become really severe.unfortunately it turns from a perfect- into an unplayable experience.

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KeyGirl

KeyGirl

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I know from other servers, which often the map is the problem. There are many objects that cause such problems (too many objects, false names or aircraft, etc.). Maybe your should again revise your map, and recheck.

Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 7900X @ 4.7 MHz            Motherboard: Gigabyte B650 AORUS Elite AX    Module: 64 GB Corsair Venegance DDR5 @ 3000        Video: RTX 4090 PALIT GameRock OC 24 GB

Monitor: SAMSUNG U28E590 @ 4K                      Other: HP Reverb G2 and WD Black SN850X                    The answers is ... 42!

 

 

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xaoslaad

xaoslaad

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Out of curiosity have you tried putting the network settings down all the way to ADSL 1024?

 

I have a system running as a server (not as powerful as yours but should still be plenty powerful for our small group (i7-4800MQ, 16GB RAM, 240GB SSD, I217-LM nic, etc.)

 

My weakest link for others for the time being is my 15/5 Mbps internet connection, though even on my LAN where I have a 1Gbps connection to the DCS server, playing solo I often see insane rubber banding. When I move in a month, I intend to get much faster internet service, since the provider (TWC) is in the middle of a DOCSIS 3.0 rollout and bumping speeds for their highest tier up to 300/20Mbps for not all too insane prices. I don't think I get to start out that way, but hopefully before long they'll bump it up. That should make the picture for others a little better. It's not a large group so I don't expect we need bandwidth on the order of larger squadrons for the time being. 20 up should be fine for the near future.

 

But again to be clear when on it myself I have a gigabit Ethernet connection to the server so I don't really expect lag, but I can see huge amounts of rubber banding.

 

I went to 2048 down from LAN for awhile and things got better, but turning it down to 1024 made it even better, almost to the point where the lag doesn't exist ever. I haven't been at this setting long, but the results are encouraging. Tonight when a couple others are on it with me will paint a better picture though.

 

I have messed with Process Lasso to ensure DCS was running high priority and on two separate cores, but none of that made a real difference, so I've stopped doing it.

 

I haven't broken out wireshark or anything to see what crazy stuff I might see, but I do use dd-wrt on my wireless router and I have noted that the WAN interface traffic isn't getting out of the Kbps when I'm testing solo and having horrible lag, so I don't think I'm hitting a bandwidth issue.

 

Other things I have done are disable IPv6, remove ISATAP interfaces, remove stupid shims/drivers Intel drivers like to install (go in the Device Manager, View>Show Hidden Devices, look under Network Adapters), and the like. Why I need a kernel debugging driver I don't know - thanks Intel. Anyway, basically make the network stack as clean and concise as possible. I don't know that any of it has made a lick of difference, but can't hurt.

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Chromius

Chromius

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It sounds like you have covered all the bases.

 

I would swap out the NIC for the heck of it, try a couple different ones in teaming mode if you can rule out hardware as an issue if you have not already. (I came across a couple thread on latency issues with your NIC in certain configurations)

 

Run Wireshark and keep a log of when the rubber-banding happens to rule out networking hardware issues, Then move on to server or could it just be some sort of DCS compatibility issue?

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mcdaniels

mcdaniels

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Posted (edited)

Hi,

thanks for the information.

 

Unfortunatly we cannot swap the NIC, cause the machine is out of reach (hosted by a big provider).

 

We switched to LAN Settings -> 1024,

IPV6 is off,

Hi,

thanks for the information.

 

Unfortunatly we cannot swap the NIC, cause the machine is out of reach (hosted by a big provider).

 

We switched to LAN Settings -> 1024

IPV6 is off.

 

Network protocols: Only IPV4 (all other things are disabled),

Network devices: Only the NIC is active all other things disabled.

 

...testing at the moment.


Edited by mcdaniels

AMD Ryzen 7 2700X@ 4Ghz, 32GB RAM, SSD, Gforce RTX 2080 8GB.

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FubarBundy

FubarBundy

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Have you tried editing your network.cfg in your saved games/dcs world/ config folder?. You can manually enter specific values for upload / download speed. I think its the upload speed that is most important.


Edited by FubarBundy
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Kuky

Kuky

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Posted

You know it could also (quite likely) be that actual network throughput (due to network congestion) is less than 100Mbps. The 100/100Mbps connection you have for the server is most likely not guaranteed BW, it is just the max you can have at any time, and at times of high internet traffic, there is good chance that network is congested.

 

Do a test if you can for that server you have, try download and upload large file, and check for BW utilization especially at peak hours (evenings).

No longer active in DCS...

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Kuky

Kuky

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lines 3 and 4... these values are in bits (8 bits = 1 Byte, 100Mbps = 100x1024x8 bits)

not sure which one is upload which one download

 

this ADLS 10240 setting seems to be 160 / 64 KByte

 

Try this value for both (up and down), I think this is for 100/100Mbps line which you say you have guaranteed, I really wonder if it will help

104857600,

Network_cfg.thumb.png.67c91d1ec6b886ef012b7266ead40bf2.png


Edited by Kuky

No longer active in DCS...

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HiJack

HiJack

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Have you set ALL settings as low as possible in options? Disable all that is possible, even turn all sound bars all the way down. If you are not running Hyper-V and have DCS World running on the GUI you must set processing priority to "Program" processes.

 

EDIT: I even have a autoexec.cfg with a couple of settings. May not be important but ;)

options.graphics.maxfps = 10
options.graphics.render3D = false
options.graphics.ScreenshotQuality = 75

EDIT 2: Use TightVNC to manage the server remotely.


Edited by HiJack
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MagicBra

MagicBra

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We have one server on this OS for about 2 years now.

At first we were experiencing the same problems. It happened when a the windows session hosting the DCS process was locked.

 

In order to resolv it we had to open a session through teamviewer and then launch the game through it.

You must also check that the lock session on disconnect isn't active in the TV client menu.

 

Just pass the 3D render to false and max fps to 10 like HiJack said.

Another strange thing everyone (both clients and server) must have their setting to ADSL2048 or we experience lag.

 

We never had any problem after that even with mission using 300+ active units running (expect render problems on some clients but it's not linked)

 

 

I hope it will help you :)

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9.JG27 DavidRed

9.JG27 DavidRed

Posted
Posted
We have one server on this OS for about 2 years now.

At first we were experiencing the same problems. It happened when a the windows session hosting the DCS process was locked.

 

In order to resolv it we had to open a session through teamviewer and then launch the game through it.

You must also check that the lock session on disconnect isn't active in the TV client menu.

 

Just pass the 3D render to false and max fps to 10 like HiJack said.

Another strange thing everyone (both clients and server) must have their setting to ADSL2048 or we experience lag.

 

We never had any problem after that even with mission using 300+ active units running (expect render problems on some clients but it's not linked)

 

 

I hope it will help you :)

 

mh, the "teamviewer lock session on disconnect" is a hint i will definitely give a try now! thx!

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xaoslaad

xaoslaad

Posted
Posted
Have you set ALL settings as low as possible in options? Disable all that is possible, even turn all sound bars all the way down. If you are not running Hyper-V and have DCS World running on the GUI you must set processing priority to "Program" processes.

 

EDIT: I even have a autoexec.cfg with a couple of settings. May not be important but ;)

options.graphics.maxfps = 10
options.graphics.render3D = false
options.graphics.ScreenshotQuality = 75

EDIT 2: Use TightVNC to manage the server remotely.

The maxfps setting is actually interesting. Even though 3d renedering is off and the game paused it was showing 120+ fps when I hit ctrl-pause.

 

I wonder if this explains a lot of the heat the system is generating even when it shows pretty much idle. I used your setting and brought it down to 10 (I even tried 1 but the menus were pretty unresponsive).

 

When I unpaused it was burning up time rendering nothing when I unpaused as well. It is much lower now so it will be interesting to see if it changes anything.

 

Thanks for yet another idea\tweak.

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HiJack

HiJack

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Guys check the latest openbeta

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=2366747&postcount=4

 

"Multiplayer. Net traffic will be more scalable." - there have been some adjustments to the netcode in terms of client/host up/down bandwidth usage, give it a tryout ;)

I have a test server up but have not had any time evaluating it :( Life gets in the way :music_whistling:

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9.JG27 DavidRed

9.JG27 DavidRed

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Posted
Guys check the latest openbeta

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=2366747&postcount=4

 

"Multiplayer. Net traffic will be more scalable." - there have been some adjustments to the netcode in terms of client/host up/down bandwidth usage, give it a tryout ;)

 

 

interesting, but i dont understand it it seems...just trying out the beta, there are still only the few selectable network speeds selectable which were also there prior to the beta version...

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Kuky

Kuky

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^^^^

 

This is what it means, network code was not scaled linearly to number uf users connected to the server.

 

Server (outgoing) and client (incoming) trafic vs clientsQTY (kB/sec):

 

Server___Client1__Client2__Client3

40_________40

150________75_____75

330_______110____110______110

 

With 1 client both server and client had same BW used (40)

With 2 clients you would expect that server would be having double the BW (2x40) and each client would have 40, but it was more than that. You can imagine how much more BW each client would need to have with lot of people connected... but it should still be 40 (I think, but I could be wrong).

 

Anyway, this is now according to ED fixed in this open beta patch... and looks like it will help reduce BW used (which should be awesome if it works) so please test it.

No longer active in DCS...

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9.JG27 DavidRed

9.JG27 DavidRed

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well, hard to test if nobody uses the beta versions...there are a handfull servers online, and i just hosted one for like 3hours, and except me and my teammate, only one other guy joined...so not much to test....hope the ED Testers and ED themselves tested already :)

 

but if that works, then thats definitely something to look forward to.

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