solved Very Strang Internet Behavior

[[HOUNDS] CptTrips]

You guys are going to think I’m crazy.

I’ve had been trying to discord stream my screen to show someone some ME stuff and the FPS was horrible. I ran an internet speed test and it was horrible.

I rebooted. Ran speed test everything wonderful. Started DCS, went to mission editor, then tabbed over and checked. Bad. Worked some more and checked again. Worse.

Killed the DCS process and checked. Dandy. 125 up 25 dwn. Any time I check when DCS is not running 120ish\20ish.

It’s very repeatable for me.  I am not having the problem with any other software.  I can open VS Code, VS Studio, Inkscape, Libre Office, Blender all simultaneously and internet is perfect.

BTW, I tried it with Defender firewall off, same result. And the cable router firewall.  No effect.

Video showing what I see. Second I kill DCS, all fine. Log attached.

https://youtu.be/zkxlrRmIQDM?si=ArI6COIKMW39my0i

 

[Edit]  My DCS is Steam based.  Wired ethernet. Windows 11.  etc.

Oh and not seeing it with just the Dedicated Server running.

 

dcs.log

 

 

 

dcs.log.old

Edited December 2, 2023 by [HOUNDS] CptTrips

[[HOUNDS] CptTrips]

This probably should be moved.  It will do it even just sitting on the front screen if I leave it a minute or two.  

It's not a mem or cpu issue.  each running about 34%.

***While its in that state getting 8\2 my phone speed test on the wifi is getting 130/20  so I think something is happening at the machine level not the router.

But kill DCS and it's fine again.

Running MT 

Did a fully file integrity check on steam and it still does it.

 

Downloaded a non-steam copy of 2.9 beta.  Still same problem.

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by [HOUNDS] CptTrips

[[HOUNDS] CptTrips]

Troubleshooting test with squadies this morning.....

Pre test:

 

Kill all Steam processes....

 

Start an brand new non-Steam DCS install.  No mods or modules other than the default that came with it.  Open Mission Editor do a little work....

Kill DCS...

 

Control test, start 4! copies of MS Visual Studio Code, 4! copies of MS Visual Studio, Inkscape, Libre Office, Blender....

No probelm.

I can find nothing that has this behavior except DCS.

 

System...

OS Name    Microsoft Windows 11 Pro
Version    10.0.22631 Build 22631
Other OS Description     Not Available
OS Manufacturer    Microsoft Corporation
System Name    JASONLEGIONPC
System Manufacturer    LENOVO
System Model    90RS0024US
System Type    x64-based PC
System SKU    LENOVO_MT_90RS_BU_Lenovo_FM_Legion T5 26IOB6
Processor    11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-11900K @ 3.50GHz, 3504 Mhz, 8 Core(s), 16 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date    LENOVO O54KT1AA, 9/3/2021
SMBIOS Version    3.3
Embedded Controller Version    1.11
BIOS Mode    UEFI
BaseBoard Manufacturer    LENOVO
BaseBoard Product    3733
BaseBoard Version    SDK0T76463 WIN 3422204743482
Platform Role    Desktop
Secure Boot State    On
PCR7 Configuration    Elevation Required to View
Windows Directory    C:\WINDOWS
System Directory    C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device    \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale    United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer    Version = "10.0.22621.2506"
User Name    JasonLegionPC\jason
Time Zone    Central Standard Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM)    64.0 GB
Total Physical Memory    63.7 GB
Available Physical Memory    48.9 GB
Total Virtual Memory    95.7 GB
Available Virtual Memory    72.9 GB
Page File Space    32.0 GB
Page File    C:\pagefile.sys
Kernel DMA Protection    On
Virtualization-based security    Not enabled
Windows Defender Application Control policy    Enforced
Windows Defender Application Control user mode policy    Off
Device Encryption Support    Elevation Required to View
Hyper-V - VM Monitor Mode Extensions    Yes
Hyper-V - Second Level Address Translation Extensions    Yes
Hyper-V - Virtualization Enabled in Firmware    Yes
Hyper-V - Data Execution Protection    Yes
 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by [HOUNDS] CptTrips

[Solaro]

I am very interesting in this topic and hope you will find solution. Maybe this is related to rubberbanding in dcs I am experiencing. Do you have any issues on multiplayer servers or is this only in the editor?

[[HOUNDS] CptTrips]

2 minutes ago, Solaro said:

I am very interesting in this topic and hope you will find solution. Maybe this is related to rubberbanding in dcs I am experiencing. Do you have any issues on multiplayer servers or is this only in the editor?

I noted a few above this should be moved.  I found it with the editor but it is reproducible in Instant Action or even just sitting on the main screen for a minute or two.

I'm not a heavy MP player but I have been playing MP some with the squad and some coop with a couple of friends.  While doing voice over Discord.  It was playable, but cratered once I attempted to share a screen through Discord.  That is what started my troubleshooting.  I hadn't realized it until I tried to screen share.

 

 

[[HOUNDS] CptTrips]

Tried with MS Virus Defender turned off.  Same result.

 

Kill DCS...back to normal.

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by [HOUNDS] CptTrips

[[HOUNDS] CptTrips]

Unplugged power to cable modem\router for 5 min and re-powered.

Same behavior.

 

[Insonia]

very interesting.

No CPU issues, right?

 

I noticed you have some export/hook scripts that utilize some web features. better rule those mods out. 

 

Do you have any QoS rules/setting/softwares shaping the net traffic( include the router), or have an incorrect maximum number of concurrent connections set.

[[HOUNDS] CptTrips]

25 minutes ago, Insonia said:

very interesting.

No CPU issues, right?

 

I noticed you have some export/hook scripts that utilize some web features. better rule those mods out. 

 

Do you have any QoS rules/setting/softwares shaping the net traffic( include the router), or have an incorrect maximum number of concurrent connections set.

 

CPU and mem sitting at about 34% usage.

My testing now (to reduce variables) is using a fresh install of Non-Steam beta.  No mods.  No modules except what came with it.  No mods to the missionscripting.lua.  Fresh from factory.

Don't know what that last stuff is so I expect the answer is no.

Thanks.

 

 

[[HOUNDS] CptTrips]

OK.  Put a hold on this.

No other application I could run was doing this.  Just DCS.

 

I redownloaded Battlefield 4 and ran it MP and it is doing something similar though.  

 

Like my ISP is seeing the game traffic and reserving all the bandwidth for it and nothing left over for Discord screen share?

That's what I get for only have one game on my machine.

 

I need to research this more on my end.

 

Sorry.

 

 

 

[[HOUNDS] CptTrips]

3 hours ago, Insonia said:

very interesting.

No CPU issues, right?

 

I noticed you have some export/hook scripts that utilize some web features. better rule those mods out. 

 

Do you have any QoS rules/setting/softwares shaping the net traffic( include the router), or have an incorrect maximum number of concurrent connections set.

 

So I was talking with an IT whiz friend of mine and he thinks there is some QoS thing somewhere causing this.  I never heard of it so it is not something I did, but maybe it is something my provider is doing?  I couldn't see anything about QoS in the router admin tabs.  I'll have to call them. 

The thing I noticed ( I said it had to run a minute or two) is that immediately on startup it was getting worse.  And a minute or two later it was way down to min.  He said that is exactly the behavior you would see with QoS.  

*All my TV, phone, and internet are through the same provider.  He said they will often throttle a PC to maintain best quality to TV and phone.

So I'll research that more.  Though possibly other people could be having this problem with their provider too and not realize this is what it is.  Fingers crossed.  Maybe my embarrassment will serve a greater good.

Edited December 2, 2023 by [HOUNDS] CptTrips

[[HOUNDS] CptTrips]

Holy Jeebus. I think I fixed it.

With the QoS hint I started googling on “QoS settings, Gaming, Internet, Lenovo” and found a Tom’s Hardware forum post describing exactly what I was seeing with a Lenovo.

This is a very new Lenovo gaming rig. Turns out they have some fancy software running in the background to do various stuff. Bring that up and there is a setting for something they call “Network Boost” and redirects all bandwidth on your machine to a running game to maximize your gaming experience. Gee thanks.

I turned that off and now I am not seeing the problem. Going to test more but it looks like that is the issue. I have plenty of bandwidth. I’ll keep that off for now. If I need it I can enable it when gaming and not needing to stream the screen.  Looks like I might could add Discord to the list so it will get a share.

Dang that was stressful. I thought I was going crazy. Sorry for blaming DCS. I was wrong. I’ll leave up my embarrassment in case someone else has a similar problem they can find this via search.

Thanks for helping brainstorm all.

 

 

Now with DCS and ME running for 35 min, no problemo!

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by [HOUNDS] CptTrips

[Flappie]

Thanks for your precious feedback!

These laptops... they load them with an awful number of useless crapware.