# CSS ping problem



## mikekelly

hello folks!

I have started playing Counter strike: source. I have a problem that when im playing even on servers in my country my ping will go from a stable 40 to 120+ and i lagg all the time, the ping go's up and down but mainly up. Then other days when i play everything is fine and i cant seem to work out what is the cause of this problem, I visted the offical forums of CSS and lots of people seemed to have the same problem but nobody had the answer(s) to what might be the cause. I have noticed that the 'tick rate' on many servers is different (some 33 and other 76 etc.) but i dont understand what this does and how to change my tick rate so that its the same as the servers.  

Does anyone know what might be causing this problem and how i can go about troubleshooting. 

my specs:

1mb connection
512 ram
3.2ghz cpu
32mb geforce fx go5200 graphics card

I play over a wireless connection and i thought that might be the cause, but when i have thought about it a little, i play quake 3 and my ping is stable all the time and when downloading files from the internet i get a stable 120kb/sec providing the source is good.  

regards
Mike


p.s. some things i have tried to change are rate, smooth clients etc but this seems to make little if any difference.


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## SurpSystem

Don't worry I've heard of this alot give me a few minutes and I'll hopefully come up trumps with a good answer and expaination 

*2 minutes and some frantic Googling later*

56k
rate 3000
cl_cmdrate 15
cl_updaterate 10
cl_rate 9999
cl_cmdbackup 2
_
112k
rate 6000
cl_cmdrate 20
cl_updaterate 15
cl_rate 9999
cl_cmdbackup 2
_
256k
rate 9000
cl_cmdrate 25
cl_updaterate 20
cl_rate 9999
cl_cmdbackup 2
_
384k
rate 15000
cl_cmdrate 30
cl_updaterate 25
cl_rate 9999 *OR* 15000
cl_cmdbackup 2
_
512k
rate 17000
cl_cmdrate 35
cl_updaterate 30
cl_rate 9999 *OR* 17000
cl_cmdbackup 2
_
768k
rate 20000
cl_cmdrate 40
cl_updaterate 35
cl_rate 9999 *OR* 20000
cl_cmdbackup 2
_
1MB+
rate 23000
cl_cmdrate 45
cl_updaterate 40
cl_rate 9999 *OR* 23000
cl_cmdbackup 2 

Hope this helps if not reply again and I shall try to think of another solution. All of those commands go into console (obviously). Some connections simply don't work on default settings so use these ones instead. If your Intyweb connection is with AOL then I'm sorry but there is no answer... Hehe.


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## iLL-Faded

it might be the server your on... are u downloading anything in the background?


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## SurpSystem

Nah he said he's on quite a few servers including UK one's. And I'd hope he wasn't that mentally derelict that he was downloding things in the background .


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## mikekelly

thanks i will give them settings a whirl, and no im not running any other bandwith eating programs whilst playing. 

thanks for the input, i will let you know how i get on


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## mikekelly

just one more thing, if i put these settings in console do i need to do it everytime i log on? if so should i just put em in config?

thanks
Mike


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## mikekelly

ok, i tried them settings and my ping went the lowest it has been around the 30 mark, but it still does the same old thing and jump upto the 90-120 mark same as before. 

I cant think whats causing this problem its like my connection is hot and cold but forevery thing else it runs fine.

HELP!
Mike


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## flame1117

You "might" need a better graphics card, wait, Is the actull ping ogin up if you look at it? Or are you just lagging If your just laggin you might need a better grpahics card, if you lag with low ping on most games you need more ram orVRAM


Have you done a spyware/adware check?


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## SurpSystem

Hmmm. I'll look into this for you Mike. Check for spyware. God I hate spyware . That stuff could eat up your bandwidth.


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## mikekelly

i have sorted the obvious stuff like spyware etc and checked what the minimum specs are to run the game and i have the right specs, or atleast minimum or better.

the recommended display card is 128mb, i have a dell inspiron laptop with a 32mb geforce go fx5200 32mb card, is it possible for me to change the card for higher spec one? i dont know if you can do that with a laptop. ca n anyone confirm this?

regards
Mike


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## SurpSystem

With all older models it is impossible to upgrade your Graphics Card but check this for newer ones. Might have some half decent info. Graphics chips or some such. SomeSuch Site


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## mikekelly

thanks surp, but i checked that site myself via google and it didnt go into any details about my specific card and the upgrading possibilitys. 

I take a look at my laptop and it just look likes a bunch of locked inside antique bullshit, thats growing older by the day. I could be wrong but i dont think you can upgrade this piece of only fools and horses market trader ratpack arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

wow just losing my cool, I have been dumb enough to buy a laptop which wont make it past next week as far as gaming goes.

just one last question, is there any solution to my problem regards upgrading a dell laptop 5160 inspiron? less than 12 months old(which i understand is decades in the cyber age) 


GOD speak to me, please!?
Mike


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## flame1117

You praballly do ned a new graphics card then, And it depends on your laptops sometimes you can, sometimes you cant.


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## mikekelly

cool, but how do i know wether i can or cannot upgrade? 

praetor any answers?


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## flame1117

Try and open it up and see if there is a graphics card that can be removed, If you can, then remove it(You might have to push or pull a little switch ifits AGP) and then measure how much room there is in it, and find a graphics card that has the same slot and small enough dimentions.


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## mikekelly

hello again, I believe im stuck when upgrading my graphics card but i can upgrade the ram to 1gig so i just a few quaestions if any would care to answer them that would be great.

1. is this ram any good, is the price good and will it make much difference.(see link)http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/listparts.asp?model=Inspiron+5160&tabid=AM

secondly, is the 512mb ram im gonna take out worth anything? could i sell it on ebay or something?

regards
Mike


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## RonD

SurpSystem said:
			
		

> Don't worry I've heard of this alot give me a few minutes and I'll hopefully come up trumps with a good answer and expaination
> 
> *2 minutes and some frantic Googling later*
> 
> 56k
> rate 3000
> cl_cmdrate 15
> cl_updaterate 10
> cl_rate 9999
> cl_cmdbackup 2
> _
> 112k
> rate 6000
> cl_cmdrate 20
> cl_updaterate 15
> cl_rate 9999
> cl_cmdbackup 2
> _
> 256k
> rate 9000
> cl_cmdrate 25
> cl_updaterate 20
> cl_rate 9999
> cl_cmdbackup 2
> _
> 384k
> rate 15000
> cl_cmdrate 30
> cl_updaterate 25
> cl_rate 9999 *OR* 15000
> cl_cmdbackup 2
> _
> 512k
> rate 17000
> cl_cmdrate 35
> cl_updaterate 30
> cl_rate 9999 *OR* 17000
> cl_cmdbackup 2
> _
> 768k
> rate 20000
> cl_cmdrate 40
> cl_updaterate 35
> cl_rate 9999 *OR* 20000
> cl_cmdbackup 2
> _
> 1MB+
> rate 23000
> cl_cmdrate 45
> cl_updaterate 40
> cl_rate 9999 *OR* 23000
> cl_cmdbackup 2
> 
> Hope this helps if not reply again and I shall try to think of another solution. All of those commands go into console (obviously). Some connections simply don't work on default settings so use these ones instead. If your Intyweb connection is with AOL then I'm sorry but there is no answer... Hehe.




Nothing personal, but I've just registered to say that is complete rubbish.
You could have at least posted a link to the source of where you got this information.

In response to Mikekelly's post, Quake 3 is ancient and both CS:S and Q3 use different engines.You can't change the tick rate either because it's a server feature, not a user. Tick rate is the measurement of frames per second - otherwise known as Hz. Generally, the higher the tick rate the better the overall gameplay.

You say that you have a 1mb connection, go to your Steam Internet settings and set your Internet connection speed to LAN/T1>1M. That is all you need to do, you do not need to tamper with anything else. Using inappropriate settings can cause poor CS:S gaming performance.

Have you tried playing CS:S on a non-wireless connection (at a friend's house), I'm guessing (and only guessing) that it's your wireless connection that is causing you high ping/lag, contact your Internet Service Provider to see if they can do anything about this or change to a different (non-wireless) Internet package. Looks like you may also need more memory (1 gigabyte is enough) and a much better graphics card.

Here is a link for some *general* information about your connection when playing CS:S.

http://ucguides.savagehelp.com/ConnectionFAQ/Halflife2.htm


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## mikekelly

RonD said:
			
		

> Nothing personal, but I've just registered to say that is complete rubbish.
> You could have at least posted a link to the source of where you got this information.
> 
> In response to Mikekelly's post, Quake 3 is ancient and both CS:S and Q3 use different engines.You can't change the tick rate either because it's a server feature, not a user. Tick rate is the measurement of frames per second - otherwise known as Hz. Generally, the higher the tick rate the better the overall gameplay.
> 
> You say that you have a 1mb connection, go to your Steam Internet settings and set your Internet connection speed to LAN/T1>1M. That is all you need to do, you do not need to tamper with anything else. Using inappropriate settings can cause poor CS:S gaming performance.
> 
> Have you tried playing CS:S on a non-wireless connection (at a friend's house), I'm guessing (and only guessing) that it's your wireless connection that is causing you high ping/lag, contact your Internet Service Provider to see if they can do anything about this or change to a different (non-wireless) Internet package. Looks like you may also need more memory (1 gigabyte is enough) and a much better graphics card.
> 
> Here is a link for some *general* information about your connection when playing CS:S.
> 
> http://ucguides.savagehelp.com/ConnectionFAQ/Halflife2.htm




thanks for the advice dude.

Mike


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