Game is dropping as soon as i switched to MR33

[AdelD]

Hi All,

I am still new to this so appreciate your help. Yesterday I installed Meraki MX64, MS220, and an MR33 at my home. I haven't done any major configuration apart of adding SSID / enabling WPA. 

All worked fine however, as soon as i play an online game , i keep on getting random dc. is there a configuration that i missed where i can keep the game session last forever ? i am not sure how does it work so apprecaite your help

the setups is AP==>connected via PoE to Meraki Switch which is connected to the controller. Then the controller is connected to NBN Fibre modem. 

I never had this issue using my old router so it seems the problem started as soon as i started using Meraki devices. 

[cmr]

@AdelD What is the device you are using (Windows 10 laptop with Intel network adapter etc.), and what firmware is the MR33 running (i.e. 27.5)?

[AdelD]

I am using a dekstop with wireless adapter - Intel(r) Dual Band wireless-AC 3168. Windows 10

for firmware:

MX 14.53

Released Jun 2, 2020

MS 12.28

Released Aug 26, 2020

MR 26.8.1

Released Jun 17, 2020

[cmr]

@AdelD If you connect the PC wired, for a test, is it all okay?  If so I'd try 27.5 on the AP, make sure you have the latest Intel WiFi drivers and let us know if that works?

[NolanHerring]

Easy thing to do right now is eliminate wireless as root cause.

Hardwire, play your game and see how it handles around the corners.

If it does not have any issues, then take a look at the wireless. Are you using 5GHz only SSID? or is your laptop connecting to 2.4GHz and every time someone runs the microwave your game tanks etc.

[AdelD]

Currently i don't have an internal cabling that's why i went for wireless. NTU is in carage where the PC is on the upper floor. I have however a power adapter where i used to get the signal carried over power. Is this something that i'd consider for testing ?

[cmr]

@AdelD , yes just to confirm that it is a wireless issue

[ww]

Try ssid in bridge mode

[AdelD]

Tested wired connection, not a single drop or dc. Only when i switch to wireless, the game disconnect from the server for like .5 sec and reconnect, but it end up leaving the current game session which is frustrating.

Edit: just right now i got a game DC over wired connection. i am nto sure what is happening ?

[AlbertT]

Can you do in cmd line in Windows 10 :

netsh, wlan, show interfaces ?

For example here is my @ home wifi  (also a MR33)

netsh wlan>show interfaces

There is 1 interface on the system:

    Name                   : Wi-Fi

    Description            : Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265

    GUID                   : 2xxxxx5-1xxx-xxxx-axxx-xxxxxxxxxx

    Physical address       : xx:xx:xx:xx:xxxx

    State                  : connected

    SSID                   : xxxx-xxxxx

    BSSID                  : xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx

    Network type           : Infrastructure

    Radio type             : 802.11ac

    Authentication         : WPA2-Personal

    Cipher                 : CCMP

    Connection mode        : Auto Connect

    Channel                : 44

    Receive rate (Mbps)    : 173.3

    Transmit rate (Mbps)   : 173.3

    Signal                 : 86%

    Profile                : xxxxx-xxxxxx

    Hosted network status  : Not available

netsh wlan>

Look at the Receive / Transmit rate and the signal % 

My MR33 is in 20 MHz channel width in 5 GHz.

[AdelD]

C:\Users\User>netsh wlan show interfaces

There is 1 interface on the system:

Name : Wi-Fi
Description : Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
GUID : 6ba6be7b-354f-4fe6-900e-467579303150
Physical address : 08:71:90:8f:f9:bc
State : disconnected
Radio status : Hardware On
Software On

Hosted network status : Not available

i am currently on cable, do you want me to switch to wireless and run the command again ?

[AdelD]

It seems it is a general problem not only related to gaming. The AP is disconnecting every now and then. I am not sure if it's the baby monitor signal that is interfering with it. but even on wired it is disconnecting for like 0.5 s and getting back up, i can see my iphone keep on refreshing its connectivity to WiFi.

are there some mandatory settings i need to enter in the portal ?

[NolanHerring]

How are you able to confirm that the 'AP' itself is losing connection?

If that is true then its an issue between the AP, to its power source (assuming this is the MS220 yes?). You'll want to confirm there isn't an issue with the connection between the MR33 and the MS220 (layer 1 issue?).

Otherwise, its sounding like wireless interference might be going on.

Can you also share a screen capture of how you have the Access Control page configured for the SSID you are using please. And the AP radio settings

[AdelD]

[AdelD]

I was using another internet modem and i didn't have a random DC. 

Now, when i used wired or wireless access to Meraki, the sessions are dropping. Example 1 : different games are getting dc randomly.

Today, as i work from home, my VPN session kept on resetting so every now and then i had to re-authenticate myself so i can work 

There is 1 interface on the system:

Name : Wi-Fi
Description : Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
GUID : 0c650a11-bbcb-4e2e-97fc-98c8b2502130
Physical address : 14:ab:c5:e1:4b:78
State : connected
SSID : Dardari - wireless WiFi
BSSID : 6a:3a:0e:84:b9:d0
Network type : Infrastructure
Radio type : 802.11ac
Authentication : WPA2-Personal
Cipher : CCMP
Connection mode : Auto Connect
Channel : 104
Receive rate (Mbps) : 585
Transmit rate (Mbps) : 585
Signal : 81%
Profile : Dardari - wireless WiFi

Hosted network status : Not available

[NolanHerring]

I would recommend making the SSID 5GHz only, and if you require 2.4GHz, then leave it as is and make another SSID that is 5GHz only and test.

Can you clarify 'wired + sessions are dropping'. I thought hardwire you did not have issues.

Do you mean your hardwired to the MS220 with an Ethernet cable and your still getting drops?  If so then I would ignore wireless being the issue at this point and look to the MX or ISP.

[cmr]

@AdelD I see you have NAT mode configured, this is normally used when you want public WiFi access to the Internet completely separate from the LAN.  It turns each access point into a mini MX with network address translation and basic access control.  Please change to bridge mode for your purpose where the MR will make wirelss clients part of the switched LAN.

[AdelD]

I put it in bridge mode, i only enabled 5Ghz , and nothing changed. Wired and wireless , getting random dc. This is super frustrating :S

[NolanHerring]

Well since your having the issue on the wired side, its not wireless.

At this point you need to validate where in your path your issue is occurring.

What your telling us is that it happens at the AP level (wifi) and it also happens if you are hardwired to the switch. What about if you connect directly to the MX?

Are you able to bypass the MX and take Meraki out of the equation? It might just be an ISP issue.

[AdelD]

This is the setup that i currently have

I have tried two approaches, connecting to the wireless MR and connecting directly to MX via the power adapter. In both scenario's the sessions are dropping; I.E Webex / Teams / VPN Tunnel / Games..etc I was in a one hour meeting over Webex and the session dropped like 8-9 times. 

I have removed the whole setup and replaced it with a netgear modem; not a single drop, very stable.

I have a feeling that it is something with the configuration or it could be a physical issue. But i am not sure how to confirm. I'd be glad to get some troubleshooting steps from you guys

[AlbertT]

Yes please, do this if you are connected to the MR33