PS4 best Router Configuration for Netgear Nighthawk AC1900

hairahcas

Hello all,

First off, I have to admit I know next to nothing about networking or router configurations so please bear with me.

I had a very old and cheap router, and realizing that Cyrodiil was essentially unplayable even using a LAN cable, I just bought a Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 router in hopes of improving performance and reducing lag on my PS4.

I don't think it's my speed from the ISP that is the problem. Without using ANY router, if I directly wire the cable modem into the PS4, I get about 65 Mbps (PS4 test), which is as advertised by my ISP, and although some lag exists, my Cyrodiil performance is relatively playable. (I would do this all the time but that means no WiFi for anyone else at home -- I tried to explain the importance of PvP to the girlfriend to no avail

Using this new router, the PS4 speed test still shows the about the same 65 Mbps, but the actual playing experience is dramatically different. Although not as bad as the old router was, the lag is awful enough that I can't even tell what is going on until its too late and I'm dead.

So essentially the purpose of getting this "smart" router was to be able devote most of my bandwidth to ESO when I'm playing, but leave a small amount for everything else in the house. I've turned on the "upstream QoS" to prioritize online gaming -- as directed in the router manual, but it doesn't seem to do much.

I know there is some trick in the router setup to prioritize the PS4 but I'm struggling here. If any PS4 players have been through this, I would really appreciate any suggestions!

Nestor

This is the same model Router I have, good choice.

Here are the ports you need to open up on the router, note there are ports for the PS4, and ports for all platforms

https://help.elderscrollsonline.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/30107/kw/port triggering

Note, I would turn off the QOS, as that would only benefit you if you had some thing like VOIP through a third party Provider like Jive.

outsideworld76

It doesn't matter which router you use. Even with a direct connection to the modem, ZoS server performance is dramatic. They can't improve it, won't improve it. Not now, not ever, it will be bad always. If ZoS knew how to improve it, they would have done it by now. ESO will always be a legfest.

Articulemort

If you are only noticing lag in pvp, it won't matter what ports you forward, or how much you spent on a router or modem, or how fast you download/upload is. The lag is on ZOS' side, and clearly they don't care enough to fix it.

hairahcas

Hey @Nestor,

You are the man! I added those port numbers and it is like a TOTALLY different game now!!! I can actually play the game in Cyrodiil and lag is minimal, mostly when there are like 200 people around in a condensed area. I can't believe I'd been trying to play like that for so long before... Thank you so much!

Note: for the QOS you recommended turning it off unless I have VOIP, which I don't, but remember that consoles do have voice chat. Would you still keep it off?

Serjustin19

Nestor wrote: »

This is the same model Router I have, good choice.

Here are the ports you need to open up on the router, note there are ports for the PS4, and ports for all platforms

https://help.elderscrollsonline.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/30107/kw/port triggering

Note, I would turn off the QOS, as that would only benefit you if you had some thing like VOIP through a third party Provider like Jive.

Thank you. I have the same issues to. I go ahead and try this. Thank you again.

Serjustin19

hairahcas wrote: »

Hey @Nestor,

You are the man! I added those port numbers and it is like a TOTALLY different game now!!! I can actually play the game in Cyrodiil and lag is minimal, mostly when there are like 200 people around in a condensed area. I can't believe I'd been trying to play like that for so long before... Thank you so much!

Note: for the QOS you recommended turning it off unless I have VOIP, which I don't, but remember that consoles do have voice chat. Would you still keep it off?

I have the same issues with same router also. I mostly in Cyrodiil and get kicked out alot. Mostly freezing. I to been playing like this for long time also. Freezing lag and such. Even with 5 people I freeze. I am so glad this works for you. I am going to try this to. I can't wait!

outsideworld76

I recommend those who want to forward to read this first.

Port forwarding might be a security issue. Second thing is, I never noticed any difference in the number of disconnects, lag and crashes between changing from NAT type 3 to 2. Even with direct connection to my modem (NAT type 1) the game performs the same. So my current conclusion is that it has nothing to do with the network address translation, thus port forwarding and triggering is not part of the equation in my case.

Serjustin19

@outsideworld76

thanks for reply and warning. I not know this. Now I not sure what to do. I love pvp so much. But is getting no fun for me. I have been freezing, kicked out, every 5 minutes. In small group of 5. I lag. I am unable to attack. Say ep in scourge for example. Since I am currently serving as DC in Scourge on PS4 EU. Get to see more EP which I like. I like all alliance. I Always stand still then after get killed. Can't do that when I dead.

It always been like this ever since imperial city came out for me. But before imperial city. I had no problems. I can go in large groups and stuff. But not anymore. I tried other campaigns. Azura never works for me. I tried alot of times. T the time when Imperial City came. I have always played in Scourge.

Old Scourge I still have problems. But was playable. But after Scourge was accidentally deleted on ps4 eu. I was forced to switch to new campaign. Which I keep getting. Must have valid internet connection error. But when Scourge came back. I immediately went back to scourge on ps4 eu. But so much worse now. For me. When chillrend campaign was deleted.

Most of my YouTube videos show me freezing and lagging horrible also. I wrote support 6 times. But got reply to contact sony. Every time. I have 25mb right now. I just got a new router. Asus RT-AC88U wireless-AC3100 Dual Band Gigabite Router. But hasn't help. (But I can watch live broadcasts alot now without buffer. Which am happy) My nat is type 2 currently. I am wired. Never wifi.

I really love eso and pvp so much. I am not leaving. No way. I am very happy with eso. I gladly support them. I am a fan of theres. This game I was looking for. Always have. Main reason I bought this game because it is the first series of having mass multiplayer? First series to have first pvp.

I love pvp way more than pve. I mean no offense to any of you who love pve better. To each there on. For that this is why I love this game. So we can have a choice. A choice to best suit our needs. Our needs to decide which we have more fun at. PvE or PvP? For mine. It will always be PvP.

But anyways. I am unsure what should I do? I am unable to switch interenet. Only 1 that currently serves in my location. I just want to enjoy PvP alot more. Without getting that must have valid internet connection. Everytime. Freezing in 5+ groups. Unable to do my ability until after I am dead. For example I used Rememberance templar ultimate. I tried used it before I died. But it decided to use my ultimate after I revived.

I will still continue to do PvP though. I love it. It just kinda getting old 1+ year for me of doing this. Alot worse after chillrend campaign got deleted. But thankyou friend for giving me this warning and helping me out again. I wish there was something else for me to make me enjoy pvp more.

Nestor

Serjustwhy wrote: »

@outsideworld76

thanks for reply and warning. I not know this. Now I not sure what to do.

Pure FUD

First, your on a PS4, there is nothing to hack, so don't worry. The worst they could do is access your account, if they even cared to, and buy games on your account to be downloaded to your machine. You can combat this simply by reading your CC statement each month when it comes. Then contact the bank and get it squared away. To that end, never store your CC information on the console. And, never use a CC that is a Debit Card with direct access to your checking account.

If you turned on Port Triggering/Forwarding on your network, then some machine on your network has to be listening on those ports, and have an application running that can be hacked to gain access. If your not running ESO on your PC, then these ports do not increase your risk to any level you have to worry about.

Like I said in another thread, your not a military equipment contractor, a government agency or a bank/financial institution or a medical office, you have nothing that would benefit a hacker. They are not looking for you.

Look at it another way, you think locking your doors is going to keep a determined thief out of your house? No, but we do it anyway because it keeps the honest people honest and encourages thieves to go find an easier target. So, how do you make your network less of a target? Turn off ICMP so your network does not respond to Pings, then for most intents and purposes, your invisible to the Internet. Those that are doing port level scans are not looking for you.

If you want to protect yourself on the Internet, then don't open emails from people you don't know, and never open an attachment in an email, even one that was forwarded to you. Never respond to an email that asks for any personally identifiable information, unless you have established a trusted relationship with the person asking, and you know that person is the one who asked you. That is how 99% of home users are compromised.

outsideworld76

Well I am not a hacker so don't know anything about possible security issues with PS4. But if there are, you might want to keep people out for the same reason you lock doors at home. Port triggering is more secure than port forwarding which leaves some doors open all of the time. It's not FUD to want to have the highest possible security level available at no extra cost, it's just common sense to me.

Nestor

outsideworld76 wrote: »

Well I am not a hacker so don't know anything about possible security issues with PS4. But if there are, you might want to keep people out for the same reason you lock doors at home. Port triggering is more secure than port forwarding which leaves some doors open all of the time. It's not FUD to want to have the highest possible security level available at no extra cost, it's just common sense to me.

@outsideworld76

There is a big difference between taking reasonable precautions and being worried that everyone in the world is going to hack your system.

Yes, Port Triggering can be more secure, but so can Port Forwarding if you set it up right. However, Port Forwarding is kind of pain to set up as you have to have a Static IP on the device that you are forwarding to. While setting up statics is not that hard, it does add to complexity of changing your network configurations. Port Triggering is always preferred simply because it is easier to set up and deal with. And, with some routers, you can even schedule when the triggering is allowed to happen or certain Mac Addresses can be allowed access to the net.

Besides, Port Triggering can be just as problematical with regards to be being hacked, if there is a determined hacker out there that really wants to be in your system. In other words, there are no secure systems out there except the one that is never connected to the Internet.

That is no fun, so take reasonable precautions, use some common sense, and don't worry about the most sophisticated hacking attempts and how they will affect you. One, they are probably not coming after you, and two, if they are coming after you, there is nothing you can do about it short of disconnecting from the web.

Most so called hackers today are not sophisticated simply because they download a program that does the work for them and don't really know how it all works. These programs find the easy targets and exploit them. It is very simple to not be that easy target, and there are enough easy targets out there that malicious hackers have plenty of low hanging fruit to feed on.

hairahcas

Well after about a week of running nicely, its back to being just as bad as it was before. I then took the step of putting my PS4 into DMZ. It was good for a few days, and now its back to being largely unplayable. It's pretty impossible to win a fight when your abilities go off 5 seconds after pressing the button...

I might try buying a faster internet package from my ISP. If that doesn't work, I don't know if Cyrodiil is worth the aggravation anymore. (As a matter of fact, last night it was even lagging bad in the Kvatch Arena with 10+ people fighting the world boss.)