Steam disconnects from WiFi network when playing online

[EmyChoco]

Hi everyone !

Despite many searches and tries, I am still experiencing a weird issue with Steam.
I tried today to play Alien Swarm with my girlfriend. I manage to see her game in the lobby but as soon as I'm joining, I got "Warning : Connection problem" and I'm disconnected. I tried with other people's game too and got the same error : It first loads but as soon I enter the game, the connection problem occurred.

I noticed that when I try to connect to Alien Swarm online game (or any other Steam online game like TF2), I randomly lose my wifi network connection (as if my wifi card was resetting). It may explain the "Connection problem" but I still don't understand why my wifi is resetting because of Steam !?

I have a good, recent computer with Windows 7 and a WiFi card (it's a TP-LINK TL-WN951N but it says Qualcomm Atheros AR922X Wireless Network Adapter in the Devices Manager). The signal is strong (82%), there is no one else on the channel 4 and drivers are up-to-date. I have optic fiber and I can navigate or download very well otherwise, so it's not a bandwidth problem.

I tried unchecking "Allow the computer to power-off this device" on my wifi card, no change.
I tried pinging the router with "ping -t9999999 192.168.1.1" in the command prompt, it pings well before playing and when the game loads but as soon as I enter the game, I get "Time out". And it pings well back after disconnecting from the game...
I tried turning off Avast! and Windows' firewall, no change either.

Any idea ?
Thanks a lot !

[_I_]

what router?

try using a cable and see if that works

lots of stuff can interrupt wireless signal
florescent lights, plasma tv, microwaves, cordless phones ect..

[[UFO] rad87gn]

Any way you can get a wired connection to your computer? I recommend that if you can. Much more stable gaming. When I game I use wired connections. Wireless is great but sometimes gets "floaty" and has bumps up and down for bandwidth depending on many things. Even when I'm right next to the router.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Please try my suggestion here:

http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/864972621024672781/#c864977025983564467

[EmyChoco]

Hello _|_, rad87gn and Bad-Motha, thanks for helping !

I tried again today after rebooting the router but it doesn't help. It is a "Livebox 2 Sagem (Fiber)".

I could try with a cable but my computer is in my room and the router is in the living room, I would have to move all the computer and stuff. And also there are my rabbits in the living room who love eating cables, it's why I got rid of cables for WiFi x) So I could try with a cable to check if it is a wireless problem (and I pretty sure it is), but it is not a definitive solution. I know cable are far better than WiFi, but I simply can't at the actual time. Maybe with PLC (power line communication) ?

But as I said previously, I have a strong signal from my room (between 60 to 80%) and it never interrupts while surfing, watching videos or downloading heavy files. I even played AoE2 yesterday in local LAN through the livebox with WiFi (three computer connected to the livebox with WiFi to play AoE) without experiencing WiFi disconnection.

It is only when I play on Steam that my wireless card reboots. I'm connected to my network through WiFi, everything is fine and when I do something related with steam online (joining a Alien Swarm game, looking for servers in TF2), I randomly get disconnected from my network, the card is refreshing the wifi spots list and wait a bit before finding again my network and reconnecting (and sometimes, it even not reconnects and I have to do it manually).

It is very weird.

It tried your solution Bad-Motha, still the same bug. But thanks anyway.
Any other idea ? :(

[Veristä mössöä]

I think you should try with different wifi card.

Those cheap ones can't handle large number of connections (which steam does). Fixed my friends problem.

Same thing with cheap routers. It's either that or your wifi card. If it works with cable, then it's your card and like-wise

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Before trying another WiFi adapter, try a different or newer driver for it.

But yea if u want good WiFi, helps if it is Intel brand. Those are some of the best.

As far as you trying other things, did u try the -TCP trick? So Steam connects via TCP instead of UDP?

[EmyChoco]

Okay, some news !

I tried with -tcp but it wasn't better.

Now, I've moved my computer in the living room, next to the router. The signal is excellent (between 88 and 100%). Annnd I was able to play a bit Alien Swarm. I got a brief "Connection problem" and some lags ingame causing me to die at the start of the match, but the wifi card do not reset like before, when I was in my room.

I suppose that it will be even better with cable. Now, I'm wondering : Is it because of the signal strenght being not strong enough (still ~70% in my room) ? Something else ? Should I go PLC or buying a wifi repeater or another more powerful wifi card ? Or 20m of ethernet cable (which would be very ugly going through the whole home and having to be very secured because of rabbits) ?

[Bad 💀 Motha]

U are in the same room as the router and wireless signal even flucuates below 90-100%
Something is seriously wrong with that adapter in some form or another.
Drivers or the adapter's config, could be either, or combination of the two.

Is it possible to move the Modem/Router? Or is that a problem because of where the main cable line comes in?

If you can't move the Modem/Router, try turning off all Wireless machines, then connect to the Router on a system that uses wired connection and go into the Modem/Router config screen inside a browser, and try changing the channel that the WiFi uses. This can help greatly in most cases. As there could just be something inside your home that is inbetween the Router and troubled wireless PC that is cauing interference, results in WiFi drop-outs and/or poor overall performance. The channel the wirelss is set to (on the Router side) slightly changes the 2.4Ghz freqency range. I always recommend trying channels 7-11 and see if there is improvement in your overall wireless as far as signal strength and overall performance. Long as the wireless speed doesn't drop below 11mpbs or so and/or having drop-outs, then you should be fine. Once you change wireless channel and apply, let the Modem/Router go through it's restart process. Once it's on an has an active internet connection, turn your wireless devices back on and try it out via PingTest.net

[EmyChoco]

Well, I just changed location to test by cable and it's perfect, so problem is coming from my wireless (but we already know that).

Now that I am in the same room as the router (in the living room), the wireless signal fluctuates between 95%-100% (almost always on 100%). The WiFi was on channel 4 and I recently changed it to 9 (my neighbors are all on channels 11 and 13). No major improvements though.

When I was in my bedroom (from where I experience wifi drop-out with Steam only), I manage to have a 65% to 80% signal strengh, depending on many factors I don't understand (people moving, Playstation being used or not, doors being opened or not, I don't really know). But the TP-Link Wireless configuration tool says I have a rate of 56Mbps to 107Mbps (it fluctuates depending on I don't know what, but the adapter is a 300Mbps theorically).

I just can't move the router because of the optic fiber being too short to move it elsewhere (and rabbits willing to eat every cable). It just fit perfectly on my TV furniture x)

I opened my computer, cleaned the dust in there, unplugged and replugged the wifi adapter. Now, I will move back to my room and try PingTest.net

---

For informations, here are the pingTest results with other configurations :

From the Living Room by Cable : Line Quality is A (ping: 27ms / jitter: 0ms / packet loss: 0%)

From the living room by Wifi : Line Quality is A (ping: 28ms / jitter: 1ms / packet loss: 0%)

Results from my room in a few minutes, thanks for helping ^^

[Fem|Geek]

I suggest hardwiring during game play - even with the best WIFI you're going to run the risk of connection loss due to EMF interference

[EmyChoco]

Hi again !

From my room, I get a Line A quality (ping: 29ms / jitter: 1ms / packet loss: 0%) BUT don't ask my why, I replugged everything like before and only get a 58% signal strengh (I used to have around 70% +-10%). Phew.

Am I going to buy 20m of ethernet cable going though alllll the home to the router ? x)

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Did u bump the antenna(s) when moving the system, check the connection, ensure it's tightened. As they are screw antennas on your wireless card. And don't have the antenna's pointing oddly, have them point away from one another.

As shown here >
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=rlOWNDU10Bk#t=2
Soon as video loads, click pause at 00:03 so u can see how the antennas are. That is pretty much how they should be at all times if u can help it. Never facing towards or crossing one another.

If in the end it is your actual desktop tower that comes between your wireless antenna on the card, and your router, try repositioning the desktop to avoid interference.

[EmyChoco]

Hi, some news !

I placed the antennas as shown in the video and managed to move the router a bit nearer to my room (in fact, I can't move the -optical fiber box-, but there is an ethernet cable between that box and the wifi router, so I got a few more meters.

Moreover, I also managed to convert another Livebox router I have as an Wifi access point, so now, I have a nice strong signal in my room and I'm able to play on steam again.
It is not a very clean and beautiful solution (there is a long ethernet cable running through corridors and a router sitting on a chair in the middle of the home) but I won't play everytime on Steam : I will install that wifi access point when I want to play and put it away after.

So it was a problem with wifi signal, I guess. Thanks to everyone for your help ! I greatly appreciate !

[Bad 💀 Motha]

U shouldn't really lose any speed if u must use a longer Ethernet cable between your ISP Modem and your Wireless Router.

So getting a longer cable to connect those two, so you can move the Router to a better suited possition might be a good idea overall.

What can also help is having a wireless router near the center of your home and at a higher floor (if possible). As this will help even out the wireless coverage in your home.

[Yoitskay]

I have the same problem. I figured out is the window update. Now every time I update my window the the lastest. All my steam or my PC just disconnect on me. I'm still trying to figure mine out right now too