Steam (CS:Source) through vista ICS

[konakona]

I just purchased and installed CS: Source on my computers. It did not work on my main rig which is connected thru ICS on my secondary rig, failing to connect after 4 tries on every server. It wasn't that I was trying to connect from in-game, I did select "counter-strike" in the filter settings of the steam applet's server search. On the secondary rig, it seemed to work without issues.

There are no intrusive 'security' programs like Norton Internet Security, the only AV programs on each being antivir personal and NOD32. The secondary rig connects directly to the cable modem and has windows firewall on; turning the firewall off didn't do the trick.

The only thing that comes to mind is opening (forwarding?) ports on the ICS settings. This is what I found with little googling: http://www.resoo.org/docs/counterstrike/steam_ports.html
However, I was also told they keep changing ports every now and then, and I am not sure how up to date that website in the link is.

Any idea?

 

[LumbergTech]

You could probably solve a lot of headaches by getting a 20 dollar router

 

[vital]

You could probably solve a lot of headaches by getting a 20 dollar router

^^

 

[konakona]

^^

No, the thing is I started using cfosspeed and it is working a whole lot better than my old linksys for QoS (gaming) purposes. I wasn't impressed by tomato and I don't think streamengine equipped routers come THAT cheap. Plus everything else works just fine as is, easier still since I can monitor stuff easily using netlimiter; that's what the secondary computer is for, after all.

When I looked into in on google, I found people were having similar problems WITH rotuers as well, so it's not like getting router is a panacea there either. It looked like a simple enough fix for them - like opening some ports and such, and I can't imagine it would be much harder with ICS. I don't see it as a headache yet, it's not like I been tormented by this or anything I am willing to spend a fair share of my time here if there is something to be learned out of this.

 

[LumbergTech]

No, the thing is I started using cfosspeed and it is working a whole lot better than my old linksys for QoS (gaming) purposes. I wasn't impressed by tomato and I don't think streamengine equipped routers come THAT cheap. Plus everything else works just fine as is, easier still since I can monitor stuff easily using netlimiter; that's what the secondary computer is for, after all.

When I looked into in on google, I found people were having similar problems WITH rotuers as well, so it's not like getting router is a panacea there either. It looked like a simple enough fix for them - like opening some ports and such, and I can't imagine it would be much harder with ICS. I don't see it as a headache yet, it's not like I been tormented by this or anything I am willing to spend a fair share of my time here if there is something to be learned out of this.

You are free to go down the road of pain. I was just trying to help. People who have trouble with routers aren't going to have an easier time with ICS. I can tell you that much.

What do you mean by streamengine anyway? I googled it and it looks like some bs offer to "speed up your internet". I hope you understand that those things rarely actually "speed up" anything..

Maybe the streamengine software provides some other functionality that I didn't see but I got a bad vibe just reading over it.

Hopefully someone will come along and give you the info you need.

 

[eggrolls]

Have you tried bridging the connections instead of ICS?

 

[konakona]

You are free to go down the road of pain. I was just trying to help. People who have trouble with routers aren't going to have an easier time with ICS. I can tell you that much.

What do you mean by streamengine anyway? I googled it and it looks like some bs offer to "speed up your internet". I hope you understand that those things rarely actually "speed up" anything..

Maybe the streamengine software provides some other functionality that I didn't see but I got a bad vibe just reading over it.

Hopefully someone will come along and give you the info you need.

Didn't it occur to you I would have thought about routers at one point? Thanks for your input though, I guess you were trying to help.

Streamengine is a QoS chip by ubicom, used in several routers from d-link, xytel, etc. We already had a lengthy discussion over this in the networking forum, and I would rather not derail the thread in that direction. I can understand how people's marketing gimmick sensor could get sensitive sometimes, but all sources indicate it actually works quite well. Pundits of ddwrt/tomato will claim QoS can be done with any router able to run these. My observation was such that as knowledgeable as they might be in networking, none of them were all that much into gaming.

I am very well aware that no amount traffic shaping within my own local network can affect whatever happens between the server and the DSL/cable modem. It's just that I was hoping that I could be downloading and gaming at the same time, if possibel. Apart from CS Source, I have a very specific need due to large latency overhead for another game (the server I connect is some 6800 miles away, and it's not some just random server), so every bit helps. I have the played the game long enough to know no amount of upstream throttling would help the cause without traffic shaping (cfosspeed made some immediately and clearly noticeable change, so I am quite happy as we speak). That prompted me to look for a streamengine equipped router if I decided to get a router at all, but ended up settling with cfosspeed instead.

In case you are adamant about debunking this "myth" read this thread: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r19887223-Best-gaming-router
I think the dream killer guy there makes a very good case by backing up his claim with factual data - something none of the naysayers have done thsufar. I would gladly eat my humble pie if you can prove me (and him) wrong.

Have you tried bridging the connections instead of ICS?

I have in the past, for another reason altogether. But no, not CS:Source with that. Let's see if that would do the trick