This support page will cover some general gaming advice. This
page is aimed at gamers with an understanding of some gaming terms
and an basic understanding of online gaming.
Most gaming consoles support UPNP (Universal plug and play) this
means that very little has to be done in terms of configuring your
broadband for gaming. Although we don't directly support gaming
consoles, we can help give general set up advice and things to look
for when troubleshooting.
Deciding how to connect your console
Most manufactures will recommend using the LAN (local area
network) or ethernet cable for optimal gaming performance. This is
not always achievable or practical so a WiFi connection can be used
providing your broadband router supports this. Checking gaming
performance via WiFi should be investigated
before purchasing a broadband router to see if WiFi gaming is
recommended.
Port forwarding/MTU settings
Some gaming support forums recommend opening particular ports
and adjusting MTU settings to improve gaming performance. This
should be done with guidance from the router/console manufacturer
as this may cause problems if the wrong settings are adjusted. If
any ports or MTU settings have been adjusted and you cannot get
online, reversing the adjustments would be the best option. If the
settings cannot be reversed, Factory resetting the router will
return the routers settings to default although you will have to
programme the router back up with your broadband and WiFi settings.
Manx Telecom would not usually assist in port forwarding or MTU
adjustments as this is an IT based activity rather than an internet
service provider function.
Improving Ping times
Ping times are important when gaming and a high
ping time can cause frustration to gamers. If you have
recently changed over to ADSL2+ you may have noticed a slight
increase in ping times. This is because ADSL2+ has something called
interleaving that adds a degree of redundancy to the data packets.
This can also lead to an increase in ping times. We have created a
gaming profile for our customers that disables the interleaving
which may help reduce ping times. To enable this service on your
broadband line, call the sales team on 624624 option 1.
Got Lag?
Lag can in simple terms be broken down into 3 areas.
- Graphical or frames per second (FPS) lag - usually associated
to the graphics card or machines performance
- Server lag - usually when the gaming server is overloaded or is
dealing with a high amount of traffic
- Network lag - Either the home network or the wider network
having suffering from slow speeds
In the case of network lag, testing
the broadband speed would be the first thing to do. If speeds
appear slow, switch off any machines connected to the network and
try testing the speed again. If the speed is still slow, try
logging onto the routers admin page to find out the broadband
connection speed. If the speed is slower than normal, try looking
through our filter troubleshooting section or calling
the service centre for some help.
Useful links
PS3 support pages : http://uk.playstation.com/ps3/support/
Xbox support pages: http://support.xbox.com/en-gb/Pages/default.aspx
Wii support pages: http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/wii/en_na/index.jsp
Tech support forums for online gaming : http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f222/