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Game slow down on Helix Fi - solution.
When playing Call of Duty with a new Helix Fi modem. Things would work but after about half an hour, the game would start lagging until finally it was unplayable - this is still the case as I tested this again yesterday and the problem persists. I could not find any way to set uplink QOS on the Helix Fi so finally I put it in Bridge Mode and connected my own Netgear R6400 router. This worked very well and I do not actually have to set any uplink QOS.
My question is why there is there no discussion about gaming issues with the Helix Fi modem/router here on the forum. I could not find any solution or even discussion. I've only found Redit discussions that did not offer solutions. I'm curious why this is not a bigger issue. Are other Helix users gaming - in particular COD - without issues?
Hello,
You've hit upon a common, but often underreported, issue with ISP-provided modem/router combos, especially when it comes to real-time, latency-sensitive applications like online gaming. Here's a breakdown of why this might be happening and why it might not be as widely discussed as you'd expect:
Possible Reasons for Helix Fi Gaming Issues:
Bufferbloat:
This is a common culprit for gaming lag. When your router's buffers become overloaded, packets get delayed, leading to high latency and jitter. Helix Fi, like many all-in-one units, might have less sophisticated buffer management than dedicated gaming routers.
Bufferbloat is most noticeable when there's heavy uplink traffic, which is common in online gaming.
QoS (Quality of Service) Limitations:
As you discovered, the Helix Fi likely has limited or no user-configurable QoS settings. QoS allows you to prioritize gaming traffic, ensuring it gets precedence over other network activity.
Without proper QoS, background tasks like downloads, streaming, or even other devices on your network can saturate your uplink, causing lag in your game.
Firmware and Software Issues:
ISP-provided devices often have locked-down firmware, meaning you can't install custom firmware or make advanced configuration changes.
There could be underlying software bugs or inefficiencies in the Helix Fi's firmware that contribute to the lag.
1 Reply
Hello,
You've hit upon a common, but often underreported, issue with ISP-provided modem/router combos, especially when it comes to real-time, latency-sensitive applications like online gaming. Here's a breakdown of why this might be happening and why it might not be as widely discussed as you'd expect:
Possible Reasons for Helix Fi Gaming Issues:
Bufferbloat:
This is a common culprit for gaming lag. When your router's buffers become overloaded, packets get delayed, leading to high latency and jitter. Helix Fi, like many all-in-one units, might have less sophisticated buffer management than dedicated gaming routers.
Bufferbloat is most noticeable when there's heavy uplink traffic, which is common in online gaming.
QoS (Quality of Service) Limitations:
As you discovered, the Helix Fi likely has limited or no user-configurable QoS settings. QoS allows you to prioritize gaming traffic, ensuring it gets precedence over other network activity.
Without proper QoS, background tasks like downloads, streaming, or even other devices on your network can saturate your uplink, causing lag in your game.
Firmware and Software Issues:
ISP-provided devices often have locked-down firmware, meaning you can't install custom firmware or make advanced configuration changes.
There could be underlying software bugs or inefficiencies in the Helix Fi's firmware that contribute to the lag.
