Netduma R1 problem with Fiber and COD

[CODduma]

Hi, I play COD on PS5. I recently bought a Netduma R1 because I was experiencing severe desynchronization issues in FPS games on my 1Gbps fiber connection.

The R1 is running the latest available firmware, and I’ve configured it correctly following the forum recommendations.

Here’s the problem: When I connect the R1 to my ISP's router and then the PS5 to the Duma, I can launch the game but can never connect to a lobby—I get a "Host Unreachable" error. However, as soon as I connect the R1 to a 4G hotspot via Ethernet, I find lobbies almost immediately. Have you ever encountered this situation? Why doesn't it work when going through my ISP's router?

I’ve tested both with and without placing the R1 in the DMZ on my ISP's router.

[Netduma Fraser]

No specific reason why it would work on one but not the other necessarily but I would suggest you return the R1 in all honesty as it is very old and hasn't received cloud updates for some time so is out of date in that regard and could be contributing to your issue

[CODduma]

First of all, thanks Fraser; thanks to your advice in other threads, I managed to get the R1 working.
The R1 is indeed likely too old and outdated; in any case, it doesn't allow me to search for COD lobbies in Europe, so I set a filter for the US and it works. However, I can't play with my friends who are in France.

The strange thing is, when I set a polygon over France or Europe, I can't join a lobby. But when I create a polygon over the US, I join matches and even see peers in France—peers I didn't see with the other filter settings.
I'm going to try adding the peers I see when I'm in a party with my friends; maybe if I add all the peers, I'll eventually be able to start a match.

Here is my analysis of the desynchronization issue people are facing, even when using a Netduma router. I believe it stems from a tick rate assignment or communication issue linked to the client's connection (especially fiber)! In France, there are four high-performance ISPs; I’ve tested three of them and encountered the same problem every time: my first match goes reasonably well, but then things deteriorate until the game becomes almost unplayable—what is commonly referred to as "desync":
- Controller input lag
- Reduced damage output and increased damage taken from enemies
- Dying in a single frame
- Character moving sluggishly for no apparent reason
...and various other consequences.

Essentially, I suspect my tick rate gradually drops until it’s almost non-existent, whereas my opponent's tick rate remains adequate for the game. I haven't been able to pinpoint the exact cause regarding my connection; all three ISPs confirmed my connection was solid and error-free. The server assigns a tick rate to the client based on several criteria, and for some reason I can't fathom, my connection fails to meet one or more of them. Without in-depth diagnostics, it’s virtually impossible to identify the root cause. I’ve tried various configurations on both my ISP router and the Netduma, but nothing offers a lasting fix; sometimes I’ll have a good match, only for desync issues to return. I can't tell if playing on French servers or against European players is what exacerbates the problem, so the strategy now is to avoid both.

With a US filter, I average 35ms ping compared to 7–22ms in France/Europe, and gameplay feels almost normal again. Unfortunately, there are still French and European players on US servers, so I still experience desync against them—though sometimes it’s less severe or non-existent.

From what I’ve read, the Netduma doesn't solve this specific issue, though that isn't its intended function anyway.

To summarize:

Without the Netduma, COD Warzone works at about 20% capacity for me—and sometimes much worse against certain European players.

With the Netduma R1 set to the Europe filter, I get "unable to join host" errors.

With the Netduma R1 set to the US filter, Warzone runs at 70%—or even 90% if there are no European players present. The remaining 10% of issues stem from facing opponents with lower ping than mine; it makes things harder, and I don't benefit from favorable lag compensation.
I’ve digressed a bit, but I thought this might help others in the same situation.

Good gaming!