Level 8
Hi all 
As with my other FAQ threads, this one isn't really designed as a discussion, but rather as a set of generic tips to save me typing them all out each time
They are put together mainly from stuff I've picked up in these forums, and also calling on my (too many!) years experience of sorting out networks and internet connection problems
Hopefully they will be a starter for 10 for you, but if they don't help, or you are still having problems and feel the need to start a new thread, please see my reply below on how you can help us to help you
IF you feel the need to start a new thread
PLEASE give us the info we need to help
As a minimum, please tell us:
1) any error messages you are getting (typically numeric)
2) when the problem happens (just one game, all games, accessing PSN Store or Home?)
3) if you can actually sign in to PSN at all
4) run the network connection test, and tell us where it fails (or tell us that it works)
5) who your ISP is
6) what make and model your router is
7) how you connect your PS3 to the router
8) if this is something which has never worked, or used to work
9) what DNS servers you use (or tell us if you don't know what that means )
10) if you have changed your MTU (again, don't worry if you don't know what that is )
11) if your PS3 is in the router DMZ (ditto again )
thank you!
(There probably will be follow up questions 
)
Level 8
Some general tips:
1) First up, don't ever be surprised if the Network test reports a speed which is lower than your PC is getting. For starters, the network speed result is only a rough guess, and secondly, your PS3 is going via PSN, which adds overheads.
Also, see below about wired vs wireless, especially if your PC and PS3 connect to your router differently.
A good thing to try is to:
On your PC, go to www.speedtest.net and www.pingtest.net
jot down the results.
On your PS3 browser, do the same (note that pingtest.net will probably fail to give complete results, saying that at least some pings were blocked - this is normal)
compare the results.
Then read on
Level 8
2) Check your DNS servers. If you set up your PS3 using 'easy', then it will be using whatever DNS servers your router manufacturer happened to think would be best.
They might well not be.
On the PS3, go into Network settings, select 'manual' and skip through the screens until you get to DNS servers. Change from 'auto' to whatever DNS servers you prefer. Personally I find that Google's work well, which are at 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
DNS servers are main boxes on the internet, which basically point your internet traffic to the correct location. A bit like an online version of the yellow pages, except there are lots of different versions.
An out of date DNS server, or one that is perhaps overworked, will not be as quick as a better one.
Level 8
3) Consider your ISP.
Many ISPs do weird and wonderful things, and try to keep quiet about it...
Ignoring for the moment the whole 'up to Xmb' stuff, many also throttle (slow down) connections at certain times of the day, or for certain kinds of traffic.
Unfortunately, to some ISPs, PS3 traffic looks a lot like peer-to-peer traffic, which they often use as a target to slow down 
Some can even vary the amount of traffic / speed depending on which package (£s) you are on.
Ask around your mates, or other people on here, who they recommend
Or if others are using the same ISP as you, and having problems
A good source of info can often be the un-official (or even official) forums of your particular ISP.
Level 8
4) Look at how your PS3 connects to your router.
Wired = best (but not always practical)
Wireless = a good fall back. But unless your PS3 is pretty much right next to the router (in which case you might as well go wired), it WILL be slower than wired, and more prone to interference. Which is not a good thing. You also have to faff around with security keys, although this should be a one off issue.
Note that a good wireless connection today may not be a good wireless connection tomorrow
If your next door neighbour buys a new fridge / microwave / wireless router of their own, it could interfere with your signal
Extra note - PS3s do NOT support the N or N+ wireless standard at time of writing (including and up to the 120Gb and 250Gb slims).
Buying an N or N+ wireless router may well speed up any other wireless devices you use (assuming they support it), but it won't help your PS3 wireless connection.
Homeplugs = a very good compromise, giving speeds up to as good as wired. Uses you house electrical circuits as 'pretend' wired connection. Costs circa £40 though, but can be money well spent if you want wired speed / reliability but can't use ethernet cables.
Level 8
5) MTU size
MTU (or Maximum Transmission Unit I believe), is basically the amount of data that the PS3 will attempt to send as a single 'packet'.
This packet of data then joins the internet, along with all the others packets, and your data is put back together at the other end
In theory at least
However, some ISPs don't work well with certain sized packets...
The default MTU on the PS3 is 1500.
IF your ISP uses an MTU size of 1400, each of your packets will be chopped up - leading to increased delays
At time of writing, AOL is well known for doing this, and therefore AOL users should set their PS3 MTU to 1400.
To do this, use the network settings option, select 'manual' and skip through the screens until you get to the MTU option
Level 8
6) DMZ and UPnP = NAT type
In theory, these 2 things go together
The aim of the game is to get NAT type 2 (or 1...)
NAT 3 = not good
Briefly:
NAT 1 = PS3 connected directly to the internet. Rare in the UK.
NAT 2 = PS3 connected to internet via a router, but allowing traffic - a good thing
NAT 3 = PS3 connected to internet via a router, but blocking traffic - a bad thing
If UPnP works on your router, and your PS3 recognises it, you shouldn't need to use the DMZ
UPnP works by automatically adjusting the router to allow whatever traffic the PS3 needs - which is a good thing
Your PS3 should therefore report a NAT type of 2
If UPnP is not working properly, you may well get NAT type 3
This will almost certainly lead to connection problems, especially to games
But all is not lost!
You can sort this out, but this is really a whole thread in itself.
Several people on here (and elsewhere) have written good guides to doing it, or I may knock something up later
Level 8
8) Some generic stuff that didn't fit anywhere else
Basically, some general tips on how to get the best from your broadband connection
Many things affect your 'net connection speed in general (ie the speed you get at your PC / PS3 / 360 / wii / whatever), and are not PS3 specific.
Probably the most important ones are:
1) The micro-filter (ADSL connections only - not cable [Virgin in the UK]).
The micro-filter which came with your router was basically free. And you get what you pay for
You will almost certainly benefit from upgrading to a 'proper' micro-filter, such as an 'ADSLNation' (do a google )
This replaces the faceplate on your master BT socket (which is OK to do), and gives a much 'cleaner' signal.
For the sake of about £15 - well it was one of the first things I did
2) the cable from the master socket to the router.
Again, the one you got with the router was free...
Over a short distance, even the free one will probably be up to the job
If, however, you have (as I did originally) trailed a 20m extension lead (which cost £2.50) from the master socket to where the router is - seriously consider either moving the router, or upgrading the cable.
3) wireless signal.
If you HAVE to use wireless, play around with what channel you are using (accessed from the router interface using a PC).
Depending on what other wireless networks / interference is in your area, some channels will give better results than others.
Also bear in mind that playing with the aerial direction may help - significantly, the wireless signal is broadcast out of the sides of the aerial, not the top / pointy bit
4) security.
Worth checking, even if you don't use wireless...
If you don't use wireless at all, check that it is turned off on the router
If you do use it, PLEASE make sure it is encrypted, for your own sake
It is also worth looking into using MAC addresses to limit access to only the devices you approve, and turning off the SSID broadcast.
Ask if you need to know how to do this, as it is a bit more complex
Think that's it!
Although no doubt I've forgotten something
Hope it helped
If it didn't, and you need to post a new thread, please note back to my first post in this one, and include the info to help us help you 
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RabidWalker
Beta Tester
Champion (PlayStation®Network Technical Help)
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strangeplaice
MVP
Champion (PlayStation®Network Technical Help)
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