Here are all the possibilities to eliminate/reduce lag in online matches:
1.
USB Adaptor for a Wired ConnectionIt's $25 and it eliminates all concern about whether or not your wifi is on the right channel, has enough strength, has too much inteference, etc. $25 and it comes with a cable. You also won't have to type in a goddamn 26-digit WEP key with the software keyboard (yay!)
2.
Open UDP ports going out or DMZ your Wii's IP address.Most routers have a DMZ option, aka "demilitarized zone", meaning that whichever IP address has the DMZ on it will have full incoming and outgoing access to all ports.
1. Log into your router (usually
http://192.168.1.1/). If you don't know your router's IP, use the "Run..." command in Windows and put in "ipconfig" and hit enter. One of the values it returns should be "Gateway" and you'll have an IP address for the Gateway: that's your "gateway" to the internet, aka your router's IP address. Put it into a browser window as the URL and hit enter.
2. Find the router's DHCP connection list. On this list, you will find your Wii (if it's on and WC24 is running, that is).
3. Copy your Wii's IP address and go to the router's DMZ section (DMZ = demilitarized zone, meaning all ports open).
4. Put the Wii's IP address into the DMZ, save the settings and reboot the router.
5. Try Brawl and see how it works.
NOTE: Your Wii's IP address can and will change if it's connecting through DHCP. This will behave as a temporary test to see if your Wii sees improvement or not.
You're basically opening your firewall to your Wii, which SHOULD mean that Gamespy's servers no longer need to proxy the stream so the two Wiis can remain connected, which is how it currently must behave if one or both Wiis is behind a firewall which normally blocks incoming connections from programs like Brawl.
To check to see if your ports are open, use this:
http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/wii/en_na/NetworkTest.jspIt's Nintendo's own network tester (you'll need XP and IE to use it, though).
This thread might also help:
http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/genmessage.php?board=928518&topic=419130593.
Don't download crap while playing Brawl and don't let others download crap, eitherThis is universal for any online gaming. My Team Fortress ping has gone insane whenever someone starts a bittorrent.
4.
Make sure those you play with have their Wii DMZed as well!It doesn't matter how open your firewall is if your online friends have theirs closed. This means that you're still going to be forced to proxy through Gamespy's servers on some level. Ideally, you want to establish a direct connection to your opponent, and this can only happen if Gamespy isn't needed as an intermediary to get through a firewall for either of the users.
More ideas as we learn them...