[SOLVED] Connection intermittently disconnecting for 30s at a time

[steadfastcrib]

So I have been having this issue for a while now and I'm getting fed up with it and trying to get a solution. Randomly, my connection will just drop to an absolute standstill. Sometimes it kicks me out of a game and sometimes it just lags so bad that no inputs register and I must sit there until it's over. This happens on a wired connection, but it also happens to other devices on the network at the same time. My connection speed is fine most of the time (150mbps), but it will randomly stop, but my computer still says that I'm connected but nothing loads during this time.

This is what a ping test to google looks like during the outage:

https://imgur.com/a/nJQIqyW

View: https://imgur.com/a/nJQIqyW


Things that I have tried:
-New ethernet cable running from router to my computer
-plugging directly into the modem and bypassing the router

The fact that it still occurs even when plugged directly into the modem leads me to believe that it is an issue with 1 of these 3 things:

1. the isp to the house
2. the cable from the wall to the modem
3. the modem itself

Are there any tips or ideas on ways to fix this or should I just have a technician from the isp (Cox) come out and check everything?

 

[PerplexedMatt]

I'm not a network expert, but it sounds like packet loss. I would contact your ISP and tell them the issue. Most ISP's (probably all) can do a simple packet loss test while you are one the phone with them. If the internet is dropping only intermittently it may not show up however. I had this same issue a couple years ago with my ISP when they were updating their infrastructure in the area. It started working normally after maybe 6 months or so. Either way, I would definitely contact your ISP.

 

[bill001g]

The ISP of will of course try to blame your PC the router and even the google server if they feel they can get away with it.

First thing you do is run tracert to 8.8.8.8.

Then at the same time run ping to your router (hop1) the ISP router (generally hop2) and the final node.

What you want to do is show them that you have no issues with your equipment since hop1 works fine. You get loss to their very first router and it is a real problem because you also get loss to a real site.

There is a small chance it is the modem but it is unlikely. If you have lots of splitters etc in your house test the modem connected directly to the first cable where it comes in. This is just to avoid them charging your for coming out.

If this is a cable modem most have a error log that will tell you what is going down and the power levels it sees. The ISP get copies of these messages from the modem so they should be able to see the problems also.

 

[steadfastcrib]

So apparently my isp used to offer basic tv and therefore used some sort of limiter that stops the internet from using certain bands reserved for tv. My isp stopped offering the tv and therefore opened up those bands for internet, but never actually took off the limiter off the internet and so the internet would try and use those new bands and would get stopped by the limiter for a little bit before just going back to the band that it was on causing downtime for 30ish seconds at a time. I'm not 100% sure on this explanation, but this is the general gist that I got from what the technician said.