Question Im getting random ping spikes while playing online games

[Luca_21]

For years ive had the same issue, my ping randomly spikes to 500~ and fluctuates between 700 and 150 for 10 minutes or so.
This appears to happen more frequently when ive downloaded a few dozen gigabytes worth of games but it will increase in frequency for a few days after the downloads and then start reducing in frequency.

And it doesn't matter what game or what server im on it always happens mostly randomly, i do have a household with about 4 other people lightly using the internet for youtube, tiktok and sometimes other games but it doesnt seem to be linked to their usage as far as i can tell.

While downloading my ping stays at a mostly stable 50-80ms but the random spikes do happen more often during downloads.



Btw, im a teenager living with my grandparents and they have refused my dozen attempts at convincing them to switch router or provider, please save me.

 

[kerberos_20]

use tracert command with ip adress of game server when you experience those high latency issues, it should show where it grabs that latency, if its at your house, from your ISP, or outside of ISP route

 

[bill001g]

I will assume you are not testing the pike spikes at the same time you you are actually downloading.

How much bandwidth do you buy from the ISP. Can you tell how much total utilization there is from your house. Some routers will tell you and a couple IPS have ability to let you see you usage. If you have a small internet connection someone else in the house might download something and cause a spike.