Question Is this normal?

[Aeleadan]

For the past few months playing games like CS:GO and Valorant has been miserable because I keep getting lag spikes that don't show on the in-game numbers, however when using the command prompt ping test it shows massive spikes that line up with when I experience them in the game. I have tried taking devices off the internet, rebooting the modem and router, tried playing later in the day, but it still happens at 2 in the morning. My ISP has been completely useless thus far in helping me out and I don't know what to do anymore because I am paying $120 and can barely even play games.

 

[Aeleadan]

I have also tried pinging my router and that ended up being fine

 

[Aeleadan]

Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.50.1: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
This is the ping to my router

 

[Aeleadan]

Reply from 10.68.0.1: bytes=32 time=8ms TTL=254
Reply from 10.68.0.1: bytes=32 time=8ms TTL=254
Reply from 10.68.0.1: bytes=32 time=9ms TTL=254
Reply from 10.68.0.1: bytes=32 time=8ms TTL=254
Reply from 10.68.0.1: bytes=32 time=11ms TTL=254
Reply from 10.68.0.1: bytes=32 time=12ms TTL=254
Reply from 10.68.0.1: bytes=32 time=11ms TTL=254
Reply from 10.68.0.1: bytes=32 time=35ms TTL=254
Reply from 10.68.0.1: bytes=32 time=9ms TTL=254
Reply from 10.68.0.1: bytes=32 time=232ms TTL=254
Reply from 10.68.0.1: bytes=32 time=43ms TTL=254
Reply from 10.68.0.1: bytes=32 time=12ms TTL=254
And this is from hop 2 which I believe to be the ISP

 

[bill001g]

In general this is a overload condition. Data is being held in a buffer someplace. Note the spikes to 43ms likely will not be seen in a game but if you consistently get the 200ms spikes that will cause a issue.

I suspect due to the cost you have a very fast internet connection but you need to verify that you are not using all your bandwidth. I would test with just you game machine connected with the wifi radios turned off on the router. With a faster connection it would be the upload rate I would check first. You can see the total rates on your machine in the resource monitor network tab.

With the delay to the first ISP router there is the very rare chance there is something wrong your router. Hard to test router and even harder to test if there is a modem in the box. If you have a separate modem I would plug your PC directly into the modem just to test. You will likely have to reboot the modem each time you change the device plugged into it.

With a combo modem/router there is not much you can do, the firmware is controlled by the ISP so even that is option to upgrade. Maybe a factory reset of the router and configure just the wifi and admin passwords. Some features like parental controls or fancy firewalls can delay traffic. Most times these are in a disabled condition by default.

It tends to be fairly rare for the router to be the cause.

After this it gets into the ISP equipment. For most internet technology you share the final connection between your house and the first ISP node with many of your neighbors. Because the total bandwidth is huge it is not as common to overload this now days but it can happen if they have too many people that are constantly downloading. In theory a couple teens running torrents can still overload a neighborhood.

This type of issue tends to be impossible to get fixed because the ISP will never admit they have oversold their networks and they have no easy way to fix it since they would have to run more cable/fiber under the streets.

Data loss is actually easier to get them to fix because that most times is some defective equipment.

Although your test likely shows the issue I would also test to 8.8.8.8. Sometimes intermediate routers in the path are configured to not prioritize responding to ping commands to avoid delaying real traffic or denial of service ping attacks.

 

[Aeleadan]

Heres a pingplotter test from the same day to 8.8.8.8.

https://imgur.com/a/LYQujoG

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


I also went and plugged my PC directly into my modem and it made no difference in-game.