[SOLVED] Ping Spikes/Packet Loss Across All Network Devices

[wildrecon100]

Hello, I have been having ping spikes/packet loss for at least two months now although it may have been an issue before, but wasn't nearly as apparent before.

Here is the run down:

• I'm using a wireless connection because I'm on the third floor of my house with my router & modem in the basement
• The ping spikes occur across all network devices suspecting me to believe there is nothing wrong with the devices
• The ping spikes occur in the basement next to the modem/router suspecting me to believe distance isn't the issue
• I ran tracert google.com and the ping spikes were occuring on the 2nd hop which is my ISP
• I have talked to countless agents and have escalated numerous times for them to say the connection is perfectly fine

I finally found out my modem was using the infamous Puma 6 chipset notorious for ping spikes / latency issues however, I switched modems without this chipset, and the ping spikes remained. In conclusion, I'm convinced that is my ISP and they are telling me there is nothing wrong. Especially given the pandemic right now it may be hard to get a technician out here to look at it. Any suggestions for a solution or possible causes for this problem? I thought of using a coax adapter as there is an outlet in my room, but seeing how I think it's the ISP this won't solve my issues. I am willing to troubleshoot vigorously and answer any questions! Thank you for your time.

 

[kanewolf]

Hello, I have been having ping spikes/packet loss for at least two months now although it may have been an issue before, but wasn't nearly as apparent before.

Here is the run down:

• I'm using a wireless connection because I'm on the third floor of my house with my router & modem in the basement
• The ping spikes occur across all network devices suspecting me to believe there is nothing wrong with the devices
• The ping spikes occur in the basement next to the modem/router suspecting me to believe distance isn't the issue
• I ran tracert google.com and the ping spikes were occuring on the 2nd hop which is my ISP
• I have talked to countless agents and have escalated numerous times for them to say the connection is perfectly fine

I finally found out my modem was using the infamous Puma 6 chipset notorious for ping spikes / latency issues however, I switched modems without this chipset, and the ping spikes remained. In conclusion, I'm convinced that is my ISP and they are telling me there is nothing wrong. Especially given the pandemic right now it may be hard to get a technician out here to look at it. Any suggestions for a solution or possible causes for this problem? I thought of using a coax adapter as there is an outlet in my room, but seeing how I think it's the ISP this won't solve my issues. I am willing to troubleshoot vigorously and answer any questions! Thank you for your time.

If you believe it is your ISP, then change ISPs. That may be your only answer.

 

[wildrecon100]

If you believe it is your ISP, then change ISPs. That may be your only answer.

Unfortunately, not an option as they are the only high speed ISP around.

 

[kanewolf]

Unfortunately, not an option as they are the only high speed ISP around.

If they are unwilling to admit they have an issue, then there is very little you can do.
You could start pings to each hop in the chain to try to prove your problem, but it doesn't sound like the ISP cares.
You say this is the only high speed ISP, but how important is gaming? Maybe a lower speed, but more stable ISP would make more sense for you.

 

[wildrecon100]

If they are unwilling to admit they have an issue, then there is very little you can do.
You could start pings to each hop in the chain to try to prove your problem, but it doesn't sound like the ISP cares.
You say this is the only high speed ISP, but how important is gaming? Maybe a lower speed, but more stable ISP would make more sense for you.

Gaming is super important to me since I play at a competitive level, and I would change to a stable ISP sacrificing speeds if I could. However, I live in a household with my family, and my dad is the one who pays the bills. He is willing to troubleshoot with me, but I doubt he would make a switch since he likes his speeds. I'm looking for more so possible solutions about the ISP. Just because the ping spikes are from the second hop doesn't necessarily mean its all the ISP correct? For instance, could the cable coming into my house be faulty? How can I check this? Sort of stuff like that. I'm pretty ignorant to this kind of stuff so I'm not sure what can be tested in that regard. I'm not 100% certain it's the ISP but nearly certain. Also, what are your thoughts on coax adapters?

 

[kanewolf]

Gaming is super important to me since I play at a competitive level, and I would change to a stable ISP sacrificing speeds if I could. However, I live in a household with my family, and my dad is the one who pays the bills. He is willing to troubleshoot with me, but I doubt he would make a switch since he likes his speeds. I'm looking for more so possible solutions about the ISP. Just because the ping spikes are from the second hop doesn't necessarily mean its all the ISP correct? For instance, could the cable coming into my house be faulty? How can I check this? Sort of stuff like that. I'm pretty ignorant to this kind of stuff so I'm not sure what can be tested in that regard. I'm not 100% certain it's the ISP but nearly certain. Also, what are your thoughts on coax adapters?

This is more information that says you are out of luck. You aren't paying the bills.
YOU (or actually your dad) is not responsible for the cable to the side of the house. The ISP is.
You could temporarily put a new cable from your modem to the termination point on the side of the house. That is all you can do.

 

[wildrecon100]

This is more information that says you are out of luck. You aren't paying the bills.
YOU (or actually your dad) is not responsible for the cable to the side of the house. The ISP is.
You could temporarily put a new cable from your modem to the termination point on the side of the house. That is all you can do.

Not the news I wanted to hear, but what I expected. I guess I need to keep bugging them until they send a technician out. They do allow technicians to be send out even under these circumstances in some cases.

 

[bill001g]

In general ISP will do nothing about a ping spike. It represents data being held in a buffer someplace normally because there is too much data competing for bandwidth.

Now this could be your connection if you have a smaller connection and someone is using all the download or upload bandwidth.

The other which is not very common any more is that the ISP sold internet connections to too many people and the combined usage is exceeding the bandwidth of their equipment.

Most other issues on hop2 are related to packet loss. That the ISP will fix. You should be able to see the signal levels in your modem and verify they are within recommended range. Many routers also show how many packets had correctable and uncorrrectable errors. You will always have some but you should not see these numbers change much.

Before you go to a lot of trouble verify with a ethernet cable that the problem is not your wifi. If the problem is the wifi you can use Moca technology to get between the router and your room. It is kinda expensive so you don't want to do it unless you are sure there is not some other issue with the network,.

 

[wildrecon100]

In general ISP will do nothing about a ping spike. It represents data being held in a buffer someplace normally because there is too much data competing for bandwidth.

Now this could be your connection if you have a smaller connection and someone is using all the download or upload bandwidth.

The other which is not very common any more is that the ISP sold internet connections to too many people and the combined usage is exceeding the bandwidth of their equipment.

Most other issues on hop2 are related to packet loss. That the ISP will fix. You should be able to see the signal levels in your modem and verify they are within recommended range. Many routers also show how many packets had correctable and uncorrrectable errors. You will always have some but you should not see these numbers change much.

Before you go to a lot of trouble verify with a ethernet cable that the problem is not your wifi. If the problem is the wifi you can use Moca technology to get between the router and your room. It is kinda expensive so you don't want to do it unless you are sure there is not some other issue with the network,.

We actually made two networks to try and solve this issue, and I'm the only one on the other network so I don't think its someone using all the download or upload bandwith. I was getting packet loss, but after using a netgear powerline adapter it fixed the packet loss but ping spikes were still present.

 

[max64751]

We actually made two networks to try and solve this issue, and I'm the only one on the other network so I don't think its someone using all the download or upload bandwith. I was getting packet loss, but after using a netgear powerline adapter it fixed the packet loss but ping spikes were still present.

which isp?

 

[wildrecon100]

which isp?

Comcast/Xfinity