My Ping is SCREWED UP! Need advice.

[Moneyman228]

Ok, here are the cold hard facts:

ISP = Access Cable High Speed Internet
SMC Router, Lan Hook-Up plus wireless(my computer is LAN)
2 Computer's use internet, my dad's for high internet use(he needs outlook to get massive amounts of emails and data, his job is 75% on the computer, 95% on the internet) and myn for SSB64 emulator(as well as casual surfing)

My ping/internet is screwed up, sometimes my ping is 78ms and than skyrockets to 180-350ms! It seems to sometimes get better at night, but it hasn't been lately. My dad uses wireless and his computer is often hooked up at the same time I'm L-Canceling noobs into submission. I've tried a broad band test, they gave me some stuff to do(DrTCP) but it doesn't really help. Do you guys have any idea what is wrong/what to do?

A list of programs to shut off(minus the obvious like anti-virus or IE).

Thanks guys, hope you can help me get back and own some Emularena noobs!

 

[Eight Sage]

Ok, here are the cold hard facts:

ISP = Access Cable High Speed Internet
SMC Router, Lan Hook-Up plus wireless(my computer is LAN)
2 Computer's use internet, my dad's for high internet use(he needs outlook to get massive amounts of emails and data, his job is 75% on the computer, 95% on the internet) and myn for SSB64 emulator(as well as casual surfing)

My ping/internet is screwed up, sometimes my ping is 78ms and than skyrockets to 180-350ms! It seems to sometimes get better at night, but it hasn't been lately. My dad uses wireless and his computer is often hooked up at the same time I'm L-Canceling noobs into submission. I've tried a broad band test, they gave me some stuff to do(DrTCP) but it doesn't really help. Do you guys have any idea what is wrong/what to do?

A list of programs to shut off(minus the obvious like anti-virus or IE).

Thanks guys, hope you can help me get back and own some Emularena noobs!

First do a netstat. If you don't know a connection, check that program, if all connections are known, then the problem should be:

-Your ISP is attending too many connections at that time (hence the delay difference using ping)
-You have "hidden connections" (horses, spyware, etc.) sending information while you're at Internet
-You have to watch your ISP, If they told you that you can download 512Kbps, then you must have that speed. Sometimes, ISP's cut users broadband to give more to others (that pay more).

Solution: Track your connections, and then call your ISP asking why you have this disorder, they MUST give you what the contract says.

 

[Moneyman228]

First do a netstat. If you don't know a connection, check that program, if all connections are known, then the problem should be:

-Your ISP is attending too many connections at that time (hence the delay difference using ping)
-You have "hidden connections" (horses, spyware, etc.) sending information while you're at Internet
-You have to watch your ISP, If they told you that you can download 512Kbps, then you must have that speed. Sometimes, ISP's cut users broadband to give more to others (that pay more).

Solution: Track your connections, and then call your ISP asking why you have this disorder, they MUST give you what the contract says.

I've got a few different readings from Netstat, but there are just a few programs using the connection. I'm thinking of checking out wireshark to see if it can help me.

Ok so I downloaded wireshark, and through the course of checking it out, I think my problem is summed up in one word:

Latency!

Thats right, I now know its not my line speed, its my quality! This is the reason why 1/2 of smash boards loads, than freezes, than 20 seconds later the whole site is loaded. I'm checking a few programs out right now to see what I can do.

Any tips on improving my latency/line quality?

Thanks

 

[Eight Sage]

answered in orange:

1) In a network, latency, a synonym for delay, is an expression of how much time it takes for a packet of data to get from one designated point to another. In some usages (for example, AT&T), latency is measured by sending a packet that is returned to the sender and the round-trip time is considered the latency.

The latency assumption seems to be that data should be transmitted instantly between one point and another (that is, with no delay at all). The contributors to network latency include:

* Propagation: This is simply the time it takes for a packet to travel between one place and another at the speed of light. (it depends on your ISP)
* Transmission: The medium itself (whether optical fiber, wireless, or some other) introduces some delay. The size of the packet introduces delay in a round trip since a larger packet will take longer to receive and return than a short one. (this isn't your case, you have optic fiber so you won't find delay here)
* Router and other processing: Each gateway node takes time to examine and possibly change the header in a packet (for example, changing the hop count in the time-to-live field). (you can work here, program your router in order to let the packets from your game travel first, you must make a priority for your PC's packets)
* Other computer and storage delays: Within networks at each end of the journey, a packet may be subject to storage and hard disk access delays at intermediate devices such as switches and bridges. (In backbone statistics, however, this kind of latency is probably not considered.) (the same as router, work on it if you know how to give priority to packets)

So, as you see, you can work on packets priorities. Modify that on your Router and/or switch (this is how it works: packets from your PC comes to the router, another from your dad's PC comes at the same time as yours, so you can program your router to send your packet first, then your father's one. I think is more important that way because you play in real time, delays are noticed, but in mails isn't)

If you can modify the order of packets transmissions, you must find a slight improvement on your PC connection, but if it doesn't do much, talk to your ISP, the problem is his network then. Hope it helped.

 

[Moneyman228]

Right now(8:32 AM) my ping is a bit better compared to what its been. My dad's computer is off, so it shouldn't be taking any of my internet lag. I've looked at the problem more indepthly(posted on dslreports.com) and have found that the problem may be more complex than I thought. I'll give you a line quality test I did on DSL reports, it might aid you in your diagnosis.

http://www.dslreports.com/linequality/nil/2319845

I'm wondering if it is a physical problem or an ISP problem...I'm going to switch routers(smc to a crappy gigafast) and see if it improves anything. I'm also going to run a traceroute from a trusted site(Broad Band Reports) to my PC and see what the results are.

Dammit why can't things be simple?

EDIT: Forgot to note that I've shut off my dads computer once before and switched his wireless connection briefly, there was absolutely no change in ping.

 

[Eight Sage]

EDIT: Forgot to note that I've shut off my dads computer once before and switched his wireless connection briefly, there was absolutely no change in ping.

Your Line Quality testing shows that it's an ISP problem, switching routers/switchs won't help that much.

Talk to them the situation.

 

[Moneyman228]

Your Line Quality testing shows that it's an ISP problem, switching routers/switchs won't help that much.

Talk to them the situation.

I will, thanks for the advice. I should check to see if my dad is having problems with his internet. We both use same ISP, so if he isn't having problems, is it still an ISP problem?

I hate access cable

Thanks for your help Eight Sage

 

[Eight Sage]

You're welcome.

Your father and you share the same Internet access? can you tell me how your network works? (router, PCs connected, etc)

 

[Moneyman228]

I contacted my ISP and he said that I had a bad up-stream and down-stream, he said I might have something called "noise" disturbing my internet. He has to send a technician out to fix it.

So it was my ISP after all...and I could have spared days of exhausting research with just one phone call.

Oh well, I did learn alot about internet connections, and with the tweaks I made to my connection, my internet will run faster than ever! Look out Emularena X, .K:.moneyman228 is back!

Thanks again for your advice Eight Sage.

 

[Eight Sage]

Ha Ha! It was what I thought

The noise "corrupts" your info (packets). The destiny PC receives a bad packet, so he tells that to your PC causing his re-sending. That's the delay problem, re-sending packets until that "noise" won't affect the wanted one.

Glad too see that you'll have your problem solved.

 

[Moneyman228]

Is there anything I can do myself to fix the problem, like a small patch to maybe improve ping until Monday, when the technician comes?

What exactly is this 'noise'? Is it electromagnetic something? My cable broken? Just curious...

 

[Eight Sage]

The "noise" is only that, a noise.

It could be: Radio interferences, bad covered cables, electromagnetic waves... any kind of sound that can modify the electrical (cable)/ electromagnetic (WiFi) signal.

There are special testers to find the source of that noise, so your technician will fix it.