High Packet Loss

[Noid]

Hi, I've been getting consistent packet loss and ping spikes recently. Sometimes over 10% for 10 or so seconds every 5 minutes making gaming an absolute nightmare. 

Attached below are some ping tests I have seen asked for on a previous thread.

Some help would be appreciated.

Dion.

[Shane]

Hi @Noid ,

Let us help check the status of the connection and get to the bottom of this. Could run a ping, tracert and post the test result on this thread. Please send us  your details so we can proceed with initial investigation.

How to send a PM? 

Regards,

Hi, I've been getting consistent packet loss and ping spikes recently. Sometimes over 10% for 10 or so seconds every 5 minutes making gaming an absolute nightmare.

Attached below are some ping tests I have seen asked for on a previous thread.

Some help would be appreciated.

Dion.

[david64]

Hi @Noid . You need to let the ping test run long enough to capture occurrences of long response time.

1,000 pings should run about 15 minutes so there should be a couple of occurrences.

Response time of 1 ms to 192.168.1.1 is the normal time.

Those few pings to 192.168.1.1 with longer times could be Windows doing something. You can use the Networking tab in Task Manager to see if there is other network activity corresponding to your ping spikes.

I presume you are using an ethernet computer.

The pings to tpg.com.au are a bit slow but consistent. It might be caused by your location.

The address 10.20.22.148 is some random address in the external network and probably nothing to do with your connection. Moderator was wrong in the thread you saw.

Do    tracert tpg.com.au      a few times to check on delays getting to TPG.

The second address here is the next step in the external network. Run ping command on this address to see if you get the ping spike.

Other thing to check. Is there anyone else that might be doing stuff: gaming, downloads?

If you know the hostname or ip address of the game server, you can do ping and tracert commands to that address. Just do 100 pings.

[Noid]

Hi @david64,

Yes Ethernet.

Happy to run whatever tests are needed, what address did you mean to ping? Can do 2000 or so to see if it shows a few more spikes. 

If it was a single game I'd address that particular server, however, it is across any and all games. 

Regards,

Dion.

[Shane]

Hi @Noid ,

Please check your inbox. We will wait for your response,

Regards,

[david64]

@Shane . Why so secretive? Bad news for the user?

Occasionally, a user will post a problem here saying they have seen other users with the same problem but no solution has been provided. For those problems that relate to hardware or software, why can't the moderator or the person handling the problem provide a quick update about the solution?

Eg. slow response caused by backups to the cloud; continual dropouts caused by NBN faults; errors in TPG procedures.

[Shane]

Hi @david64 ,

Noid sent us his details, and we ran an initial test on the service, and no significant line fault has been found. We provide updates privately, as we also require personal details to arrange for our technical team to contact them to conduct real-time tests and investigations. This is for security purposes.

Regards,

Noid sent us his details, and we ran an initial test on the service, and no significant line fault has been found. We provide updates privately, as we also require personal details to arrange for our technical team to contact them to conduct real-time tests and investigations. This is for security purposes.

[david64]

@Shane . The normal practice is that the moderator makes a post back to the user in this thread saying to send a private message to the moderator with their details. Making the post back to the user also sends them an email.

I understand about privacy considerations!

If you say your test finds no fault, that is not a privacy issue. I made the comment that the response time to tpg.com.au is a bit slow. Is that just because of the user's location? But apparently, spikes started recently. Was it determined that spikes are caused by the network outside of TPG? I.E., on various routes getting to the game servers?

From the user's point of view, is that the end of it or do they have some course of action to follow to investigate?

[Noid]

Hi @david64,

It's not the first time this has happened, I find when I call the support line I get someone who is completely PC illiterate and just says they will escalate it or "run some tests" which never eventuate into anything or get communicated. Eventually, the issue resolves itself for the time being. 

I chose to hit up the community forum to see if I can find the root cause and a lasting solution. 

[david64]

@Noid . Have to exclude bits of the network first. 

Do    ping -t 203.26.27.38

This runs ping command continuously to tpg.com.au. Stop it with Control C. Let it run while you play the game. There will be an effect on response time from the game using the network. When the game performs badly, stop the ping command and check the ping response times.

1) If they are much the same, it means the network to TPG is ok and that the problem could be further out.

2) If the ping response time spikes, there is some problem in your network or the NBN network.

For 1). Pick 3 game servers, do tracert to them. Is there any commonality to the routing that TPG uses? Are there any large delays going between the hops? It would be useful if you know some-one on another ISP who can do these commands. Doesn't matter that they don't use those games.

For 2). Do    tracert 203.26.27.38

This shows your router and a few hops in the external network. You'll notice the first few are the same as the ones in the tracert to game servers. Do continuous ping to whatever common ip address is the highest hop number.

You'll need response times for when you aren't playing a game (-n 50), when you are playing to see the effect of the game (-n 50), and when the spikes occur.