Seeking Solutions: High Packet Loss Spikes with Archer VR1600V

[LuckysRay]

I'm reaching out to the community for assistance with an issue I've encountered about a week ago with my Archer VR1600V modem/router. I'm experiencing sudden and brief packet loss spikes, with rates soaring up to 80%, which last for just a few seconds before returning to normal. These spikes occur approximately 3-5 times per minute, disrupting my connectivity.

I have conducted tests and confirmed that the issue persists with a wired connection, and it affects both 5GHz and 2.4GHz networks. Despite resetting the router settings to default, there has been no change in the situation. I am eager to resolve this as quickly as possible and would appreciate any guidance or suggestions from the community.

[david64]

Hi @LuckysRay . What are you doing when these spikes occur? Gaming, streaming, ...?

How do they show up?

[LuckysRay]

Hi, @david64 ,

I initially noticed these packet loss spikes while gaming, as the game would freeze for a few seconds and then resume as normal. To investigate further, I enabled the netgraph feature within the game, which revealed packet loss rates spiking between 60-99%. To confirm these findings, I conducted additional tests using packet loss measurement tools online and running 'ping -n 100 1.1.1.1' via PowerShell, both of which also indicated intermittent packet loss spikes. This issue is not isolated to gaming but is evident across different types of network traffic.

[david64]

@LuckysRay . You can use ping and tracert to test the local network and further out into the internet.

ping -t 192.168.1.1

Ping router LAN ip address continuously. Let it run for a few minutes to see if any spikes occur here. Control C to stop.

tracert tpg.com.au

Stop after 4 lines since it won't get through. The second address should be a 10 address the next one along from your router. Ping this one like above.

Do the same with any websites where you have noticed spikes, eg. youtube.

Spikes can be caused anywhere along the path. You've already done 1.1.1.1, so do tracert to it and then ping -t to address one closer. Then step back one address each time you have spikes.

Some of these tools might be able to automate this instead of you having to do it.

You can use the Traffic Monitor on the Archer to check no background activity on the WAN connection when you expect there to be no activity.

[LuckysRay]

Hi @david64 ,

Thank you for the guidance on diagnosing the network issue. I've checked my router's statistics, and within 34 minutes, the Downstream has registered 16,702 packet errors, while the Upstream shows zero errors. This data suggests that the packet loss issue is predominantly occurring on the downstream path. I haven't observed any similar issues on the upstream path. Could this indicate a specific problem with the incoming signal or hardware? I am looking forward to any further advice you might have on this matter.

Best regards,
Ray

[LuckysRay]

Hi, @david64 

Following your instructions, I conducted a ping -t 192.168.1.1 test and after dozens of attempts, everything seemed normal with no packet loss. However, when I ran the tracert tpg.com.au command, nearly all attempts (30 in total) failed. I have attached screenshots of the tests for your reference. It appears that the issue may not be within my local network. I would appreciate any further guidance you might have on what steps I should take next to resolve this.

[david64]

@LuckysRay . Are you on FTTB or FTTN and getting error count from DSL statistics?

Is Bandwidth Control disabled, or enabled with settings? 

The high error count could mean bad transmitter in node or building equipment. Even though the error count is high, the errors must subside for the time you don't have spikes, and then increase when spikes occur.

The picture only contained the tracert. 

The address on line 2 in your tracert is the one to do ping -t. It checks between your router to somewhere in the external network. I suspect that this will have spikes because they are happening on the phone line connection to your router. Should they not appear, do ping -t to the address on line 3.

This my tracert to 1.1.1.1

C:\Users>tracert 1.1.1.1

Tracing route to one.one.one.one [1.1.1.1]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms ARCHER_VR1600V [192.168.1.1]
2 4 ms 4 ms 5 ms 10.20.26.78
3 5 ms 5 ms 5 ms 203-221-3-62.tpgi.com.au [203.221.3.62]
4 6 ms 5 ms 13 ms 108.162.247.42
5 5 ms 5 ms 6 ms 172.68.64.3
6 4 ms 5 ms 4 ms one.one.one.one [1.1.1.1]

Trace complete.