Gaming lag spikes

[Shocked]

Been getting major lag spikes in online games the last 4 or 5 days. For a while I thought it might just be Guild Wars 2 until I tried playing Smite. Between Comcast and my schedule they can't get a technician out here for weeks. Here's what I've done so far:

- Tried bypassing the router and plugging in straight to the modem, different ethernet cable from modem to computer, still happens
- Tried the usual, leaving the modem off for a while, restarting, had Comcast send refresh signal, etc.
- Typical 1-2% packet loss at pingtest.net, between 5-30ms jitter
- Download and upload speeds still the same as usual, my usual TS3 servers work fine with ~1% packet loss (which is usual)

- Tried -ping t on various game servers. Seems like it's normal 30-40ms then briefly spikes to between 700ms to above 3000ms for 1 ping then goes back to normal. Some cases I always get request timed out (Eve Online, all SC2 servers, certain NA WoW battlegroups but not others). Behaves this way on my laptop, though I can't actually load up games with it to double check.

- Lot of time outs on traceroutes.

Thinking it's my modem or something on Comcast's end? Just wondering what else I can try.

GW2
Tracing route to 64.25.40-120.ncsoft.com [64.25.40.120]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms router.asus.com [192.168.1.1]
2 38 ms 13 ms 28 ms 24.30.84.1
3 377 ms 9 ms 9 ms 68.85.32.141
4 9 ms 9 ms 9 ms xe-23-1-2-0-ar01.b0atlanta.ga.atlanta.comcast.net [68.85.111.177]
5 10 ms 13 ms 9 ms he-5-15-0-0-11-cr01.56marietta.ga.ibone.comcast.net [68.86.87.205]
6 * 11 ms 14 ms 23.30.207.98
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 * * * Request timed out.
9 * * * Request timed out.
10 * * * Request timed out.
11 29 ms 30 ms 28 ms 4.59.197.34
12 31 ms 30 ms 30 ms 64.25.32-9.ncsoft.com [64.25.32.9]
13 31 ms 31 ms 30 ms 64.25.32-26.ncsoft.com [64.25.32.26]
14 31 ms 43 ms 31 ms 64.25.32-82.ncsoft.com [64.25.32.82]
15 30 ms 28 ms 31 ms 64.25.40-120.ncsoft.com [64.25.40.120]

Trace complete.

WoW Ruin Battlegroup
Tracing route to 63.240.161.189 over a maximum of 30 hops

1 1 ms 2 ms <1 ms router.asus.com [192.168.1.1]
2 43 ms 22 ms 27 ms 24.30.84.1
3 8 ms 9 ms 9 ms 68.85.32.141
4 9 ms 9 ms 8 ms xe-12-1-1-0-ar01.b0atlanta.ga.atlanta.comcast.net [68.86.106.29]
5 13 ms 12 ms 12 ms he-5-12-0-0-10-cr01.56marietta.ga.ibone.comcast.net [68.86.93.125]
6 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms c-eth-0-2-0-pe05.56marietta.ga.ibone.comcast.net [68.86.86.82]
7 15 ms 13 ms 12 ms as7018-pe01.56marietta.ga.ibone.comcast.net [75.149.228.86]
8 33 ms 35 ms 35 ms cr1.attga.ip.att.net [12.122.141.182]
9 35 ms 32 ms 36 ms cr2.nsvtn.ip.att.net [12.122.2.6]
10 34 ms 32 ms 35 ms cr1.cl2oh.ip.att.net [12.122.28.74]
11 34 ms 38 ms 38 ms cr1.cgcil.ip.att.net [12.122.2.205]
12 109 ms 32 ms 36 ms gar18.cgcil.ip.att.net [12.122.99.21]
13 37 ms 33 ms 42 ms 12.122.251.14
14 * * * Request timed out.
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 * * * Request timed out.
19 * * * Request timed out.
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * * Request timed out.
23 * * * Request timed out.
24 * * * Request timed out.
25 * * * Request timed out.
26 * * * Request timed out.
27 * * * Request timed out.
28 * * * Request timed out.
29 * * * Request timed out.
30 * * * Request timed out.

Trace complete.

Eve Online
Tracing route to srv200-g.ccp.cc [87.237.38.200]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms 2 ms 1 ms router.asus.com [192.168.1.1]
2 41 ms 24 ms 29 ms 24.30.84.1
3 11 ms 8 ms 8 ms 68.85.32.141
4 18 ms 31 ms 9 ms xe-12-1-1-0-ar01.b0atlanta.ga.atlanta.comcast.net [68.86.106.29]
5 14 ms 23 ms 12 ms he-5-12-0-0-10-cr01.56marietta.ga.ibone.comcast.net [68.86.93.125]
6 22 ms 23 ms 24 ms he-0-10-0-0-cr01.miami.fl.ibone.comcast.net [68.86.85.6]
7 25 ms 24 ms 29 ms be-16-pe02.nota.fl.ibone.comcast.net [68.86.83.150]
8 37 ms 22 ms 22 ms n-a.GW1.MIA19.ALTER.NET [152.179.236.1]
9 * * * Request timed out.
10 44 ms 34 ms 35 ms 0.xe-11-2-0.GW12.IAD8.ALTER.NET [152.63.35.130]
11 519 ms 32 ms 37 ms verisign-gw.customer.alter.net [152.179.50.98]
12 35 ms 41 ms 34 ms 199.16.95.139
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 * * * Request timed out.
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 * * * Request timed out.
19 * * * Request timed out.
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * * Request timed out.
23 * * * Request timed out.
24 * * * Request timed out.
25 * * * Request timed out.
26 * * * Request timed out.
27 * * * Request timed out.
28 * * * Request timed out.
29 * * * Request timed out.
30 * * * Request timed out.

Trace complete.

 

[LostStorm]

Are you using Comcast DNS or open DNS?

 

[MrGuvernment]

* in trace routes and pings mean nothing %99 of the time, only tells you the node does not respond to ICMP requests and is not a good way to determine your connectivity which is more common now with DDoS attacks being rampant.

you could use WhatsUpGold Visual traceroute (free) and do a continuous trace with TCP packets to a server as then you can really see which node is spiking on you.

 

[Shocked]

Are you using Comcast DNS or open DNS?

Just Comcast DNS, but since you mentioned, I decided to try Open DNS. Seems like a definite improvement... lag spikes seem gone, even though my tracerts look pretty much the same with timeouts all over the place. But I guess this explains that part:

* in trace routes and pings mean nothing %99 of the time, only tells you the node does not respond to ICMP requests and is not a good way to determine your connectivity which is more common now with DDoS attacks being rampant.

you could use WhatsUpGold Visual traceroute (free) and do a continuous trace with TCP packets to a server as then you can really see which node is spiking on you.

Just an issue with Comcast's DNS then?

 

[mwarps]

DNS has not-a-fucking-thing to do with ping time, unless you're getting GSLB'd or GeoIP'd to the wrong location.

Not only that, but taking data from an out-of-protocol test is like looking at the sky, seeing it's blue, and asking why there's a fly in your soup.

 

[Shocked]

DNS has not-a-fucking-thing to do with ping time, unless you're getting GSLB'd or GeoIP'd to the wrong location.

Not only that, but taking data from an out-of-protocol test is like looking at the sky, seeing it's blue, and asking why there's a fly in your soup.

I'm hardly a networking expert. I'm trying to work within the limited scope of what I know, which is why I posted here for help. All I know is I stopped getting 3+ second lag spikes when I switched. If it's not DNS related I would genuinely like to understand what's going on.

 

[Dead Parrot]

I had something similar one time. Turns out it was one of my PCs grabbing another folding packet. The default setting for the folding app was use all available network speed. Changing that to use 10% of speed fixed the problem. Other ping enemies are all of the installed 'helper apps' that decide the perfect time to download updates is when you are about to pull the trigger in a FPS game. Think of Adobe Download manager, Nvidia update manager(or what ever they call it now), Windows update, Antivirus/Malware updates etc. Disable those things and a lot of your ping issues often go away. If they have an option, have them check for updates during a time when you are unlikely to be playing. If you disable updates, be sure to manually check for them.

Another often overlooked problem area is old/frayed network cabling or loose network sockets/ends.

A bad DNS server shouldn't cause ping times to increase but could cause lag in the game while your game client waits for a DNS response. So changing DNS servers could improve game play.

 

[colinstu]

Can you log into your modem's web interface?

Motorola Surfboards use 192.168.100.1 typically, don't know about others. Just google up your modem's "model # webpage" ... with this you can typically see detailed signal information (SNR, Power Level, etc) as far as what signal quality your modem is actually getting. There are safe ranges these numbers should be in, if they're out of spec, it could be leading to your problems.

In the meantime, what kind of line do you have going into your modem. Coax? Are there any splitters anywhere that you know of? Look at the GHz rating on the splitter and wire, it depends on what kind of service you have but cable internet typically needs 1GHz coax and if splitters are required, 1Ghz splitters. 900MHz or other wrong equipment/wires can also lead to problems. Are you in an apartment or a single unit dwelling? You'll want to have the cleanest line going into your modem that you can get.

You can also try having a fan blowing on your modem to cool it. If they get really hot, they might throttle or shut themselves off to prevent component failure. You might want to look into getting a new modem too, it could be failing.

 

[Shocked]

Seems changing DNS servers was a coincidence after all as the problem came back the next day... really strange timing, though.

Can you log into your modem's web interface?

Motorola Surfboards use 192.168.100.1 typically, don't know about others. Just google up your modem's "model # webpage" ... with this you can typically see detailed signal information (SNR, Power Level, etc) as far as what signal quality your modem is actually getting. There are safe ranges these numbers should be in, if they're out of spec, it could be leading to your problems.

In the meantime, what kind of line do you have going into your modem. Coax? Are there any splitters anywhere that you know of? Look at the GHz rating on the splitter and wire, it depends on what kind of service you have but cable internet typically needs 1GHz coax and if splitters are required, 1Ghz splitters. 900MHz or other wrong equipment/wires can also lead to problems. Are you in an apartment or a single unit dwelling? You'll want to have the cleanest line going into your modem that you can get.

You can also try having a fan blowing on your modem to cool it. If they get really hot, they might throttle or shut themselves off to prevent component failure. You might want to look into getting a new modem too, it could be failing.

I'm in a two story town home, I have a coax cable running into my office on the second floor where my modem is and one into my downstairs living room. Been setup this way since 2008 without any problems and nothing changed on my network since this started so maybe a cable going bad? I could swap my modem and router with my downstairs switch and see if that helps.

I actually got a new modem to see if it would help. It's a Motorola SB6141. Still have the same exact issue, unfortunately. But, downstream I'm getting 37 dB SNR on all channels except 36 dB on channel 7, and 2 dBmV power on channels 1-6 and 1 dBmV on 7 & 8. Upstream 49, 48, and 47 dBmV power on channels 5, 4, and 6.