Visitor
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14 Messages
Packet loss starting in the evenings the past couple weeks
Hi all,
I've had really bad packet loss in the evenings that I've noticed while playing video games. Yesterday, I decided to set up a ping plotter test for a few hours. I started the test around midday and played a few games to test for packet loss. Didn't see anything unusual. Later on in the day, I started to get pretty bad packet loss while playing games, and I was also able to capture this in ping plotter.
I just purchased a new modem (Arris SB8200) because I thought maybe my previous modem (Arris SB6183) had gone kaput. Is there anything else I can try on my end? If not, is there anything someone can help me with before I try to schedule a tech to come out?
https://imgur.com/a/Y7S5HJl
I left ping plotter running all night, and packet loss really dropped off after 8 AM, and no packet loss since noon.
EDIT: I have added two new photos to the album showing a ~30 hour results from ping plotter. One with my router as a target, and one with an online gaming server as the target. This further shows evidence that the packet loss drastically decreases during the daytime hours. It gets worse in the late evening as night starts to fall.
EDIT 2: I have removed the photo showing the modem event log. I don't think there was anything interesting there, and it had my modem's address visible. I can share redacted if anyone is interested.
EG
Expert
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110K Messages
3 years ago
The output shows that the packet loss starts right at or before your router on your LAN.
Is this with a WiFi connection ? If so, for a test, does a computer / device that is hardwired directly to the router / gateway device with an ethernet cable have the same problem ?
With this test, we are trying to isolate this down to being either a WiFi-only problem or a problem with the general connection to the Comcast system which would of course affect both. It's a good first step of troubleshooting before proceeding any further.
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EG
Expert
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110K Messages
3 years ago
Hmmm. I see "77.4%" packet loss at your router (first hop) in that pic that you linked to ?
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EG
Expert
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110K Messages
3 years ago
The downstream power is weak to out of spec and it may be intermittently fluctuating even farther out of spec. And the upstream power is too high and it too may be intermittently fluctuating even higher out of spec. That can cause random disconnects, spontaneous re-booting of the modem, speed, packet loss, latency problems, and the un-bonding of channels.
In an effort to try to obtain better connectivity / more wiggle room, check to see if there are there any excess/unneeded coax cable splitters in the line leading to the modem that can be eliminated/re-configured. Any splitters that remain should be high quality and cable rated for 5-1000 MHz, bi-directional, and no gold colored garbage from Radio Shack, Home Depot, Target, etc. Splitters should be swapped with known to be good / new ones to test.
Also check the coax cable for any damage such as cuts, nicks, abrasions, kinks, sharp bends, etc.
If there aren't any unneeded splitters that can be eliminated and if your coax wiring setup can't be reconfigured so that there is a single two-way splitter connected directly off of the drop from the street / pole with one port feeding the modem and the other port feeding the rest of the house/equipment with additional splits as needed and you've checked all the wiring and fittings for integrity and tightness and refresh them by taking them apart then check for and clean off any corrosion / oxidation on the center wire and put them back together again, then perhaps it's best to book a tech visit to investigate and correct.
Good luck with it !
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EG
Expert
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110K Messages
3 years ago
@casual_Dev Quite welcome !
If there is nothing more that can be done to improve the connection quality, then you'll need a tech visit as stated.
Bear in mind that if the premises facing techs can not find or fix a problem at your home, it is they who are responsible for escalating it to their line / network / maintenance dept. techs. The problem may lie beyond your home in the local neighborhood infrastructure somewhere but it is their S.O.P. to start at the home. And if the problem is found to be on their side of the demarcation point, there will not be any charge.
Good luck !
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casual_Dev
Visitor
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14 Messages
2 years ago
After two technician visits and a maintenance order, I'm still experiencing this issue weeks later. I'm not sure what to do at this point, but it's getting fairly frustrating. The first tech put in a maintenance request after finding that the signal at the pole was low. The second tech ran all new wiring from pole to modem. I've called a few times since, one tech over the phone suggested getting a rented modem. Another phone tech called me later to say that my issues would be resolved shortly because there had been an outage, and cancelled the appointment to install a new modem.
Is there any way to get this issue escalated? I still see very frequent packet loss from dusk til dawn.
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EG
Expert
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110K Messages
2 years ago
@casual_Dev
It's not "crazy". It's actually quite common ! Hope they get this squared away for you !
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casual_Dev
Visitor
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14 Messages
2 years ago
@EG well... 3 months later, I l'm still experiencing this issue.
Several techs have been to visit, including a supervisor and a maintenance guy. The supervisor gave me his cell to keep in touch, but he stopped replying after they supposedly replaced a line and that didn't fix the issue.
The last time they came out, they left me an XB8 to rule out my network equipment. I continued to experience the issue. I was assured that I wouldn't be charged for the XB8 since it was for troubleshooting, but I was charged for the last tech visit and the XB8.
I've since done some more troubleshooting on my own. Turns out, if I go back to my old DOCSIS 3.0 modem, I don't have any issues at all. If I switch to my newer docsis 3.1 modem, or the XB8, I get terrible packet loss. (upwards of 40% for some periods of time.)
Although I can actually use my internet now (with DOCSIS 3.0), I would like to see this fixed so I could potentially upgrade my speed. I would also like some billing credits for the months of half-working internet, the tech visit, and the XB8. I ended up having to purchase a hotspot plan through a cell service so that I could continue to work while the Xfinity service did not allow for me to work.
What's the best way to escalate this issue?
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EG
Expert
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110K Messages
2 years ago
Sorry to hear that this is still going on...... I've escalated this to the Comcast corporate employees that are available to these boards. You should get a reply here in your topic. Good luck !
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EG
Expert
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110K Messages
2 years ago
Hmmm... This one may have fallen through the cracks.. I'll attempt to re-escalate it.
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