topic Re: Packet loss and dropouts over the last 3 weeks in Broadband

Packet loss and dropouts over the last 3 weeks

jcdenton — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 12:37:47 GMT

I've been getting constant packet loss and connection loss over my Fibre broadband for three weeks now, it's causing Teams calls to lag terribly and playing anything online impossible. The router isn't fully disconnecting often so when I ring up support can't see anything wrong, so all the focus has been on my gear.

This is happening on all devices at the same time, if it happens on my PC, it'll be mirrored exactly on my laptop (using Pingplotter to test), it happens equally over wifi and ethernet and no matter who I'm pinging. I've restarted everything loads of times and replaced the router (with a brand new Smart Hub 2), power supply and wire from the ONT to the router.

This week it has become even worse, with constant severe packet loss bad enough that I'm often struggling to work. Pingplotter screenshots attached of what it's like normally and when it's especially bad, which it is 3-4 times a day now.

My neighbours are also reporting these near-complete dropouts for 5-10 minutes at the same time I get them. One of them tell me that Sky have told them that there's an issue with "the exchange in Burnley" that's proving hard to fix but given that it's limited to our street in Lancaster and it's third hand information I don't know how true that is. I've been onto the Plusnet diagnostics bot during times when it's unusable and get the same response that our connection 'seems to be performing well'.

Support have been very responsive and great to deal with but it now feels like it's beyond anything that they're able to help with so I'm posting it in here, any help or assurance that the problem is a known one and being dealt with would be very appreciated!

Re: Packet loss and dropouts over the last 3 weeks

jab1 — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 12:48:53 GMT

@jcdenton Sight of your Hubs Technical Log - Information page 9with personal details obscured) would be a start if you require help fro the Community, along with the exported csv version of your event log.

Re: Packet loss and dropouts over the last 3 weeks

outcast — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 13:16:49 GMT

@jcdenton

Do you have any Apple devices such as iPhone, iPad, etc ?

If so try powering ALL of them OFF, and seeing whether your Pingplotter looks any better ?

Since Christmas there have been a lot of reports of Apple devices uploading huge amounts of data, causing these ping problems.

Re: Packet loss and dropouts over the last 3 weeks

jab1 — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 13:18:57 GMT

@outcast Source? I have both an iPhone and iPad, and have never experienced any issues.

Re: Packet loss and dropouts over the last 3 weeks

jcdenton — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 13:34:47 GMT

Thanks for replying, as luck would have it support just called to check in on my connection and they're sending out an engineer tomorrow, will update then!

My wife has an iPhone but it happens when she's out of the house.

Re: Packet loss and dropouts over the last 3 weeks

Dan_the_Van — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 13:49:11 GMT

Looking at the graph for time period 22:34 to 22:45 what activity is there on your network, gaming, any cloud based / steaming services, as these can cause an issue.

If you have a Hub two you could consider setting up a broadband quality graph, it will check to connection to your property

See here: - https://www.thinkbroadband.com/faq/broadband-quality-monitor

You turn on ICMP echo / Incoming ping on the Hub Two in the Advanced Settings >Firewall >Configuration >Incoming ping

The Hub does not require a restart.

HTH

Re: Packet loss and dropouts over the last 3 weeks

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 22:49:00 GMT

I'd go as far as suggesting the powering down of any mobile device (Android and/or Apple). I've a past experience of an Android device uploading shed-loads. This is from over a year ago. The solution was to put a rule on the Hub2 to sever the comms of that device. The solution resolved the congestion problem.

Re: Packet loss and dropouts over the last 3 weeks

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 22:50:51 GMT

You probably don't download 'dodgy' apps.