Very poor and erratic ping times

[#1]

From Chris' initial test, your line was connecting at a much higher rate to the exchange in your test socket, which indicates that the extension socket you've been using is causing some problems. The TBB graph is also not looking great.

[#2]

That's odd because the router has been back on the extension for around 4 hours and the ping is much better at the moment although it has been erratic since we started graphing it.
Could a dodgy extension socket just affect the ping times intermittently with download and upload speeds unaffected?

[#3]

What router (Make & Model) are you using?

[#4]

I have a Billion BiPAC 7800N Dual WAN ADSL2+/Broadband Wireless-N (bought in March to replace a TP-Link).
The overnight ping graph looks interesting -

I'm no expert at reading those graphs but it seems to suggest absolutely awful ping times from 11pm to 1.30pm, absolutely awesome performance around 2am to 3am and then on the whole the ping times were what I'd expect to see except for the occassional spike.

[#5]

Would you mind if I made a slight change to your Broadband Firewall temporarily, moving it from High to Low?
It shouldn't cause any problems or put you at risk.

[#6]

Quote from: dompedro

I'm no expert at reading those graphs but it seems to suggest absolutely awful ping times from 11pm to 1.30pm, absolutely awesome performance around 2am to 3am and then on the whole the ping times were what I'd expect to see except for the occassional spike.

No, its still fairly rubbish between 2 and 3am. 
This is what good looks like:

Hopefully Chris will get to the bottom of what's causing it.

[#7]

Go ahead an make the changes needed to the firewall.
I'm not working from home today so won't be able to help with any testing.  Is that ping graph of an example of good ping from a comparable connection?  I ask as I live out in the countryside connected to an old exchange (http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/THMO).

[#8]

Thanks. I'll leave everything for 30 mins or so and I'll check your graph again to see if there's any improvement.

[#9]

I'm still not seeing much of an improvement.
I couple of things here which I'd like to try:
- Alternative microfilter
- Alternative router
When the router was connected to the Test Socket, the connection rate improved from 13000K to 17000K, so there's something amiss with the internal wiring/setup there. Has there been any changes to your internal setup between when the issue wasn't there and when it started? New socket, electrical work, or anything of the sort?

[#10]

Or a new electrical appliance?
It is possible that the internal wiring is picking up interference.  RouterStats when plugged into to the test socket and your normal location would be useful for comparison.
Is there more than one extension?  Are they daisy-chain wired or star wired?  Are they wired from the front of the master socket or from the front?  If from the back, are there two or three wires connected to the terminal block?

[#11]

I'll have to see if I can get another microfilter and perhaps look at putting back in the TP-Link for a while.  I'd say the issue really started sometime on Tuesday (I wouldn't say I ever had the best ping times but at least it was reliable).  There have been no wiring changes of any sort at my property recently (no new electrical appliances either).
Could the filter or router really be to blame for such erratic ping times though when download and upload speeds are relatively unaffected? 
There are several phone extension points but only one has ever been used (though I've no idea how they are wired) and there's no extension out of the front of the master socket so I'd assume that they are connected out of the back. 
Looking at the ping graph again, I understand that the stats from between 2am and 3.30 aren't "absolutely awesome" as they don't compare with the "good" graph, but do they show a much improved ping for that period?

[#12]

The quieter period still shows a bit of of an issue when it should near flat line against the green if the connection wasn't being used.
Microfilters and often routers can cause all sorts of problems. Microfilters do have a tendency to become faulty which is one of the reason we ask all customers with what looks like a fault to swap it over for a different one. I'd just like to see if there is a difference with the TP-Link on the TBB Graph compared to your current router - you just never know (If you can't leave a different router on for long, a couple of hours would suffice).
Connecting directly into the Test Socket is really important as it rules out the extension sockets/cabling.

[#13]

I am not a plusnet rep but here is some suggestions.
Make sure the connection is idle, that graph looks like something may be running in the background like a torrent upload or something,  To be sure disconnect everything. Turn wireless off etc.  The tbb will still work as it pings the router.
Try swapping out the router for something else.
I dont think this is plusnet's end, but I wonder if they can check if its your exchange if you have ruled the above 2 things out.

[#14]

Thanks for all the comments and help so far ... I have to agree I don't really think it is plusnet's end but I don't think it's my hardware or wiring either.  I've not yet changed router, filter, router position (since 7pm yesterday at least) or any wiring and the TBB graph to me looks very different now than it has done at other periods (such as 12am to 2am and 10am to 12pm). It may not be great right now compared to other graphs but I wonder whether what  is currently being displayed is what I'm used to getting which with better wiring at the house would be improved perhaps, but I think the issue at hand (ie the erratically high pings) isn't the stuff that Chris has seen that's wrong if you see what I mean.
The torrent stuff is interesting but throughout the day today there should have been no devices connected (except possibly a Samsung tablet as they never actually seem to "sleep") but all laptops capable of torrenting wouldn't have been connected.  Personally I haven't used any kind of torrent in some years so this would have to have been some kind of "zombie torrent" if that's possible (I guess malware of some kind), but then with nothing connected to the router I can't think what that could be running on.

[#15]

yes basically if you disconnect all devices, overnight e.g. and then find it stops, then you can start looking for the rogue device in your network.
whilst if it makes no difference we then know its either the router itself or something outside of your control.  it could be the line like chris has said tho, as plusnet reps will know from other customers if bad lines can cause that kind of graph.