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Advice re. QoS and Bufferbloat, please

disposalist
Grafter
Posts: 51
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎13-07-2016

Advice re. QoS and Bufferbloat, please

Hi, knowledgeable types!

I'm currently trying to address the issue of other things affecting my gaming.  Notably, when my wife watches Netflix (on an Xbox connected to a switch that is connected to the router) I experience latency pulses.

I have tried a few different routers and separate modems, but all have the same result, even ones like the Nighthawk XR700 that have gaming QoS.  I have more routers coming to try (Amazon are going to get annoyed!) but I'm beginning to suspect something other than 'my end' is the problem.

I even tried explicitly prioritising Battlefield 1 TCP and UDP ports (the XR700 was noting them as prioritised, but I still saw latency peaks).

Even when using the Nighthawk's anti-bufferbloat ability, the latency peaks still occurred.

When I connect via my current router (Draytek V2860) or via a new modem directly (Netgear DM200) and do a DSLReports speedtest I see bufferbloat on the download of up to 200ms and on the upload of up to 60ms.

I've tried bandwidth restriction at my end and it seems to just make things worse.

Recent engineer tests have shown my equipment to be great (I have the latest master socket, with shielded twisted pair cable in both directions to the drop cable and my router) and the line quality to be amongst the best they have seen (their words).

I am only a couple of hundred meters from the cabinet which is only a few hundred meters from the exchange.

My Attainable rates are big (95/29) throttled to 80/20 and seeing via speedtest 70/17. My SNRs are 10 up and 11 down my attenuations 13.

I'm not an expert, though I know more than most and I cannot think of a reason that, with a modern modem/router and my line stats I can't get QoS that allows stream viewing while gaming.

I also can't understand why I see bufferbloat in DSLReports testing.  Even with just a modem (not router) connected just to my PC.  Surely with a line that has attainable rate of 95MB/s and the max download reaching about 70MB/s there should be plenty of room to avoid the 100+ms bufferbloat I'm seeing?  Similarly for the upload even though the bloat is less (30ms).

I see other people's tests online showing bloat of 10ms both ways and saying that's normal for them.

Is Plusnet QoS not doing it's job?

Can anyone advise?
Thanks in advance!

EDIT: This is interesting: https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-setup-Wi-Fi-network/Gaming-ping-spikes-all-of-a-sudden-when-Netflix...

Others having similar experience. Only the last few months and new routers and QoS makes no difference.

Tags (2)
3 REPLIES 3
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Advice re. QoS and Bufferbloat, please


@disposalist wrote:

 

Is Plusnet QoS not doing it's job?

 

What QoS ? - Plusnet removed QoS on all unlimited accounts at the end of June 2017 -

        Plusnet Removes Broadband Internet Traffic Prioritisation

 

The negative effects of QoS being removed was immediately noticed on my then 6Mbps 20CN ADSL connection, to the extent that even casual web browsing was seriously impacted.

 

I believe your only options are to get a static IP address AND pay for the Plusnet "Pro-Addon" to get a minimal QoS applied to your downstream connection,  and then use the  DSLReports speedtest  bufferbloat results to find your router's optimum upstream QoS limiter value, and then apply traffic priorities to suit your usage.

 

Plusnet QoS/traffic prioritisation used to be fantastic, and was the feature that has kept me here so long, when it was removed my broadband experience became awful, but since using my pfSense router to apply upstream QoS, and having the "Pro-Addon", and upgrading to ADSL2+, my connection is now tolerable, but nowhere near as good under load as it used to be with the full prioritisation being applied.

 

Cry

Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Advice re. QoS and Bufferbloat, please

Thanks for the reminder about bufferbloat and QoS  Cool_smiley

 

I hadn't checked my connection recently, and it turned out that it did need a tune-up, but is all good now  Cool

 

Screenshot_2019-03-20 12ms 16 0 7.png

 

I'll have another go after my line is upgraded to FTTC in the coming weeks, and see if I can get an A+ for BufferBloat.

 

Cool

brookheather
Rising Star
Posts: 103
Thanks: 20
Registered: ‎02-02-2016

Re: Advice re. QoS and Bufferbloat, please

What bufferbloat rating do you currently get?  I was getting a C but not noticing any particular issues and I have multiple people gaming, streaming Netflix, uploading to Twitch etc.  I recently installed a pfSense router and enabled the CODELQ traffic shaper which improved my bufferbloat to an A.  Your issues may be caused by congestion further upstream and so installing traffic shaping may not help that much.

 

47506681

BT FTTP 500 + pfSense + Uniquiti Unifi 6 Pro