Latency Spikes when streaming

[#1]

Hi,

I've noticed a couple of posts on this, but no kind of way for me to resolve it by myself other than luck (potentially). 

I've been a Plusnet Fibre customer for about 6 months now and I'm finally getting round to trying to play some games with my free time. However, I've noticed that if any of my family are stream: Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, etc, then I seem to suffer significant and frequent spikes in latency. I've gone through a couple of different diagnostics:

• Different routers including the supplied router from PlusNet and TP-Link AC1200
• Cabled connection direct to router, WiFi and ethernet over power
• Different times of day (Morning, evening, night)
• Attempted to activate QOS settings on router

Despite the changes in the setup, time and connectivity, the results are the same; serious latency spikes when someone is streaming on the network.

Here are the results measured from my Macbook over Wifi using the Network Utility:

Ping has started…

PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=0 ttl=54 time=158.691 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1 ttl=54 time=21.350 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=2 ttl=54 time=20.184 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=3 ttl=54 time=20.246 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=4 ttl=54 time=20.291 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=5 ttl=54 time=200.063 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=6 ttl=54 time=87.440 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=7 ttl=54 time=27.757 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=8 ttl=54 time=20.355 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=9 ttl=54 time=20.294 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=10 ttl=54 time=93.407 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=11 ttl=54 time=40.944 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=12 ttl=54 time=26.825 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=13 ttl=54 time=25.559 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=14 ttl=54 time=25.465 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=15 ttl=54 time=167.742 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=16 ttl=54 time=19.658 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=17 ttl=54 time=19.989 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=18 ttl=54 time=27.512 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=19 ttl=54 time=25.406 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=20 ttl=54 time=97.487 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=21 ttl=54 time=20.141 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=22 ttl=54 time=20.046 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=23 ttl=54 time=25.134 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=24 ttl=54 time=25.407 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=25 ttl=54 time=119.986 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=26 ttl=54 time=21.121 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=27 ttl=54 time=20.526 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=28 ttl=54 time=25.678 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=29 ttl=54 time=25.557 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=30 ttl=54 time=187.556 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=31 ttl=54 time=21.623 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=32 ttl=54 time=20.608 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=33 ttl=54 time=25.275 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=34 ttl=54 time=25.494 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=35 ttl=54 time=76.480 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=36 ttl=54 time=22.409 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=37 ttl=54 time=25.658 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=38 ttl=54 time=21.350 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=39 ttl=54 time=26.115 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=40 ttl=54 time=70.575 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=41 ttl=54 time=20.505 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=42 ttl=54 time=20.726 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=43 ttl=54 time=34.149 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=44 ttl=54 time=22.424 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=45 ttl=54 time=90.968 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=46 ttl=54 time=22.339 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=47 ttl=54 time=35.595 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=48 ttl=54 time=20.331 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=49 ttl=54 time=52.663 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=50 ttl=54 time=102.490 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=51 ttl=54 time=20.590 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=52 ttl=54 time=25.811 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=53 ttl=54 time=64.272 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=54 ttl=54 time=25.412 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=55 ttl=54 time=156.648 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=56 ttl=54 time=29.450 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=57 ttl=54 time=25.134 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=58 ttl=54 time=25.655 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=59 ttl=54 time=24.994 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=60 ttl=54 time=77.643 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=61 ttl=54 time=26.517 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=62 ttl=54 time=25.393 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=63 ttl=54 time=27.531 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=64 ttl=54 time=53.495 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=65 ttl=54 time=99.959 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=66 ttl=54 time=20.763 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=67 ttl=54 time=20.709 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=68 ttl=54 time=25.618 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=69 ttl=54 time=21.112 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=70 ttl=54 time=133.202 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=71 ttl=54 time=20.577 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=72 ttl=54 time=20.221 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=73 ttl=54 time=20.044 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=74 ttl=54 time=20.558 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=75 ttl=54 time=53.628 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=76 ttl=54 time=25.118 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=77 ttl=54 time=25.118 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=78 ttl=54 time=25.640 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=79 ttl=54 time=25.537 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=80 ttl=54 time=125.810 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=81 ttl=54 time=25.879 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=82 ttl=54 time=19.963 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=83 ttl=54 time=23.481 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=84 ttl=54 time=25.338 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=85 ttl=54 time=124.756 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=86 ttl=54 time=24.837 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=87 ttl=54 time=25.465 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=88 ttl=54 time=25.564 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=89 ttl=54 time=26.134 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=90 ttl=54 time=100.921 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=91 ttl=54 time=25.300 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=92 ttl=54 time=25.827 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=93 ttl=54 time=21.375 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=94 ttl=54 time=20.521 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=95 ttl=54 time=79.047 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=96 ttl=54 time=20.625 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=97 ttl=54 time=68.164 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=98 ttl=54 time=20.593 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=99 ttl=54 time=25.215 ms

--- 8.8.8.8 ping statistics ---
100 packets transmitted, 100 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 19.658/44.368/200.063/41.101 ms

Can someone help me try to understand what's going on and how I can resolve this?

Thanks,

Stephen

[#2]

Hi @stephenking85,

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing issues with the connection. I've tested your line and from what I can see, there's nothing wrong with the connection going into the property, with the speed coming in at 79Mbps down and 20Mbps up and no errant drops in connection. Are the latency spikes only affecting the device you're attempting to use, or are they affecting other devices as well?

[#3]

Hi! Thanks for picking up on my post!

It’s on anything that I can use to measure my ping. I’ve used various websites on my PC and MacBook, as well as the Network utility on Mac. On my Xbox I can see it if I use a game that shows ping rates during multiplayer.

It doesn’t appear to be related to my device.

[#4]

Hi @stephenking85,

Would you be able to connect your PC to the router via an ethernet cable and see if it is any different using a wired connection?

[#5]

@Beyhive 

From the OP

---

• Different routers including the supplied router from PlusNet and TP-Link AC1200
• Cabled connection direct to router, WiFi and ethernet over power

---

---

[#6]

Hi @Beyhive, thanks for pitching in. As @MauriceC has pointed out, I've tried to use a wired connection to no avail sadly

As a secondary point to that, I should have probably been explicit about this, when there is no streaming on the network the latency spikes disappear; no matter the router, machine or connection type.

[#7]

Sorry I missed that, thanks @MauriceC

Right @stephenking85, on a wired connection (ideally with no other devices/applications heavily using the connection) we'd advise running trace route to the address pingbox1.thinkbroadband.com This address unlike a lot of others accepts these pings with no traffic management which may interfere. Could you please post the results here?

[#8]

It's all good  

I'll run the test when I get home this evening and post the results!

[#9]

No worries,

let us know how it goes please

[#10]

Hi @Beyhive, trace route is complete and has yielded the following:

Tracing route to pingbox1.thinkbroadband.com [80.249.99.164]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1     1 ms     1 ms     3 ms  ARCHER_VR400 [192.168.1.1] 
  2     *        *        *     Request timed out.
  3     *        *        *     Request timed out.
  4    20 ms    19 ms    19 ms  136.hiper04.sheff.dial.plus.net.uk [195.166.143.136] 
  5    19 ms    19 ms    19 ms  195.99.125.134 
  6    28 ms    21 ms    25 ms  peer7-et-4-1-5.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net [194.72.16.142] 
  7     *        *        *     Request timed out.
  8    19 ms    19 ms    21 ms  te2-3-14.bdr-rt3.thdo.ncuk.net [80.249.97.112] 
  9    20 ms    19 ms    19 ms  po4-31.core-rs4.thdo.ncuk.net [80.249.97.85] 
 10    20 ms    19 ms    19 ms  pingbox1.thinkbroadband.com [80.249.99.164] 

Trace complete.

[#11]

As another test from the same machine as the provided Trace Route, I pinged the provided Think Broadband URL both when there was no streaming in the house, and when there was streaming. I've attached the files.

[#12]

Thank you @stephenking85,

I an see multiple disconnections on your line for the past 30 days which ideally we would need to investigate first to see if there is a fault on your line before we really look into the latency issue.

We would need to rule your internal wiring out by plugging the connection into your test socket which is under the faceplate of your master socket and seeing if the drops stop. This rules out internal wiring, face plates and extension sockets as being the cause. How to locate the test socket and set your connection into it can be found here

If the problem still persists from here we will go down the route of raising a fault by clicking here and let us know once you've done the checks and raised the fault so we can progress it for you.

[#13]

Hi @Beyhive. I’m not concerned about the disconnections since I can account for all of them. I have an automatic reconnection feature that reboots the router. Similarly, the disconnections in the evening tend to be manually performed due to loss of WiFi performance (wired connections remain stable).

I’d be happy enough to test through the master socket if necessary, but I don’t think that’s going to resolve the problem. I can turn off the automatic disconnect and keep a track of when I manually reboot the router too.

Would you prefer I continue through the master socket route before opening a fault?

[#14]

Hello @stephenking85,

We'll need you to go ahead and get connected into the test socket as @Beyhive mentioned, once you've raised that fault feel free to drop another message here letting us know.

Thanks.