Understanding Network Status

[Randy1]

Some nights, during peak hours,  around 8pm eastern time, the Variance in Delay shown in the network status goes to a square wave with a -.5 second peak and a positive .5 peak for a bit then flattens out again.  The Host Queue Time stays low and flat.  The FPS stays near 60 as it should.

Right now as an example the Variance in Delay is perfectly flat.

I think this started when I switched from DSL to a cable provider but not sure about that.

Any thoughts?

[Randy1]

I attempted to duplicate the problem by loading up my bandwidth.  I started AH and pulled up the network status on the clipboard.  I streamed a movie and that did have a recurring +spike and a slight drop from the red line but nothing like the 8 pm big, square tooth wave.  Then I streamed a movie and started a new AH game download.  Still no problem.

I called my internet provider and they are checking on their end.

[rpm]

The problems I had with a square wave like that in the past was with a background program updating. Check to see if you have anything running. If it's happening at about the same time every day that's a likely culprit.

[Randy1]

The problems I had with a square wave like that in the past was with a background program updating. Check to see if you have anything running. If it's happening at about the same time every day that's a likely culprit.

It never happened again.  Lot of bad weather that week.

I did try downloading a  program to see if I could simulate the problem but that did not match the odd problem for those few days.

[MADe]

I just installed my own modem and wifi router at home to replace twc rentals. In the process of set up and check up, I was running PingPlotter to an AH server from nyc. Then using my cell phone and the new router I was able to affect the ping plot. So like the previous post said, make sure you have nada in background running, this includes wifi chit.
Is your HDTV, Home entertainment system, smartphone using net, I could install tv, stereo, printer, baby cam, all wifi if I wanted, I do not want tho.?

I have also noticed that when Pacific time zone comes into primetime, the net gets overloaded bigtime, its quite dramatic, like a light switch being turned on.

The new modem, MB7420, is way better than twc rental offering as well. The router has a wifi bandwidth adjustment as well, I use the smallest mbps offered for wifi bandwith as well, Selection of the highest mbps cut overall router bandwidth by half.

fyi
 

[Randy1]

MADe, i did run a stream from netflix to see if I could duplicate the problem.  My connection to the router is hardwired.

This sawtooth wave went from full negative to full positive.

Still has not happened again.  Must have been bad weather on the ping route.

[MADe]

I just mentioned it in case your router had a wifi radio as well. It appears to have a great affect on overall router bandwidth allocation.
My guess its network congestion. As west coast gets home the internet gets bonkers. ie: overloaded

http://engineering.riotgames.com/news/fixing-internet-real-time-applications-part-i

interesting read

[Skuzzy]

There are a couple of glaring errors in that post.

I don't have time to get into it.

[MADe]

ja understood, i take everythin with a grain of salt. its an interesting read for someone who is at the beginning, very generalized.......it generates more questions than provides answers............