Help with PingPlotter

[Mar]

I go through a router to the dsl modem that connects to the phone line. I can start a trace to google for example and everything will seem to go just fine, no connection problems or anything, then just a few seconds later I'll be showing 100% packet loss on everything from google all the way to the "dslrouter" (my modem). Once that happens I try to ping my modem and PingPlotter says "destination address unreachable." I am still able to log into my modem from my computer. (After this it's on and off, it will get through and ping will be good for a short moment then it will repeat the above.)

Does this mean PingPlotter can't get anything from the modem, or that the modem can't get anything from the intardweeb? I have been have horrible service for over a month now and I'm wondering if the modem needs to be replaced.

Just earlier today before the above started happening the highest ping I would get was from the first server the modem connects to.

I wonder if anyone could give me tips on how to get this fixed? I'm not as good at this as I'd like to be, and I'm not exactly sure what I should report for you guys. Perhaps I should note that when I play Battlefield 3 my ping is over a thousand the whole time, but if I minimize the game for a second and then come back to it my ping will be under 200 for a moment, I'll be able to move, shoot, etc, then the ping shoots right back through the roof like Santa Clause when he forgets to take off his safety line and the reindeer take off without him.

[ebfd11]

Mar what you need to do is do a hard reset of your Modem and router. also you might want to update your firmware on you router and modem and see what happen there.

CrazyLwn

[Mar]

I did that several times already, and the firmware is up to date.

[Bizman]

If possible, try with another modem. I don't know how it works there, but at least here most adsl modems are interchangeable with preconfigured ISP settings. Lend one from your neighbour using the same ISP if he has no problems. Try your modem at your neighbour's place. Of course, cross test all cables, too.

If you can't find the culprit by the former cross testing, take a look into your computer:

Reset IP stacks. This can easily be done by removing your network card in the Device Manager. Reboot, and Windows will reinstall it. Make sure you have the driver available if for some reason Windows can't automatically do the reinstall. Note that all network settings reset to defaults.

Reset Winsock. How? Open the command prompt as an administrator, type 'netsh winsock reset' without quotes, reboot when asked.

Try with another netcard, either pci(-e) or USB to see if that works.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

I go through a router to the dsl modem that connects to the phone line. I can start a trace to google for example and everything will seem to go just fine, no connection problems or anything, then just a few seconds later I'll be showing 100% packet loss on everything from google all the way to the "dslrouter" (my modem). Once that happens I try to ping my modem and PingPlotter says "destination address unreachable." I am still able to log into my modem from my computer. (After this it's on and off, it will get through and ping will be good for a short moment then it will repeat the above.)

Does this mean PingPlotter can't get anything from the modem, or that the modem can't get anything from the intardweeb? I have been have horrible service for over a month now and I'm wondering if the modem needs to be replaced.

Just earlier today before the above started happening the highest ping I would get was from the first server the modem connects to.

I wonder if anyone could give me tips on how to get this fixed? I'm not as good at this as I'd like to be, and I'm not exactly sure what I should report for you guys. Perhaps I should note that when I play Battlefield 3 my ping is over a thousand the whole time, but if I minimize the game for a second and then come back to it my ping will be under 200 for a moment, I'll be able to move, shoot, etc, then the ping shoots right back through the roof like Santa Clause when he forgets to take off his safety line and the reindeer take off without him.

If your ping seems to be related to doing something on your computer then it's not the routers problem, it's your lan adapter or some software problem on your computer.

I would simply try to buy a new modem and try it out. They don't cost much and if it doesn't seem to fix the problem you can just store it for later use. Modems don't last forever. If it works, good. If it doesn't work I would first try connecting with an another computer or reinstall windows. Then contact the ISP helpdesk, they're usually pretty helpful on the issues as long as their costs are kept reasonable. If they have to do something physical it may be a battle like mine was.

Network problems can be extremely frustrating. I had to fight with my ISP for 6 years before they finally rerouted my connection and my connection speed tripled. They gave all sorts of excuses like I have a bad phone cable in my modem, bad modem etc. and told that they couldn't improve the connection because the dslam was too far away from my house. Well at one point my 8/1 rated connection could only handshake at 1/0,25 and even then kept going offline. I told them I had bought 4 different types of modems to rule out any possibility of a hardware problem. Then finally they 'found' a closer dslam and upgraded my connection to 24/3 for the same money.

The problem with my house is that I have only 1 ISP that covers this area. Even 4G/LTE network doesnt reach my house due to a hill. From that I could get 70Mbit wireless at least.

[The Fugitive]

OK, first off we need to get a few terms right here. PingPlotter only ping TO a location. This means you say "a few seconds later I'll be showing 100% packet loss on everything from "dslrouter"  all the way to google". Not the other way around. It's important to look at it like this because this is the route your trying to trouble shoot. FROM your computer TO google in this case. Once you have a hop that goes 100% lose everything AFTER that is suspect. The reason being is that if you loose every thing at one hop how can you receive data after that, you've lost every thing right?

PingPlotter picks up everything between you and your "destination" in the order it travels it. Here is mine...



The first hop is my router, the next is my modem, and the third is the first IP of my ISP, Charter.  I'm a bit confused as to "where" you lose your data. You call it ""dslrouter" (my modem)" and then say you can't log into your modem put you can ping the modem? Again, the path goes from your computer TO the router, TO the modem, TO the outside world. You can remove the router and connect the modem strait to your computer. If this works you know it is the "router" that is dropping off line and dumping packets. If it doesn't, and you are losing packet from the first hop then it is your "modem" that is the unit causing the trouble.

In my experience, routers last 12-24 months, and modems 2-3 years. A sure sign they are going is when your connections starts slowing down and one of the hard re-boots seem to clear it up for a day or so it's time to start looking into a new unit because yours is on its way out.

[Mar]

I'm a bit confused as to "where" you lose your data. You call it ""dslrouter" (my modem)" and then say you can't log into your modem put you can ping the modem?

The other way around. I can't ping the modem but I can log into it.

I should have also noted that I have two computers hooked up to my router and both of them are having the same problems with the intardweeb. I tried going directly to the modem as well with the same result.

In my experience, routers last 12-24 months, and modems 2-3 years. A sure sign they are going is when your connections starts slowing down and one of the hard re-boots seem to clear it up for a day or so it's time to start looking into a new unit because yours is on its way out.

I think I've had this modem for over five years, so getting a new one is definitely the first thing I'm going to try.



Thank you for your help folks, I'll let you know if I get it sorted out.

<<S>>

[Bizman]

Check the label on the bottom of your modem. If it says adsl but not adsl2+, it might just be that your connection speed is too much for the modem. Adsl v. 1 only works up to 8 mbps, causing troubles if your connection is faster. Based on the age of your modem, it might be of the older type. Adsl2+ became available in the latter half of last decade, so it might well be that your modem has been built for the slower connections.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Once you have a hop that goes 100% lose everything AFTER that is suspect. The reason being is that if you loose every thing at one hop how can you receive data after that, you've lost every thing right?

It's not that simple. Routers handle pings as very low priority traffic or even completely disregard them in some cases. You can have a perfectly fine connection even with 'timing out' nodes in the way. The only thing that really tells something is the last node - it must respond in a timely fashion and without packet loss.

[Mar]

I uninstalled my network adapter, restarted, winblows reinstalled it, now PingPlotter never loses connection to the modem. I can start a trace to google and it will run fine indefinitely, unless I do something like refresh this page, then everything past the modem becomes unreachable. So any kind of load sets it off.

It's not that simple. Routers handle pings as very low priority traffic or even completely disregard them in some cases. You can have a perfectly fine connection even with 'timing out' nodes in the way. The only thing that really tells something is the last node - it must respond in a timely fashion and without packet loss.

So I read on the PingPlotter website, which is why I described it the way I did. Right now I'm getting 100% packet loss on a router just before the google server, but there are no problems pinging the google server.

Check the label on the bottom of your modem. If it says adsl but not adsl2+, it might just be that your connection speed is too much for the modem. Adsl v. 1 only works up to 8 mbps, causing troubles if your connection is faster. Based on the age of your modem, it might be of the older type. Adsl2+ became available in the latter half of last decade, so it might well be that your modem has been built for the slower connections.

I can't find any "adsl" on the label of my modem. I am subscribed to 1.5 MB/s service.



Frustrating indeed. What's worse, I have no one close by who can help me with this. I am completely on my own, save for you guys.



EDIT:

now PingPlotter never loses connection to the modem. I can start a trace to google and it will run fine indefinitely

Disregard, it went back to doing the same thing again. I have no idea what's going on.

[Skuzzy]

100% packet loss usually means that particular router is ignoring ICMP ECHO messages, which is what is used for traces/Ping Plots.

[Bizman]

I can't find any "adsl" on the label of my modem. I am subscribed to 1.5 MB/s service.

Most likely it's an adsl v.1 modem, and in any case over five years is quite a lot for any relatively cheap electric device. It should be enough for your 1.5 mbps service, but OTOH there might be some protocol difference issues.

Ask your ISP if they could lend you a modem for testing purposes. Also ask if they have a bargain including a modem...

[Mar]

This modem was supplied by them. I'll see about getting them to lend me another one to test with.