Intermittent Latency Spikes, What to do?

bev
bev Posts: 4 ✭✭
edited August 2023 in Internet

I've been noticing what seems to be an inconsistent connection, particularly while gaming, and I'm wondering whether the issue is on my end or Fizz's. I've run a variety of tests and it seems like my connection isn't quite stable, and it doesn't seem to make a difference whether I'm connected to directly to the modem via ethernet, or using Wi-Fi. For reference, I've attached an image of a packet loss test, a PingPlotter test, and the test file of a WinMTR test. Ping values of over 100 ms appear to happen regularly, which is concerning (the PingPlotter and WinMTR tests were targeting a server used for CS:GO in Chicago, so an expected ping result should be 40-50 ms). These latency spikes result in rubber-banding while playing games, which unfortunately does make it difficult to play.


If there's any more information I can provide, please let me know.


Thanks!


image.png


image.png
WinMTR_test.TXT


Best Answer

  • Emporium
    Emporium Posts: 2,305 ✭✭
    Answer ✓

    Hi @bev

    Have you tried rebooting your modem ? Is it any better after a reboot ?

    Keep in mind that the CODA-4680 modem used by Fizz uses the Intel PUMA 7 chipset, and therefore is vulnerable to the bufferbloat issue that many of these modems can experience. It is rarely a problem with the average user (since they would not observe any issues), but for gamers it can be annoying. It is basically an increase in Jitter and latency under certain conditions.

    Here is a partial list of modems affected (with a small description): https://lookgadgets.com/articles/intel-puma-modems-list/

    Unfortunately, at this time, this is the ONLY modem that Fizz offers, and there are no other options. Many users have resorted to adding a smart plug on the modem and setting a nightly reboot schedule to keep the occurrences at a minimum.

    I hope in the near future, that Fizz will offer some other modems, or let us buy/use our own (something like a Technicolor TC4400 DOCSIS 3.1modem, which is what many ISP are already using on the videotron network).

    However, if you'd like you can contact a customer service agent to have them ensure there are no issues on your line which is unrelated to this issue.

    • Sign into your account
    • Follow the link on this page: https://fizz.ca/en/faq/status-services or https://fizz.ca/fr/faq/etat-services
    • Wait 3 seconds for the green bubble with a '?' appears at the bottom right of the browser, if you use a phone you must use it in desktop or horizontal mode
    • Choose the option 💬 chat
    • If the green bubble does not appear make sure your ad blocker is disabled, otherwise try with another browser.

    PS: For me the only combination that works for CHAT, is Firefox, in a private window, and only when in the French language..

    Other means of contact

    CHAT however is the quickest method, but facebook is the easiest.


Answers

  • bev
    bev Posts: 4 ✭✭

    Thanks for the response, @Emporium!

    I haven't done any tests directly after the modem reboots, but I could certainly keep that in mind, and perhaps reboot before attempting to play games, and seeing if that would help.

    I was afraid the issue might be related to the PUMA chipset, as I've run into that issue before with another ISP. It seems like this would more than likely be resolved if using a better modem were a possibility, but I'll also check in with customer service to see if there's anything else related to my service that may be causing problems.

    Cheers

  • MarcVivian
    MarcVivian Posts: 120 ✭✭

    Thank you!

  • mattmcelroy
    mattmcelroy Posts: 1 ✭✭
    If you are experiencing intermittent latency spikes, there are a few things you can do to try to fix the problem:

    Check your network connection: Make sure that your network connection is strong and that there is no congestion. You can do this by running a speed test.
    Update your network drivers: Outdated network drivers can sometimes cause latency spikes. You can update your drivers by going to the website of your computer's manufacturer and downloading the latest drivers for your network card. You can read more here https://www.outlookindia.com/outlook-spotlight/lucky-nugget-casino-review-for-canadian-gamblers-get-a-welcome-bonus-of-up-to-ca-200-news-302627
    Restart your computer: Sometimes, a simple restart can fix latency spikes.
    Change your DNS server: Your computer uses a DNS server to translate domain names into IP addresses. If your DNS server is slow or unreliable, it can cause latency spikes. You can change your DNS server by going to the settings of your web browser or operating system.
    Use a VPN: A VPN can help to improve your network latency by encrypting your traffic and routing it through a different server. This can help to avoid congestion and other problems.
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