topic Regular high pings 4 times a day in Broadband

Regular high pings 4 times a day

JamKart — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 14:50:24 GMT

I play online racing games and for at least two years I've been experiencing high pings during a race with bad consequences as the car bounces around and ruins the race.

It's only recently that I noticed the pinging happens at the same time in a race. It actually starts at 20:26:47 and lasts four seconds. A friend wrote me a UCP pinging utility that allowed me to log the results over a 24hr period (log file attached). This identified four periods in the day where this high burst of ping occurred...

20:26:47

02:26:47

08:26:47

14:26:47

i.e. at exactly six hour intervals.

Note, before the clocks went back the error occured at 21:26:47

I initially thought it was the online racing server at fault but the high ping occurs if I ping google.co.uk.

The tracert to google.co.uk is...

Tracing route to google.co.uk [142.250.200.35]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms ttrouter.lan [192.168.1.1]
2 7 ms 5 ms 55 ms host-2-97-96-1.as13285.net [2.97.96.1]
3 6 ms 5 ms 5 ms ae52-ner002.nec.as13285.net [78.144.1.11]
4 27 ms 10 ms 10 ms ae52-scr101.loh.as13285.net [78.144.1.10]
5 51 ms 12 ms 63 ms host-78-144-4-33.as13285.net [78.144.4.33]
6 50 ms 12 ms 11 ms 216.239.54.127
7 27 ms 11 ms 10 ms 142.251.52.145
8 13 ms 11 ms 11 ms lhr48s30-in-f3.1e100.net [142.250.200.35]

Trace complete.

I setup multiple pings to all these hops and, apart from the router hop, all have the high ping.

I've reproduced the error on a different PC, disconnected all other internet devices in the house and rebooted the router for 30 mins - all make no difference.

I've checked logs in the router but nothing happens at the critical time.

My thought is it's an error in the router or something is going on at

host-2-97-96-1.as13285.net [2.97.96.1]

My router is a TalkTalk WiFi Hub with 174 firmware installed.

Can you do any tests to establish what's happening please

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

KeithFrench — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 15:31:59 GMT

A tracert to Google is not much help, what about one to the game server?

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

JamKart — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 15:53:08 GMT

Tracing route to avon.racedepartment.com [31.204.152.159]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms 6 ms <1 ms ttrouter.lan [192.168.1.1]
2 16 ms 58 ms 5 ms host-2-97-96-1.as13285.net [2.97.96.1]
3 6 ms 5 ms 5 ms ae52-ner002.nec.as13285.net [78.144.1.11]
4 12 ms 12 ms 9 ms ae52-scr101.loh.as13285.net [78.144.1.10]
5 47 ms 11 ms 12 ms ae62-scr102.thw.as13285.net [78.144.1.118]
6 38 ms 11 ms 59 ms host-78-144-3-177.as13285.net [78.144.3.177]
7 56 ms 18 ms 57 ms nlrtm1-rt002i.i3d.net [109.200.218.152]
8 84 ms 16 ms 58 ms avon.racedepartment.com [31.204.152.159]

Trace complete.

The first four hops are identical - which is why I said it wasn't an issue with the destination ping.

I only have to ping the first hop to see the issue

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

JamKart — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 20:33:38 GMT

I've pinged host-2-97-96-1.as13285.net [2.97.96.1] at 20:26 tonight via an O2 hotspot and no delay was detected. So that sounds to me like the router might be at fault.

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

KeithFrench — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 21:57:38 GMT

I think that it could be the router, or it could be on the TalkTalk network. I have asked one of TalkTalk's support to pick your thread up and investigate where the problem might be. If they concur about the router, then they will send you another.

They aim to respond within 48 hours (Monday - Friday) excluding Bank Holidays, but if more urgent you can always try the Service Centre on 0345 172 0088. The posts are responded to in time/date order, oldest first.

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 07:50:26 GMT

Good morning,

I've run a test on your line now which hasn't detected a fault and the connection stats also look good. The ping/traces are showing high pings to the router. Was this test completed when connected wired? If it was then I think we should send a replacement router to rule this out and see how the connection compares.

Thanks

Michelle

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

JamKart — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 07:54:53 GMT

Hi, the problem was seen on both wired and WiFi.

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

JamKart — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 07:56:04 GMT

If you run the test at 08:26:47 then you might see the really high ping

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

JamKart — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 08:35:49 GMT

Here are the results of the UDP ping test to firestone.racedepartment.com on port 9600...

Tracert to race server

This was over wifi with my wired connection removed from the router. But the result in the past is the same over wired connection and to any location

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

JamKart — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:45:13 GMT

Hi,

Can you confirm a new router is on it's way? If so, how long should it take to arrive?

Thanks

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

Debbie-TalkTalk — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 07:45:06 GMT

Hi @JamKart

The router is on its way, please allow 24-48hrs for this to arrive.

Thanks

Debbie

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

JamKart — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 11:47:28 GMT

New router arrived and I setup the logging to see if the problem was fixed. Unfortunately it was still the same but this time the error moved from 08:26:44 to 08:24:35...

I managed to borrow a different router (a technicolor dga0122nlk), monitored the UDP for 24hr and no errors. So I've concluded you have a bug in the firmware somewhere.

You recommend always using a TalkTalk modem so I'm reluctant to buy something else. How do we get this bug to the attention of the development team so that it can be fixed in a subsequent firmware update?

Regards

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

Debbie-TalkTalk — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 08:34:26 GMT

Hi @JamKart

I've updated your firmware to the latest version. Please can you retest?

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

JamKart — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 09:37:21 GMT

I see I now have SG4K100206 installed. I'll run the tests for 24hr and let you know

Thanks

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

Debbie-TalkTalk — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 09:38:44 GMT

Hi @JamKart

Thank you 🙂

Debbie

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

JamKart — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 09:00:29 GMT

No difference with the new firmware. The time has moved from 08:26:35 to 08:53:17 - and then every six hours...

Any other suggestions?

Regards

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 09:12:46 GMT

Morning,

Thanks for testing again. As it doesn't happen when using a 3rd party router then this would rule out any possible network issues as I'd expect to see the same on all routers if this was the case. @KeithFrench do you have any further ideas or have come across this before?

Thanks

Michelle

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

KeithFrench — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 10:41:40 GMT

Hi @Anonymous

I am not sure about these UDP pings, as that is not a true PING. PING works at layer 3 or the network layer, whereas UDP (or TCP) is a layer 4 protocol. UDP also works on the principle of - "I'll send a packet & I don't care if it gets there at all". UDP is connectionless, relying on upper layer protocols to handle any delays or retransmissions etc.

I have just tried a proper PING and it was fine, OK it was only for a few seconds:-

C:\Users\XXXXXXX>ping avon.racedepartment.com -t

Pinging avon.racedepartment.com [31.204.152.159] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=121
Reply from 31.204.152.159: bytes=32 time=19ms TTL=121

Ping statistics for 31.204.152.159:
Packets: Sent = 23, Received = 23, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 14ms, Maximum = 22ms, Average = 15ms

I can't say that there is not a bug in the router, I have no way of replicating it though, as I do not play games. However, I do not think the test that the customer's UDP Ping test is valid.

Perhaps ask the TT Devices team?

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

Chris-TalkTalk — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:23:13 GMT

Hi JamKart,

Line test is passing but showing disconnection, have you rebooted the router over the last few days?

Chris

Re: Regular high pings 4 times a day

JamKart — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:39:04 GMT

Over the past few days I've tried a different make of router and replaced the TalkTalk WiFi Hub with the replacement you sent me.

The different make of router showed no errors over a 24hr period but the original and new TalkTalk router showed the same issue at six hour intervals. The only difference in the two TalkTalk routers was that the problem time move about 30mins.

I need to reboot it again today as I need a reliable connection tonight and the only way I can achieve that is a reboot. This has the odd side effect of not going wrong in the next scheduled error - 20:53 but the errors will start up again after that at 02:53, 08:53, 14:53 and 20:53.

All very strange.