Latency Variation (Ping Spikes) during online gaming.

[CAI_007]

Daveronan, you need to make your own post. Post all the relevant info. Like ping plotter with connection idle. Ping plotter while loading Netflix or twitch. Make sure connection is hard wired. Do the dial tone test also. Make sure there is no sound on your line. 

[h3x1e]

Some disappointing information this afternoon, not from the MODs but from the higher-level Engineers working on the issue.

They are saying the ping spikes are not happening within the BT core network, which I think I’ve proved that the spikes are happening within the BT network with the plethora of PingPlotters showing exactly what BT servers are spiking in ping.

I've now agreed to set up a day or a few days where those high-level Engineers can actually monitor my internet traffic so they can see packets moving through the network (I assume) so they can see exactly what’s happening with gaming packets on the BT network when streaming.

Also agreed to do more tests in concerns the high-level engineer has about Twitch having an issue with "Normal Latency" streams (where pings will basically yo-yo up and down constantly in a pretty common pattern. I'm going to do some tests on a neighbours Sky Fibre connection, to see if the Normal Latency issue is actually with Twitch or if it only yo-yo's on BT's network. Will get these tests done ASAP.

Mods are also going to try and get the high-level Engineers to get in contact with me directly to save the middle man contact.

Conclusion from this update:

• The spikes ARE happening within the BT Core network, as I've reported and shown with my many PingPlotter results.
• Hopefully monitoring the traffic over the core network will show something that can lead to a fix.
• More tests on a Sky Fibre connection to either prove a Twitch issue with Normal Latency streaming yo-yo ping or prove that it's only within BT's network.

[CAI_007]

That is pretty concerning that the first answer is that the spikes are not happening within the core BT network from the engineers. I've seen enough ping plotter posts from other users to suggest otherwise.

Also, twitch is only one example of a streaming service that effects the ping spiking. You can literally throw up any other similar service and see identical results (Netflix, Amazon prime, now tv, mixer etc)

3rd, Can the mod that helped get my issue fixed come forward and explain what it was he was able to request to actually fix this for me? @Matt-S From my initial tests it looks like I was given a completely different path through the BT core network and with less hops than before.

4th, I would ask is there any traffic management in place anywhere within the network that prioritises video streaming services.

5. Can we get a definite answer regarding BT TV Services. How are these being handled across the network. Is there priority being applied for this etc.

Good luck @h3x1e

[Matt-S]

Hi @Bear-Face 

Welcome back to the Community and thanks for posting.

Sorry to hear that you are also having Ping issues when gaming and streaming at the same time. I've sent you a Private Message with details on how you can get in contact with the mod team.

Thanks

Matt

[h3x1e]

Slightly off topic here, but Openreach are here putting up what looks to be Fibre Ports on the pole that’s inside my drive and running a long length of cable quite narrow black cable between the poles in my street.

Anyone with knowledge of how Openreach deploy FTTP know if this is FTTP or could it be something else? They seem to be running the cable between all the poles at least, but I’ve only noticed them putting one set of what look like Fibre Ports on the one pole in my property.

[hawicky]

Okay, so I posted the other day claiming my issues were fixed, however... they have somehow gotten incredibly worse. See the pingplotter screenshot below. Pings are unbelievable. Very disappointed to see this...

pingplotter while streaming

[h3x1e]

Ping at 1 second intervals not 0.5, use ipv4 ping not ipv6 (BT is pretty bad for its implementation of ipv6, it's well known) and ping google.co.uk not .com

My case is now with the Chief Executive btw, nothing against the mods here they did a great job trying to get the right people to try and do something but it's been going on too long now.

I'm actually noticing that the spikes aren't happening as often over the last week since contacting the Chief Executives team. Waiting for an update on Monday.

[hawicky]

Changed to everything you said. Started without watching a stream then (as you can see in the packet loss graph) in the middle started streaming video on YouTube. Ludicrous

pingplotter

[h3x1e]

There's something up with your local network. You have 2000 ping to your router.

[hawicky]

That also only happened when streaming. Router can't handle the traffic? I don't know.