Recent online gaming ping spikes when streaming Netflix

[dubstepzombie]

For others looking / reading - to illustrate my point, I've decided to limit my bandwidth to 30Mbps in my router, I could go loads higher but 30Mbps is more than enough for online gaming. 

On the left is live graph of my current ping, on the right an active speed test .net test, as you can see, no effect on my ping at all hardly.

This is a configuration in my router that applies to the whole subnet / LAN, anyone on my LAN can max out the connection to 30Mbps, end result, no effect on gaming at all, obviously if speed test .net doesn't affect ping levels the same will apply to Netflix or any other streaming. In other words loads of headroom for gaming packets because my connection never gets maxed out.

And below is the router config that makes this happen (Ubiquiti Edgerouter) - easy.

[cowo8]

You are probably correct, but I'd rather take my chances with another provider given the various other problems I have had and currently have with BT (ping is honestly the least of my worries right now)

[Twigus]

Below are ping results from this afternoon while being hard wired into my BT Home Hub 2. I get similar results over Wifi. It's all over the place. Biggest issue I have is with VOIP which where audio keeps skipping.

I called BT they said there's no fault on my line. I don't know what to do anymore...

[BoNfiRe]

After doing a lot of research, I think this is caused by something called "crosstalk" where more and more people are connecting to a broadband service.

My internet today, is very much the same as yours and has been since Covid-19 has become more of a thing, and weekends are by far worst.
Because this isn't an issue and speed is the only thing that is measured, a busy, noisy line is not recognised as an issue and you will be constantly sent through the catch 22 situation where the speed is fine, but as a gamer, there is more than just speed.

[george1976]

Nuf said

[Twigus]

that just makes me want to move to another provider. I'm out of contract so can move whenever i want BUT, i don't feel like locking myself into a new 18 or 24 month contract if it's going to be the same issue somewhere else. Sadly, outside of BT I would have only two other options, Sky or Vodafone.

[dubstepzombie]

@Twigus @george1976 

Both you have must have faults with your connections, pings like that are not ok / normal at all.

@Twigus  I'd be reluctant to move to another provider until you get your fault(s) sorted out, it'll likely be easier while with BT.

What speeds do you get and is the speed a constant level i.e. does it ever dip down while testing ?

[Twigus]

@dubstepzombie , the speed is actually consistent (see below). What I have noticed is since the issue began a few weeks back is two fold:

1. If more than one person streams on their device, not matter what it is, the others will struggle with buffering. This never used to happen before. with a 30Mbs connection, I don't see how that's normal.

2. While using any software on my desktop computer for VOIP, both receiving and emitting audio is choppy at best, inaudible at worst.

I previously was on a Smart Hub 1 with 2 BT wifi discs (mesh). I upgraded a couple weeks ago to a Smart Hub 2, and a TP Link M9 mesh system. Sadly there has been no improvement.

I've spoken to BT, they have run various line tests and have said "sorry no fault on our end, nothing we can do". 

Speedtest result below

[dubstepzombie]

@Twigus 

30Mb/s is low, so I'd assume you're a fair distance from the road side cabinet ?

Netflix is very aggressive while buffering, it will affect the rest of your network, especially with a lower bandwidth connection, but not to the point of pushing your pings into 100's of ms.

Have you had an engineer visit your property ?

Remote fault checks are ok but they can't  check for example where you've plugged your modem into and various other things an engineer can check while on site.

[Twigus]

@dubstepzombie

The ping you saw was while no streaming at all on any device.

Yes i'm quite far from the cabinet, something like 800 or 900m. I've been with BT for 2 and half years and never had this issue up until about 3 or 4 weeks ago. 

My BT Smart Hub 2 is plugged straight into the master BT socket, there are no other extensions plugs throughout the house. It's a pre-filtered socket.

I haven't had an engineer come to visit since BT claim there is no fault on the line so they are refusing to do anything about it.  Not sure what to tell BT at this point to send someone.