Constant iplayer buffering and huge lag spikes when gaming

[Texas_Gore]

500 Mbit service. Desktop PC connected via ethernet.

For weeks, now, I've been suffering a LOT of buffering with BBC iplayer so that it's unwatchable.

Coupled with that, I frequently have huge lag spikes while gaming. My games freeze for 10+ seconds at a time. It's less frequent than the iplayer buffering but still extremely detrimental to my competitive gaming experience.

Speedtest shows good speeds ~550 / 35 

The tests and service status procedures show nothing wrong, as do the tests done by people on the end of 150 phone calls, but something is most certainly amiss here.

There are many Critical

No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

and Warning 

Lost MDD Timeout;CM-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CMTS-MAC=**:**:**:**:**:**;CM-QOS=1.1;CM-VER=3.0;

messages in the network log of my hub3.

Things were better, although never perfect, when I had the 350 Mbit package.

Power cycles and hard reset using the pinhole on the hub3 do not help.
Tweaked or tuned NIC settings and even default NIC settings do not help.
Even tried a brand new clean Windows install. Didn't help.
Alternate NIC didn't help.
Port forwarding for the games I play doesn't help (also never been necessary before).
Hub3 in router mode or in modem mode with a 3rd party router, doesn't matter.
Entirely different PC. Nope, still iplayer buffering.

Help, please.

[lotharmat]

It is usually under 'wireless --> Security' I believe!

[Texas_Gore]

Thanks Iotharmat but my old Netgear Nighthawk R7800 doesn't have anything like that option available.

[lotharmat]

I've just had a look on Netgear's forums - Is it under:

Advanced -> Setup -> WAN Setup and disable "respond to ping on internet port"

[Texas_Gore]

ahhh that could well be it. I'll put a check in the box to allow ping response and see how that goes. thanks!

I'll post a new link to my BQM later this afternoon or this evening 🙂

[lotharmat]

Nice one!! - Look forward to it!

[Texas_Gore]

here's a good one for you guys...

the following link is a PC hardware manufacturer (GPU's/video cards to be exact), no over 18 stuff going on there at all. I use it to get the latest vBIOS and tuning software for my Palit GTX 1080 Gamerock...

https://www.palit.com causes my hub 3 to restart 99.9% of the time.
I'd forgotten that until just now.

I've asked friends, who are not with VM, and the site works fine for them.
the people on the end of 150 told me to contact the website admins. I did, and they told me to contact my ISP.. round and round we go 😛

[Texas_Gore]

here is my new BQM 
it's a live link so just keep refreshing to your heart's desire

[Zak_M]

Good afternoon @Texas_Gore 

Welcome to the forums and thank you for taking the time to post. 

I am sorry to hear that you have had some issues with your services. 

I have taken a look at your BQM and apart from the drop out at around 12, its looks relatively healthy. 

When was the hub last pinhole reset? Can you please attempt a loopback test on the hub, plug both ends of the Ethernet cable into the hub and see if the light are illuminated.

Kind regards,

Zak_M 

[Texas_Gore]

hi Zak_M.

check the previous day as well (13th).

last pinhole reset was about a week ago.

how long should I leave the loopback in place? and what should happen?

after 3 minutes the power LED changed from steady pink to flashing green and then steady green and the internet LED (green up/down arrows) began flashing. 

then the power LED became steady pink and the internet LED became steady.

then the cycle repeats - steady green->flashing green->steady pink->steady green->flashing green->steady pink... and so on.

[Zak_M]

Thank you for doing that for me, 

That's fine,  I just wanted to make sure that the hub ports were working correctly which they are. 

I  am going to pop you over a PM so that we can get some account information. 

Kind regards,

Zak_M