Using ipconfig, what is acceptable packet loss to your "gateway"

[OCNewbie]

For a broadband, cable internet connection, what is acceptable/typical packet loss to your "gateway" IP (gotten via ipconfig), or your first hop IP, either or, using the DOS ping command for say 100-1000 times.

On a good day I get 3% loss, and on bad days I get 10-15%. My ISP has told me this is normal. This seems to effect my ability to play online games and also surf the web, pages hang sometimes and I believe it's because of this.

I do live in a fairly populated, possibly 1000 home, upper middle-class community, so I presume a good majority of the homes have the same cable ISP as I do. So given that info, is it excusable to have that kinda PL to your first hop, or is the ISP's equipment not up to snuff?

What would cause such PL if it's in no way related to my computer/network/etc.

Thanks =)

 

[Bluestealth]

It is probably line noise on the line from your the drop frop the cable node to your house... if your house is older it could be the lines within your house. If your cable company hasn't deployed a hybrid fiber/coax network I guess it interferance on the line going to the nodes. If you start to have curupted downloads, random disconnects, very slow connections, and horrible pings call them up and complain enough to have your drop redone.

IMHO packet loss isn't acceptable. Coax is expensive and they probably don't want to redo the drop.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: Bluestealth
It is probably line noise on the line from your the drop frop the cable node to your house... if your house is older it could be the lines within your house. If your cable company hasn't deployed a hybrid fiber/coax network I guess it interferance on the line going to the nodes. If you start to have curupted downloads, random disconnects, very slow connections, and horrible pings call them up and complain enough to have your drop redone.

IMHO packet loss isn't acceptable. Coax is expensive and they probably don't want to redo the drop.

To the person who knows nothing about packet loss or configuring there own cable modem etc......the above statement sounds all well and good.
But in reality everyone has a little packet loss! No there is not a whole lot you can do about packet loss.

 

[Bluestealth]

I realize that we all get packet loss, but 10-15% is pretty unacceptable to the gateway... didn't mean across internet(there are bad routers out there).

 

[hardcandy2]

Test 99281 byte download
Actual data bytes sent: 99281
Actual data packets: 69
Max packet sent (MTU): 1500
Max packet recd (MTU): 1500
Retransmitted data packets: 0
sacks you sent: 0
pushed data pkts: 13
data transmit time: 0.450 secs
our max idletime: 1074.2 ms
transfer rate: 63002 bytes/sec
transfer rate: 504 kbits/sec
This is not a speed test!
transfer efficiency: 100%
Those are my tweak test results from dslreports's Seattle server to Georgia. I have Comcast Cable.
1. If you have any splitters, replace them with a newer set from Radio Shack- their house brand is OK.
2. Have you tried re-installing your network card drivers?
3. Have you tried disconnecting the power from your cable modem, router/gateway and then re-connecting the modem, let it boot up and then powering on your router/gateway?
4. Try dslreports.com and use their tweak tools and see what the reults are.
5. If it is the cable system, call the tech support and have them test their line from your house to their server. Also, some good tips in dslreports forums.

 

[Matthias99]

I realize that we all get packet loss, but 10-15% is pretty unacceptable to the gateway... didn't mean across internet(there are bad routers out there).

Yes. You should NOT be dropping packets to your gateway/ISP, or at least not very many of them. 10-15% loss probably means you have serious issues with your connection. It will definitely affect any sort of online activity, especially games.

Try to get a second- or third-level tech on the phone, who might actually understand what the hell is going on. And/or tell them you're going to switch to DSL -- that should get their attention.

 

[OCNewbie]

I had the 5th or 6th cable line tech come out, and he discovered that the aerial drop line, that the original installer ran like 5+ years ago, was too small of a gauge of wire, for the length it ran. They installed a new, 11 gauge, I think the previous was 5 or 7 (perhaps the numbers are wrong), or Cat11 instead of Cat5/7, and now I have zero problems it seems. I ran pings of like 3000+ packets sent, and zero dropped packets. I'm very happy with the fix, only took em 8 months to fix.....