Frequent Lag spikes

[#1]

For the past week I have been having terrible lag spikes while playing games. A router reset will fix the problem for about 30 min, but the problem will always return. Every few minutes A lag spike happens, will be unable to do anything for about 10 sec, usually getting disconnected. The problem occurs with multiple applications. I've also tried using a vpn, wifi, and ethernet all with the same problem.

I don't know what to do at this point, any help would be appreciated. 

[shaw-tony]

Hey matthew23,

Thank you for reaching out! I'd recommend troubleshooting the coax cable connection to ensure you are getting a solid signal. 

1. Unplug the power to the modem
2. Unscrew the  connection from the back of the modem as well as at the wall outlet
3. Reconnect both cables
4. Power on the modem

Can you also run some traceroutes to Google, Youtube, and your game servers?

Let me know how it goes,

Tony | Community Mod.

[#3]

Hi Tony, thanks for the reply.

I've followed your steps to troubleshoot the cable. Problem still persists. 

I should also add that the problem gets much worse during afternoons/evenings. This morning I had no lag for several hours. 

Here are traceroutes to google, youtube and a game server, although there was no lag spikes happening when I ran them, I'm not sure if that is important or not.

C:\Users\Matt>tracert 8.8.8.8

Tracing route to dns.google [8.8.8.8]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms testwifi.here [192.168.86.1]
2 1 ms * * 192.168.0.1
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 12 ms 10 ms 12 ms 64.59.135.13
5 25 ms 25 ms 26 ms rc2wt-be100.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.75.233]
6 28 ms 32 ms 39 ms 72.14.242.90
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 27 ms 27 ms 27 ms dns.google [8.8.8.8]

Trace complete.

C:\Users\Matt>tracert 199.223.232.0

Tracing route to 0.232.223.199.bc.googleusercontent.com [199.223.232.0]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms testwifi.here [192.168.86.1]
2 1 ms 1 ms 2 ms 192.168.0.1
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 10 ms 12 ms 10 ms 64.59.135.13
5 25 ms 24 ms 25 ms rc2wt-be100.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.75.233]
6 27 ms 30 ms 29 ms 72.14.242.90
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 33 ms 28 ms 29 ms 74.125.253.60
9 28 ms 26 ms 26 ms 108.170.245.107
10 31 ms 26 ms 30 ms 108.170.234.96
11 55 ms 55 ms 56 ms 216.239.46.158
12 69 ms 62 ms 62 ms 216.239.47.251
13 56 ms 58 ms 56 ms 216.239.41.191
14 58 ms 56 ms 58 ms 108.170.237.5
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
17 * * * Request timed out.
18 * * * Request timed out.
19 * * * Request timed out.
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * * Request timed out.
23 * * * Request timed out.
24 * * * Request timed out.
25 * * * Request timed out.
26 59 ms 61 ms 70 ms 0.232.223.199.bc.googleusercontent.com [199.223.232.0]

Trace complete.

C:\Users\Matt>tracert 24.105.62.129

Tracing route to 24.105.62.129 over a maximum of 30 hops

1 1 ms 4 ms <1 ms testwifi.here [192.168.86.1]
2 1 ms 2 ms 1 ms 192.168.0.1
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 9 ms 10 ms 9 ms 64.59.135.13
5 26 ms 25 ms 25 ms rc2wt-be100.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.75.233]
6 32 ms 28 ms 27 ms rc6wt-tge0-10-0-11.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.68.70]
7 61 ms 99 ms 56 ms ae1-br02-eqse2.as57976.net [137.221.73.35]
8 * * 2105 ms xe-0-0-1-1-br02-eqch2.as57976.net [137.221.65.42]
9 58 ms 60 ms 59 ms be2-pe01-eqch2.as57976.net [137.221.69.71]
10 57 ms 60 ms 60 ms 24.105.62.129

Trace complete.

[shaw-logan]

Okay so it looks like the reports have come back clean, I'd recommend running a ping test https://community.shaw.ca/docs/DOC-1051 for the game server and google for 1000 pings to report any spikes.

[#5]

I have a ping running on repeat with ping 8.8.8.8 -t, about every 30 sec to 5 min a ping will say Request timed out. sometimes 3 pings in a row.

[#6]

I don't know how to add timestamps, but this ping is over ~1 min. 

C:\Users\Matt>ping google.ca -t

Pinging google.ca [172.217.14.195] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=30ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=28ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=35ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Request timed out.
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Request timed out.
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Request timed out.
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55
Reply from 172.217.14.195: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=55

I also have run traceroutes while the lag is happening but they look the same as the ones I linked earlier. 

[shaw-tony]

matthew23 the pings look fine as well. As for the traceroutes, within the Shaw network up to rc2wt-be100.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.75.233] it looks fine. My other suggestion to get more data is to run a WinMTR test or have a technician visit to ensure your signal is solid. 

[PickleDax]

  I have read all of this post, sounds like the block router needs replacing , it is a Shaw issue not your home issue . I had this exact problem and it was a box in the ally that needed replacing. It deals with the block of houses you are on. They generally have to be replaced every so often. Talk to your neighbors , ones that you know game.If they have the same issue , what i said earlier is the correct answer.