Packet loss and high latency

[Rapid_Sausage]

Hello everyone.
I have a 4mb internet connection, which works just fine when i'm the only one connected and using it.

but once someone else connects via Wi-Fi, my ping increases by at least 20ms (increases as more users connect to my router), my download rate decreases, even when the other device is idle. but most importantly i suffer a 20~40% packet loss.

My downstream rate is 4096kbps, and upstream is 1024kbps, my downstream noise margin is usually around 20~26db, my upstream around 10~12db, and my line attenuation is 25db for downstream, and 4.5~7.5 for upstream.

i've had my line adjusted before to have a downstream 4093kbps and upstream 1023kbps and it was quite stable and had no packet loss then.

My question is, what is the reason behind this extreme packet loss and deteriorated service?, is it my router growing old (it's at least 5 years old), or is it my copper line that can't handle it?

 

[Maelstrom]

I think that the main reason is that your internet is a little slow. 4MB is fine for one person, but as soon as anyone else starts using it your going to see some pretty bad deterioration.

 

[Commy1]

I've never met a Canadian who's happy with their ISP, American I don't know anything about. But I'll advise based on my own situation.

Canada biggest ISP's are Bell and Rogers, then there are smaller companies dotting the area often with better plans than the two largest companies. Unfortunately for some unknown reason I can only get essentially dial-up connection through the smaller company (teksavvy) and the same from Bell, the only good option I have is with Rogers. So because I have 4 people living in my house with 6 laptops and computers all going usually at the same time I got the Ultimate bundle (oooh aaawww). But it's terrible, they promise 150mbps down and 10mbps up. I've been monitoring my connection and I'm lucky to get 50 down and 2 up.
The reason for it is packet loss, and a shitty ISP... those are the only things that it could be at this point of investigation. All of my lines are in perfect condition, nothing is over extended, the outside connection box is in good condition, my modem is brand new, as good as it gets supporting 300down and 300up, I've called my ISP and they've sent many tech guys some who I've had to educate...
Bottom line is, that they are incapable of providing or bottenecking my connection.
Packet loss occurs infrequently and it could be a whole host of reasons, the only one I've been able to find myself is a poor quality line.

My advice for you is to look into a new modem, your ISP should provide you with one however I don't know how Egyptian ISP's work or policy's. If you change the line from from your home to the provider box, it should help your connection.
Your connection is a little slow for more than I'd say 2 people, 1mbps up is where your latency comes from. If I'm torrenting and seeding, I have to bottle neck the seed upload stream of my ping shoots up into the 200's

 

[Rapid_Sausage]

well and upgrade is certainly needed, i don't know if the ISP's box is going to be any, better however.

I've also renewed all the wires that i can renew (via officials ofc) not too far back (3~4 months), so that any problems are most likely from my ISP.

 

[SpyderBite]

All it takes is a single unexpected Windows Update to kick in and your 4mb can shrink quickly to 256kb. Is the other person using your network using an older computer which may be trying to perform a ton of updates each time it starts up? And subsequently, doesn't finish before they shut down and restarts the updates next time they connect?

Similarily, is the second computer running any kind of file sharing software? By default those programs are set to share at startup at an unthrottled rate.

 

[Rapid_Sausage]

All it takes is a single unexpected Windows Update to kick in and your 4mb can shrink quickly to 256kb. Is the other person using your network using an older computer which may be trying to perform a ton of updates each time it starts up? And subsequently, doesn't finish before they shut down and restarts the updates next time they connect?

Similarily, is the second computer running any kind of file sharing software? By default those programs are set to share at startup at an unthrottled rate.

Nope and Nope.
all the devices that connect are updated, and i specifically tell them (and check for myself) to turn off windows update and any other auto update service.

no file sharing going on here.

 

[SpyderBite]

Then I'd swap out the router just to troubleshoot. If nothing changes you can always return the router.

This really sounds like a bandwidth issue. Whether its the channels or frequencies your devices are using or just a glitch in the router and / or modem. If both computers work fine independently on the network the the problem obviously doesn't reside with either of the computers.