Openai/68ff0983-d77c-8006-beff-1e8aa72a6d28

This conversation was exported from ChatGPT

gpt-5

User: why is my ping in all my online video games high?

why is my ping in all my online video games high?

Assistant: If your ping is high across all computers and all online games in your household, that usually points to something affe…

If your ping is high across all computers and all online games in your household, that usually points to something affecting the network itself, not just your PC. Here are the most common causes:

1. Internet Service Provider (ISP) issues - Congestion or routing problems on your ISP’s side can spike latency for everything. - If it happens at peak hours (evenings/weekends), it’s probably congestion.

1. Weak or unstable connection type - DSL, satellite, or fixed wireless often have higher baseline ping. - Wi-Fi adds extra latency compared to Ethernet, especially if the signal is weak.
2. Bandwidth hogging - Other people in the household streaming 4K, downloading, or using cloud backups can choke your connection. - Even smart TVs or phones auto-updating can spike ping.
3. Bad modem/router or old firmware - Some older routers struggle with multiple devices or high throughput. - Heat, poor QoS (Quality of Service), or outdated firmware can worsen latency.
4. Line quality issues - Packet loss, noise on DSL/cable lines, or damaged wiring can all cause high ping.
5. Server distance - If your game is always connecting to far-away servers (e.g., cross-region), latency will naturally be high. - But since it’s all games, this is less likely unless you’re in a region with few servers.

1. Test your base connection - Run a ping 8.8.8.8 or speedtest to check if latency is high even outside games. - Normal ping to Google DNS should be <50ms in the US on a decent connection.

1. Use wired Ethernet - Test with one PC directly connected to the modem. If ping drops, Wi-Fi is your bottleneck.
2. Check who/what is using bandwidth - Pause downloads/streaming. - Log into your router and check connected devices.
3. Restart equipment - Power cycle your modem/router (unplug for 30–60 seconds). - Update router firmware.
4. ISP troubleshooting - If high ping shows up even with Ethernet, one PC, and no background traffic → it’s likely on your ISP’s end. - Call them, report “high latency” and ask if they see issues on your line.

⚡ Quick check: If you run a speedtest right now, what ping do you get there (not in-game)? That can tell us whether it’s your ISP or just the game servers.

User: my average ping used to be better but it's just been consistently worse.

my average ping used to be better but it's just been consistently worse. I got a new router that works fine but my ping issues remain. It's even the same on another computer I tried here

Assistant: Got it — since you’ve swapped routers and even tested on a different computer, that rules out local hardware as the mai…

Got it — since you’ve swapped routers and even tested on a different computer, that rules out local hardware as the main culprit. If your ping used to be good but is now consistently worse, the problem is most likely upstream. Here’s how that usually breaks down:

- ISP-side issues Your line might have developed noise, or your ISP changed routing/peering agreements (which can suddenly make latency higher to certain regions).

• Local line degradation Old coax/DSL lines in the house or outside can cause persistent latency increases, even if your speeds seem fine.
• Congestion If neighbors are on the same cable node/DSLAM and usage has gone up, your ping can suffer at all times.
• Background traffic you didn’t notice Even IoT devices (smart cameras, TVs, consoles auto-updating) can quietly eat bandwidth.

1. Ping/trace route test - Open Command Prompt (Windows) → run: `` ping 8.8.8.8 -n 20 ` Then also try: ` tracert 8.8.8.8 `` - This shows whether high ping starts inside your network, at the ISP gateway, or further out.

1. Bypass the router - Connect one computer directly to the modem with Ethernet, no router. - If ping is still bad → problem is at the ISP/line level.
2. Check time patterns - Is latency bad all the time, or mainly evenings/weekends? - If it’s time-dependent → congestion issue on ISP’s side.
3. Contact ISP with evidence - Save your ping/traceroute results and provide them to support. - Tell them you’ve tested across devices, on wired, and with a new router. That rules out your hardware.

⚡ If you want, you can run that ping and tracert test and paste the results here. I can help you read where the latency spike is happening — inside your home, at your ISP, or further along the route. Want to try that?

User: I am directly connected via ethernet to the modem and so is the other computer.

I am directly connected via ethernet to the modem and so is the other computer. the latency is also ALL the time

Assistant: That’s super useful info — thank you.

That’s super useful info — thank you.

If you and another PC are both direct to the modem over Ethernet (so Wi-Fi and the router are out of the picture), and the latency is bad 24/7, then that really narrows it down:

- ✅ Not your computers (since both show it).

• ✅ Not your router (you bypassed it).
• ✅ Not Wi-Fi interference (wired).
• ❌ That leaves: - Your modem itself (possible, though less common). - The physical line to your house (coax/DSL/copper/fiber). - Or the ISP’s routing/peering.

If it’s consistent all the time (not just peak hours), that usually means:

• Line quality problem (noise, damaged cable, bad splitter, water ingress in outdoor line).
• Or ISP made a network change (rerouting traffic through less optimal paths).

1. Baseline test Run: `` ping 8.8.8.8 -n 50 ` Look at the average, min, max, and how often packets spike or drop.

1. Trace test Run: ` tracert 8.8.8.8 `` This shows where the ping climbs. If hop #1 (your modem/ISP gateway) is already high → it’s your line or modem. If later hops spike → ISP’s routing.
2. Check modem stats Many modems let you see signal levels, SNR, error counts (if it’s DSL or cable). If levels are out of spec, that’s your smoking gun.
3. Call ISP with evidence - Tell them: “I’ve tested on multiple PCs, direct to modem, issue is 24/7, router removed.” - Share ping/traceroute results. This forces them to look at the line or escalate. - If it’s a line issue, they may need to send a tech to check wiring/poles.

👉 Do you want me to walk you through how to read your tracert output if you paste it here? That would pinpoint whether the high ping starts inside your house, at the ISP edge, or further out.

User: this is the result of the trace test.

this is the result of the trace test. can you tell me if it is my modem/line or my ISP

Assistant: Yes — paste the traceroute output here and I can walk you through it.

Yes — paste the traceroute output here and I can walk you through it.

What I’ll look for:

• Hop 1 → usually your modem or ISP gateway. If latency is already high here, that points to your line/modem.
• Hop 2–3 → your ISP’s local network. If it spikes here, it’s your ISP core/routing.
• Later hops → if only faraway hops are high but earlier ones are fine, that’s just server distance (normal).

If you paste the exact results, I’ll tell you whether it’s your modem/line, your ISP, or further upstream.

👉 Could you drop the traceroute output here?

User: can you draft me a short message to paste into ISP chat/ticket.

can you draft me a short message to paste into ISP chat/ticket.

Assistant: Sure — here’s a concise, no-fluff draft you can paste directly into ISP chat or a support ticket:

Sure — here’s a concise, no-fluff draft you can paste directly into ISP chat or a support ticket:

Support Request: High Latency at ISP Gateway

Hello,

I am experiencing consistently higher latency across all online applications. I have tested with multiple computers, each connected directly via Ethernet to the modem (bypassing the router). The issue is present 24/7.

Traceroute results show that latency jumps immediately at your gateway:

• Hop 1 (modem): <1 ms
• Hop 2 (ISP gateway, 207.109.2.15): ~31 ms
• All subsequent hops: 30–41 ms

This indicates the latency is introduced at or after the ISP gateway, not inside my home network.

Please check the line/node serving my connection and review routing/peering from your network to upstream providers. I can provide full ping/traceroute logs if needed.

Thank you.

Would you like me to make an extra-short, customer-service style version too (less technical, more “my ping is worse than before, please check”)? That way you can use whichever fits best depending on how technical your ISP’s first-line support is.

gpt-5-t-mini

User: Tracing route to dns.google 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  modem [192.168.0.1]
 2    31 ms    30 ms    31 ms  stpl-dsl-gw15.stpl.qwest.net [207.109.2.15]
 3    32 ms    30 ms    31 ms  stpl-agw1.inet.qwest.net [207.109.3.113]
 4    33 ms    31 ms    31 ms  ae3.bar3.min2.sp.lumen.tech [4.68.38.177]
 5    41 ms    40 ms    40 ms  ae2.2.edge1.Chicago10.net.lumen.tech [4.69.133.29]
 6    41 ms    41 ms    40 ms  15169-3356-chi.sp.lumen.tech [4.68.63.130]
 7    41 ms    40 ms    41 ms  74.125.251.183
 8    41 ms    41 ms    41 ms  142.251.60.203
 9    41 ms    41 ms    40 ms  dns.google [8.8.8.8]

Trace complete.

Assistant: Nice — thanks for the traceroute.

Nice — thanks for the traceroute. Short answer: this looks like an ISP / upstream routing issue, not your modem or local wiring. Here’s how I reached that and what to do next.

What the traceroute shows (quick breakdown)

• Hop 1 — modem [192.168.0.1]: <1 ms → Your modem responds instantly. That means your local device → modem link is fine.
• Hop 2 — stpl-dsl-gw15.stpl.qwest.net [207.109.2.15]: ~31 ms → This is the first public hop (your ISP’s gateway). Latency jumps from <1 ms to ~31 ms here, and that 30–40 ms level persists through the rest of the path (hops 3–9). That pattern means the added latency is introduced at or immediately after your ISP’s network edge.
• Hops 3–9 — ~31–41 ms, stable to 8.8.8.8 → No later big spikes or packet-loss visible in this trace; the path is stable but already higher than your previous baseline apparently was.

Conclusion

Because the jump occurs at hop 2 (the ISP gateway) and remains steady, this is almost certainly something upstream at your ISP (routing change, peering change, congestion on their gateway/node, or deliberate routing through a longer path). It’s not obviously your modem or in-home wiring.

Suggested next steps (exact, copy-paste friendly)

1. Gather more evidence - Run longer pings to the ISP gateway and to 8.8.8.8 to show averages/jitter: `` ping 207.109.2.15 -n 100 ping 8.8.8.8 -n 100 ` - Run Windows pathping (gives packet-loss per hop): ` pathping 8.8.8.8 `` Save results/screenshots.
2. Call your ISP and escalate - Tell them: “I tested from two different PCs, both wired directly to the modem, and see a persistent ~30 ms latency increase starting at your gateway (207.109.2.15). This is 24/7 and began recently. Please check routing/peering and the node serving my connection and run line tests.” - Provide them the traceroute, ping/pathping logs, and the exact hop IP (207.109.2.15).
3. Ask for specific checks from ISP - Ask them to run diagnostics for congestion/packet-loss on the node, check for degraded peering to Lumen/Google, and (if needed) schedule a tech visit to test the outside line and modem provisioning.
4. Optional troubleshooting while waiting - Try a different public test target (game server IP) and paste that traceroute if you want — I can check if the route to your game servers is taking the same path. - If you have a modem with a status page, screenshot signal stats and error counters and give those to support.

If you want, I can:

• Help interpret the ping -n 100 and pathping outputs you get,
• Run traceroutes to a specific game server IP if you paste it,
• Draft a short message you can paste into ISP chat/ticket.

But based on the trace you posted, this is an ISP/upstream routing issue, not your modem/line inside the house (at least not obviously).