Internet lagging EVERY day and mostly same time

Hey. I really have no idea what's going on anymore. For around 2 months now, everyday after 7:30ish, my internet would start ping spiking to the point where any game is unplayable. my ms in games would go up to 200-700, drop back down to 100, then go back up. I speed tested many times during the lag and I would get the same ms, and drop down to 1-2 mbps download speed. This problem would persist until the next morning, work fine during the day, then come back. I've tried almost every possible fix, none worked. It can't be a problem with my isp because I even switched isps to try and fix this, but that didn't work either. I was first with champion broadband cable and now I'm with at&t dsl. Every time I called them while I was lagging, they'd say the lines looked "pristine" clean. No bandwidth loss or faults anywhere. Finally one tech told me it could be any electric device turning on like a street light or pool cleaner that interfered with the frequency and that our wires weren't grounded. I highly doubt that. Is there any way you guys can help me? I stumbled across this site and I figured why not ask. I have 7 computers in this house and one of them is using wireless. I've scanned and cleared any infected items on all the computers, and I don't think there's any wireless interference. Any ideas? ——————————————————– Here's a traceroute I just did while lagging: Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600] Copyright © 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. C:\Users\Shawn>tracert www.yahoo.com Tracing route to any-fp3-real.wa1.b.yahoo.com [209.191.122.70] over a maximum of 30 hops: 1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms dsldevice.att.net [192.168.1.254] 2 283 ms 235 ms 305 ms 108-232-48-2.lightspeed.irvnca.sbcglobal.net [10 [removed]] 3 * * * Request timed out. 4 * * * Request timed out. 5 332 ms 360 ms 360 ms [removed] 6 265 ms 256 ms 339 ms la2ca01jt.ip.att.net [[removed]] 7 374 ms 333 ms 334 ms las-bb1-link.telia.net [[removed]] 8 214 ms 256 ms 319 ms dls-bb1-link.telia.net [[removed]] 9 486 ms 422 ms 417 ms yahoo-ic-141067-dls-bb1.c.telia.net [213.248.97. 222] 10 610 ms 479 ms 361 ms ae-1-d111.msr2.mud.yahoo.com [[removed]] 11 403 ms 377 ms 431 ms te-9-2.fab2-a-gdc.mud.yahoo.com [209.191.78.159] 12 454 ms 392 ms 311 ms te-8-2.bas-c2.mud.yahoo.com [209.191.78.175] 13 138 ms 405 ms 491 ms ir1.fp.vip.mud.yahoo.com [209.191.122.70] Trace complete. C:\Users\Shawn> I'm sick and tired of this lag. If you guys could pinpoint the problem at the least, I would love you guys. Thanks

PS: I also get "server not found" sometimes while I'm browsing the web. It stays like that until I refresh a couple times.

Hi Whiptea, Sorry to hear about the problems you are experiencing….. these sort of issues can be mighty frustrationg…..
Welcome to the WTT forums by the way.

There could be a large number of things that are causing the problems, so its a lot of detective work and a fair amount of elimination that might be needed….

Here are some thoughts for you:

1 Does the problem only exist on one specific computer…or are some or all of the other 6 computers affected in a similar way?
Please test each one at the appropriate time and log the results.
2 If its happening to all your computers then its pointing towards a router, DSL, line fault or a wiring problem local to your home and surroundings.
3 If its just your main computer that is affected then its probably something simple like an application that is running at around a certain time, a virus scan for example or a scheduled back up etc..
3 When the lag commences you might like to check what is running on your computer….. you can bring up Task Manager and see what is absorbing your system resources or use a dedicated tool like Process Explorer
details from here:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb545021

If you have malware on your machine then your computer could be short on system resources due to your computer being under control of the malware's "owners" who might be using it to send out spam, report back on activities etc.
You mention that you have scanned and cleared any infected items….. are you sure you got it all?
It might be wise to take a trip here:
http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?showtopic=106388
read the directions carefully and post your logs over in the Virus and Spyware removal forums (not here please as we don't analyse the logs here) A trained malware fighter will help you with an indepth check of your system.
Once you computer has been declared free of infection then post back here in this forum if you are still having issues with it and we will do our best to help
Regards
paws

Hey paws, thanks for the insight. It happens on all the computers, and I reformatted every single computer then scanned with Malwarebytes and Spybot search and destroy to make sure. Is it possible that was the tech said was true? (about any automatic electric device interfering with our modem's frequency.) Thanks

This could also be a bandwidth problem with your ISP. If someone or some people start playing internet intensive games at 7:30 every night they may be sucking up all the bandwidth available to your node from your ISP. Contact you ISP and ask them to investigate.

I asked them about that before they set up to dsl. They said it was some fiber optic connection and that wouldn't be an issue because it's "our internet only."

Hi Whiptea, Yes it could be a local problem… I have seen stranger things… In one location a large population of school children returned home from school at more or less the same time…. the contention rates went through the roof when they all logged on at the same time…. However to try and isolate the problem further, it might be wise to take one of your computers to a friend's place or neighbours house…and plug into their router at the "crucial time" Try this with more than one of your computers if possible. If you are still getting the lags then its back to your ISP and or telephone company for further checks. Regards paws

I thought you don't have to share bandwidth with anyone when using dsl? When I called the tech said we were connected straight to the central office and it was our line only.

Ask them about their contention status and their figures….for your location….. only way to find out is to ask…. (I am thousands of miles away from you…… ) different rules for different countries maybe? How did the tests go when you used your computers at a friend's house ? Regards paws

Haven't tried that yet, but I talked to a friend who lives 1 street over while I was lagging couple days back and he's fine during that time. I don't think there's anything wrong with my computers. Called my isp while I was lagging and they still said the bandwidth looks perfect, lines looks perfect, etc. Like I said though, one of techs told me it was an environmental problem, and that the lines under the house weren't grounded, causing possible interference when something turns on (pool cleaner, street light, etc.) Can stuff like that cause interference at all? o-o

Hi, Yes it sure can…but its best to go back to your ISP/Telco to check it out…. its no good them saying that your line checks out Ok…… if your still having problems… But do the checks with a friends set up so you can speak to them from a position of strength! Regards paws

Hey, sorry for the late reply. Was a bit busy. I took my computer to my friend's house during the lag period and had no problems, so I'm starting to believe the tech was right about the ungrounded lines. We had a blackout a couple days back and I had no lag at all for a day. That prolly means some automated device reset its schedule or something. Lag is back now, though. Worse than before, too. So there's absolutely no way to fix this except for calling the city in hopes that they'll come check out the lines and reground them?

Hi Whiptea

I took my computer to my friend's house during the lag period and had no problems, so I'm starting to believe the tech was right

Ok ,so its looks like you need to get back to your ISP/telco, or even electricity supply company….. if you tell them the ttimes you are experiencing the issues they should be able to zero in on the culprit.
Regards
paws

Hey, After MANY calls and complaints, they finally sent a tech over during my lag period. Didn't help at all because he tested with his pad thingy INSIDE my house WHILE looking at my speedtest.net tests and his tests showed no signs of interference. He even went outside and made sure the lines were grounded, didn't help. What do you guys think? Should I move the modem somewhere else in the house? As it's near 3 phones and 2 computers. Does that cause anything? I really have no idea and I'm starting to lose my patience. This has been going on for too long.

Hi Whiptea,

Didn't help at all because he tested with his pad thingy INSIDE my house WHILE looking at my speedtest.net tests and his tests showed no signs of interference

Do you mean that when he used your Internet inside your house but using his own computer everything was fine, but that when you used your own computers, all 7 of them then the problem ocurred?
Regards
paws