Packet loss due to configuration issues or faulty equipment?

Question

After switching ISP's, I've started experiencing packet losses which is unfortunately affecting my daily browsing and work activities. A typical ping session to google looks like: (as you can see, a lot of timeouts, in general around 10-20% overall)

Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=23ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=35ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=64ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=21ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=19ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=19ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=56
Request timed out.
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=28ms TTL=56
Request timed out.
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=23ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=41ms TTL=56
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=80ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=81ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=55ms TTL=56
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=81ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=76ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=47ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=73ms TTL=56
Request timed out.
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=24ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=33ms TTL=56
Request timed out.
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=56
Request timed out.
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=82ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=56
Reply from 209.85.153.104: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=56
Request timed out.

The setup I'm running is: a wireless router sits on top of the building which sends out a ethernet cable which connects to my machine. For connecting, I use WAN Miniport (PPPOE).

My question is: are these losses because of a faulty configuration with the ethernet card on my end or is it a problem with the ISP setup/hardware? Any tools/suggestions which would help me pin down the issue would be most appreciated.

TIA, sasuke

Answer 1

Check the speed and duplex on all interfaces. Set them manually where you can. Check with your ISP as to their suggestion Have seen setting Auto/Auto give this type of issue. Changing to fixed speed and duplex resolved the issue.

Answer 2

To narrow it down, you could do a traceroute to somewhere and obtain the IPs of the router and the first hop after it. Then ping both of those to see if you have more reliable connection to the router than the router has to it's next hop. If so, you complain to the ISP.

Example in a NAT environment:

$ /usr/sbin/tracepath 8.8.8.8
 1:  google-public-dns-a.google.com                        0.081ms pmtu 1500
 1:  10.x.x.x                                              1.369ms 
 1:  10.x.x.x                                              1.189ms 
 2:  192.168.1.1                                           4.319ms  <- Router in my house
 3:  188.xxx.80.1                                          7.047ms  <- Router at the ISP
 4:  82.xxx.192.5                                          7.815ms