Arch Linux

dtw

Forum Fellow

From: UK

Registered: 2004-08-03

Posts: 4,439

Website

[solved] Slow network connection / 2500+ms ping

Having a bit of a problem and I don't know where to start looking.

My internet is intermittently very slow.  It could be DNS but I don't think so.

PING google.com (173.194.36.104) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=1 ttl=52 time=24.5 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=2 ttl=52 time=24.4 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=3 ttl=52 time=24.3 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=4 ttl=52 time=24.4 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=5 ttl=52 time=27.1 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=6 ttl=52 time=25.3 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=7 ttl=52 time=24.8 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=8 ttl=52 time=24.4 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=9 ttl=52 time=24.5 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=10 ttl=52 time=24.4 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=11 ttl=52 time=24.6 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=12 ttl=52 time=23.9 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=13 ttl=52 time=25.0 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=14 ttl=52 time=25.5 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=15 ttl=52 time=24.5 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=16 ttl=52 time=24.4 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=17 ttl=52 time=24.3 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=18 ttl=52 time=187 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=19 ttl=52 time=24.5 ms
64 bytes from lhr14s01-in-f104.1e100.net (173.194.36.104): icmp_seq=20 ttl=52 time=24.2 ms

--- google.com ping statistics ---
20 packets transmitted, 20 received, 0% packet loss, time 19023ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 23.964/32.848/187.031/35.378 ms

That's pinging google.com - pretty quick except a sudden 187ms spike at seq=18

PING 173.194.36.104 (173.194.36.104) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=1 ttl=52 time=25.6 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=2 ttl=52 time=24.6 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=3 ttl=52 time=37.0 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=4 ttl=52 time=25.8 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=5 ttl=52 time=24.7 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=6 ttl=52 time=25.2 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=7 ttl=52 time=24.9 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=8 ttl=52 time=24.8 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=9 ttl=52 time=24.0 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=10 ttl=52 time=24.3 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=11 ttl=52 time=24.2 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=12 ttl=52 time=24.7 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=13 ttl=52 time=25.3 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=14 ttl=52 time=24.4 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=16 ttl=52 time=26.4 ms
64 bytes from 173.194.36.104: icmp_seq=18 ttl=52 time=2568 ms

--- 173.194.36.104 ping statistics ---
20 packets transmitted, 16 received, 20% packet loss, time 19029ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 24.092/184.681/2568.222/615.434 ms, pipe 3

This is obviously dire.

There is no consistency in these tests.  One time the IP ping will be fine and the domain name will suck, next time the total opposite.

Any suggestions?  This is a fairly recent problem but I can't put a date on it expect to say in the last 1-2 months.

.:edit:.

I thought I better try and ping my router...

64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=39 ttl=64 time=6458 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=40 ttl=64 time=7916 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=41 ttl=64 time=9681 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=42 ttl=64 time=24258 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=43 ttl=64 time=25910 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=44 ttl=64 time=25580 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=45 ttl=64 time=26491 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=46 ttl=64 time=25536 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=47 ttl=64 time=24552 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=48 ttl=64 time=26177 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=49 ttl=64 time=30338 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=50 ttl=64 time=48041 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=111 ttl=64 time=658 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=114 ttl=64 time=1088 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=115 ttl=64 time=703 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=116 ttl=64 time=2144 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=117 ttl=64 time=1477 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=118 ttl=64 time=1491 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.254: icmp_seq=119 ttl=64 time=547 ms

So, I guess the problem is between the machine and the router, huh?

Last edited by dtw (2010-11-01 20:13:32)

Jodell

Member

Registered: 2009-10-09

Posts: 285

Re: [solved] Slow network connection / 2500+ms ping

Are you using wireless with the ath9k driver by chance?

dtw

Forum Fellow

From: UK

Registered: 2004-08-03

Posts: 4,439

Website

Re: [solved] Slow network connection / 2500+ms ping

Are you using wireless with the ath9k driver by chance?

Close!  I was using an Atheros AR5001X+ with ath_pci and madwifi.  Once I realise it was probably driver related I started digging and read loads on the forums about problems with ath cards following a kernel update last year so I gave ath5k a go.

I just commented out ath_pci in modules in rc.conf and added ath5k.  Then I changed ath0 to wlan0 in my network profile and that was it.  My ping test speaks volumes about the results.

100 packets transmitted, 100 received, 0% packet loss, time 99020ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.737/1.078/9.198/0.937 ms

Jodell

Member

Registered: 2009-10-09

Posts: 285

Re: [solved] Slow network connection / 2500+ms ping

I am using an Atheros AR928X with the ath9k driver. I also experienced the same problem as you have but not a bad (1000 ms ping). The solution to my problem was turning off power management for the wireless card with

iwconfig wlan0 power off

There may be something else causing this though.