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jzpinkgeek's profile

Contributor

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3 Messages

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012 8:14 PM

Level 2 or 3 tech needed for packet loss issues

Again...

 

Level 2 or 3 UVerse tech needed that does NOT suggest to my client that they have a "dead wireless adapter" on their 4-week old laptop when you are experiencing issues at a Kansas location that are giving them packet loss and they have an unstable wireless connection and barely-OK ethernet connection.  And for god's sake, don't just do the old router/modem switcharoo either.  

 

Attached tracert and Ping test images.  All we want is a plain explanation/line test and/or a "we'll look into it" and your correction of your internal network problems not "ooooh I don't see packet loss at all" from a Knowledge Base parroting robot when I have been logging issues for quite some time.

 

Hearts,

Frustrated NetAdmin

 

 

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Expert

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9.4K Messages

12 years ago

I don't doubt you have a client that is experiencing problems.  Many things can cause that.

 

However, the lost packets at nodes 3,4, and 5 in your PingPlotter graph is not the issue.  Remember that the notation in PingPlotter that indicates "100% packet loss" only applies to those ICMP packets that were directed at those nodes.  As you can see from nodes 6 through 11, all ICMP packets directed to them were returned with no packet loss, indicating that nodes 3-5 passed those packets on, as they're supposed to.

 

The issue is that nodes 3-5 are routers in AT&T's network that are programmed to treat ICMP echo packets as very low priority.  Thus, they typically don't respond to pings.  That doesn't mean they aren't routing other types of traffic, like HTTP or anything else that actually needs to be routed.

 

You would be much better off troubleshooting the wireless issues from a layer 2 standpoint -- i.e. does the client's computer perform properly on a wired Ethernet connection?  If so, you have a wireless issue with the wireless card, the access point, or interference (quite common).  If not, then you have a line issue or an issue with the computer itself, which will then need further troubleshooting.

 

Master

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9.8K Messages

12 years ago

Try contacting Alex, one of the AT&T Community Managers for further assistance.

 

Contributor

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3 Messages

12 years ago

Thanks, dhascall, I will do so

Contributor

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3 Messages

12 years ago

Thanks for a well-thought out reply.  I was wondering why pingtest.net did not return same results as PingPlotter.  I really appreciate your comments and time.  Sorry for my tone but I have been endlessly frustrated with this network.

 

Ethernet is on, but spotty.  Users report that sites have long loading times or do not load at all.  This has only happened today from what I see.  I will run some further internal scans.

Interference has been investigated to the best of my knowledge (client has purchased DECT phones etc etc)

I have slowly been putting all devices on wired vs wireless due to persistent issues but the sticking point is that the client's point of sale solution is a Square and needs a reliable wireless connection to work.

I would go with the wireless card direction but disable/re-enable gets the connection to come back and the wireless works fine at the client's home.  So do the other wireless devices like Ipad/phones.

 

I can see that there's probably not much more that can be done on your end, but thanks for the feedback.  Who knows, it might even be the cabling >_<

 

 

 

 

Expert

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9.4K Messages

12 years ago

Web sites that have long load times or don't load at all can also point to DNS issues.

Try changing the DNS servers on the client computer to the OpenDNS servers (208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220) or Google's DNS servers (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4). Occasionally, we see problems with DNS resolution with the 2Wire equipment, especially with MacOS or other Apple devices.

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