PC keeps kicking me from games; at my wits end

[QuarterOfTen]

Wanted to post some developments (also to give hope if anyone is having the same issue because most info I've found on forums ends suddenly), the issues have become more sparse as time goes on but are still happening occasionally. Tried a USB Wi-Fi adapter, narrowing down software running at the same time, factory resetting my router, checking Ethernet wires with a device, the works. On a whim I installed PingPlotter and found that when the network kicks happen, the connection to my modem/router is fine (which I believe confirms my hardware is OK), but the next hop to an IP belonging to an ISP all the way up to the destination hop have complete packet loss with no response ping. There doesn't seem to be a lot of jitter or extreme latency otherwise and I can use QoS on my router to improve that further if need be. Am I right in assuming this is likely my ISP's fault at this point or should I investigate my router/modem device as well? I'll be both relieved and fuming if that's the case; spent how many months going nuts diagnosing things because they insisted it wasn't on their end.

 

[stanna]

Test your ram.

 

[QuarterOfTen]

Test your ram.

I'd already looked through the hardware side of things, but I found an extra diagnostic tool on Windows and checked just to make sure; all came back clean. At least after all of this is over I can take solace in the fact that my hardware is (as of now, at least) in good shape.

In the meantime I was able to find proof of this happening on another device after all this time. Contacted ISP, they deferred me to my modem/router's manufacturer. By some miracle I was able to talk to a service rep and they're hopefully gonna exchange my current one for a new one. If that doesn't fix anything, I don't see how it can't be anything but the ISP at this point. At least my process will be documented in case anyone has any network issues in the future; 90% of the similar cases I found just ended abruptly without any sort of closure.

 

[QuarterOfTen]

Ok, this should hopefully be the last update: new router/modem is en route so that will rule that out. I also double checked my wires and everything in house is okay, but there's a grounded coax coupler outside that is reading open fault in both directions. Is this just because its grounded or is the coupler busted?

 

[mituzora]

Ok, this should hopefully be the last update: new router/modem is en route so that will rule that out. I also double checked my wires and everything in house is okay, but there's a grounded coax coupler outside that is reading open fault in both directions. Is this just because its grounded or is the coupler busted?

Honestly, this sounds like an ISP or neighborhood node issue (assuming you're running a cable-based ISP). The fact that it died on a hop from your ISP tells me that it's failing somewhere on the neighborhood node or the backbone.
Now I could be wrong on this, but speaking with a rep years ago, you absolutely want your coax to be grounded; you don't want any electrical feedback going through, so grounding your coaxial is a good thing. You may have a tech come out and replace the splitter in the box if you have one, as electrical feedback can blow splitters and cause even more noise. It took us years to find out that the only thing we needed to do to get our speeds up to par at an old house is to run a ground to the splitter box.
The only other thing that I would check is to see if you have similar connectivity problems on anything else wifi in the house as if it's dropping at the modem/router then it should be dropping for ALL devices and not just your computer.

 

[QuarterOfTen]

Honestly, this sounds like an ISP or neighborhood node issue (assuming you're running a cable-based ISP). The fact that it died on a hop from your ISP tells me that it's failing somewhere on the neighborhood node or the backbone.
Now I could be wrong on this, but speaking with a rep years ago, you absolutely want your coax to be grounded; you don't want any electrical feedback going through, so grounding your coaxial is a good thing. You may have a tech come out and replace the splitter in the box if you have one, as electrical feedback can blow splitters and cause even more noise. It took us years to find out that the only thing we needed to do to get our speeds up to par at an old house is to run a ground to the splitter box.
The only other thing that I would check is to see if you have similar connectivity problems on anything else wifi in the house as if it's dropping at the modem/router then it should be dropping for ALL devices and not just your computer.

That's what I'm thinking too, but I'm also going to replace the router just to be safe. I definitely understand having a grounded coax is important; just wasn't sure if that was to blame for the readings or if the internals of the coupler really are shot. I'll be making a call to my ISP either way; if the router doesn't fix it then there's nothing else it can possibly be.