tracert - inconsistent 3rd hop - whats the problem?

[element1]

I always have varying 3rd hop times with FNB Connect.. all hops thereafter are usually sub-20ms.

Is the 3rd hop an FNB "router" that is congested? or is it shaping? or is it mismanaged?

Is there any way to fix it?


Trace 1: (3rd hop inconsistent)
1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms router.asus.com [192.168.1.1]
2 * * * Request timed out.
3 87 ms 153 ms 16 ms 41.183.141.26
4 22 ms 15 ms 18 ms 41.183.141.25
5 16 ms 16 ms 15 ms 41.183.132.68
6 16 ms 16 ms 16 ms 41.183.132.82



Trace 2: (3rd hop behaving)
1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms router.asus.com [192.168.1.1]
2 * * * Request timed out.
3 16 ms 17 ms 17 ms 41.183.141.26



Trace 3: (3rd hop inconsistent)
1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms router.asus.com [192.168.1.1]
2 * * * Request timed out.
3 88 ms 56 ms 17 ms 41.183.141.26
4 15 ms 16 ms 15 ms 41.183.141.25



Trace 4: (3rd hop inconsistent)
1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms router.asus.com [192.168.1.1]
2 * * * Request timed out.
3 116 ms 16 ms 15 ms 41.183.141.26
4 17 ms 16 ms 15 ms 41.183.141.25
5 16 ms 15 ms 16 ms 41.183.132.68
6 16 ms 15 ms 15 ms 41.183.132.82

 

[cfilorux]

YMMV

Routers don't prioritise ICMP, so your mileage can vary with the router's load, but it's probaly not that. If your upload or download side is carrying intermittent bursts of competing traffic, then this can cause what you are seeing.

 

[element1]

thanks cfilorux.

The trace exhibits this behaviour with no other apps running.

If I try another ISP's account then all hops in the chain are sub-20ms.

I'm convinced it is something to do with the device on the 3rd hop.

 

[Sinbad]

Then it's your ISP.

 

[element1]

Yep agreed. I'm wondering why it is always happening on that specific FNB node (41.183.141.26) and not on the subsequent FNB nodes (41.183.*)

 

[Sinbad]

Yep agreed. I'm wondering why it is always happening on that specific FNB node (41.183.141.26) and not on the subsequent FNB nodes (41.183.*)

Router with CPU constraints most likely.

 

[element1]

It does not happen on the other FNB nodes.

So maybe the 3rd hop FNB node (41.183.141.26) node uses different hardware (and/or configuration) that is causing the bottleneck.