What is exchange congestion?

LaraC

LaraC

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In several threads exchange congestion is listed as the primary reason for an unsatisfactory internet experience.

Would you be so kind to answer the following questions? :)
  1. What causes exchange congestion?
  2. What is the best way to test for exchange congestion?
  3. What should you do when your exchange is congested?
  4. Are 3G/LTE connections susceptible to exchange congestion?
 
LaraC said:
In several threads exchange congestion is listed as the primary reason for an unsatisfactory internet experience.

Would you be so kind to answer the following questions? :)
  1. What causes exchange congestion?
  2. What is the best way to test for exchange congestion?
  3. What should you do when your exchange is congested?
  4. Are 3G/LTE connections susceptible to exchange congestion?
Click to expand...

1. Too many people accessing the internet on the same exchange.
2. Traceroute. If the 3rd ping is higher than say 30ms on each of the 3 hops, it's 90% likely that it's exchange congestion. The 10% I reserve for times like last year when I had the exact same symptoms, but @TelkomZA assisted me in finding the real fault, which was at Telkom IPC itself.
3. Report it. It might take years to upgrade the exchange, though - if ever.
4. Tower congestion is possible I guess, which would be a similar effect. Go to Ellis Park on a big rugby day. If you get there early, with few people there, you can still browse, etc. As soon as it hits about 30 minutes before the game, you won't be able to do jack.
 
Ho3n3r said:
Pleasure. :)

For interest's sake, post your traceroute here. With which ISP are you?
Click to expand...
I'm with Telkom and I'll post the traceroute when I'm at home. At the moment my questions is for information purposes only.
 
The traceroute as promised. :)

Code: 
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.3.9600]
(c) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Lara>tracert google.com

Tracing route to google.com [74.125.230.78]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  192.168.1.1
  2    32 ms    31 ms    31 ms  eltg-ip-bb-2.south.dsl.telkomsa.net [105.224.168.1]
  3    58 ms    56 ms    56 ms  ipc-1-up.south.dsl.telkomsa.net [105.226.0.6]
  4    57 ms    56 ms    56 ms  ipc-aggr-1.south.dsl.telkomsa.net [105.226.0.13]
  5    57 ms    56 ms    57 ms  blv-pr-02-be200-vl1.net.telkomsa.net [105.226.0.54]
  6    72 ms    72 ms    72 ms  jb1-pr-01-te8-3.net.telkomsa.net [105.187.249.2]
  7    71 ms    71 ms    72 ms  jb1-pr-01-te8-3.net.telkomsa.net [105.187.249.2]
  8    72 ms    72 ms    72 ms  jb1-google-gw.net.telkomsa.net [105.187.249.22]
  9    78 ms    79 ms    78 ms  72.14.239.129
 10    79 ms    79 ms    78 ms  jnb01s08-in-f0.1e100.net [216.58.223.32]

Trace complete.

C:\Users\Lara>
 
Following the test I’m saddened to report the existence of a congested exchange.

Send emergency message to Telkom supreme beings for immediate assistance. The exchange is in imminent danger of being overrun by a countless horde of bandwidth addicts. :D
 
LaraC said:
The traceroute as promised. :)

Code: 
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.3.9600]
(c) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Lara>tracert google.com

Tracing route to google.com [74.125.230.78]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  192.168.1.1
  2    32 ms    31 ms    31 ms  eltg-ip-bb-2.south.dsl.telkomsa.net [105.224.168.1]
  3    58 ms    56 ms    56 ms  ipc-1-up.south.dsl.telkomsa.net [105.226.0.6]
  4    57 ms    56 ms    56 ms  ipc-aggr-1.south.dsl.telkomsa.net [105.226.0.13]
  5    57 ms    56 ms    57 ms  blv-pr-02-be200-vl1.net.telkomsa.net [105.226.0.54]
  6    72 ms    72 ms    72 ms  jb1-pr-01-te8-3.net.telkomsa.net [105.187.249.2]
  7    71 ms    71 ms    72 ms  jb1-pr-01-te8-3.net.telkomsa.net [105.187.249.2]
  8    72 ms    72 ms    72 ms  jb1-google-gw.net.telkomsa.net [105.187.249.22]
  9    78 ms    79 ms    78 ms  72.14.239.129
 10    79 ms    79 ms    78 ms  jnb01s08-in-f0.1e100.net [216.58.223.32]

Trace complete.

C:\Users\Lara>
Click to expand...
Doesn't look good. It is not catastrophic, but you are being hampered.
 
RoMark said:
Doesn't look good. It is not catastrophic, but you are being hampered.
Click to expand...
I’ve seen that web pages are unresponsive at times. Although it is annoying it is not disastrous. :p
 
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