TraceRT interpretation

[Epaphroditus]

Got very poor internet service lately. Mind you I'm out in the boonies so use either satellite with very high latency or a 4G wifi mobile hotspot (or phone as hotspot).

My 4G signal is quite weak so I also use a directional antenna and amplifier.

TraceRT shows some issues that looks like the cell tower nearest me but I'm not certain how to correctly read the results so any hints or wisdom helps.

Tracing route to nytimes.map.fastly.net [151.101.53.164]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 12 ms 2 ms 2 ms 192.168.43.1
2 56 ms 35 ms 26 ms 193.sub-66-174-27.myvzw.com 66.174.27.193]
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 * * * Request timed out.
5 * * * Request timed out.
6 32 ms 29 ms 34 ms 178.sub-69-83-157.myvzw.com 69.83.157.178]
7 50 ms 26 ms 31 ms 194.sub-69-83-157.myvzw.com[69.83.157.194]
8 56 ms 37 ms 45 ms 114.sub-69-83-144.myvzw.com 69.83.144.114]
9 52 ms 96 ms 64 ms 141.sub-66-174-24.myvzw.com[66.174.24.141]
10 108 ms 62 ms 43 ms 2-1-0.GW1.SEA10.ALTER.NET[157.130.191.37]
11 57 ms 31 ms 82 ms 0.ae6.GW9.SEA1.ALTER.NET [140.222.238.83]
12 100 ms 42 ms 126 ms 65.212.145.172
13 483 ms 480 ms 260 ms 151.101.53.164

Trace complete.

First jumnp is my desktop to the wifi hotspot.
Second jump is from hotspot to cell tower (I think).
Then the problem ...

[Epaphroditus]

How to find the geographic location of an IP addy?

[Librarian]

This might help, but it seems rather coarsely-grained - https://www.ipfingerprints.com/

Also, https://www.iplocation.net/, but they say

Although it would be nice to be able to find precise location of a visitor, it is almost impossible to find exact location of a host given its IP address. However, there are tools available to help identify approximate location of the host. ARIN Whois database provides a mechanism for finding contact and registration information for IP resources registered with ARIN.

[tuna quesadilla]

Are you talking about hops 3, 4, and 5 where it shows that the request timed out? That doesn't necessarily mean that the packets aren't getting through. Since your tracert packets got through to hops 6-13, that could just as well mean that the devices on hops 3-5 are simply not bothering to send you an ICMP time exceeded response. It's not uncommon for devices to be configured that way. In short, we don't have enough information from that single tracert to tell you what's up.

Did you contact your ISP? If so, what did they say?
Can you run a speedtest at speedtest.net and post your up/down results?
How far are you from the tower, what kind of antenna are you using, how far is your antenna's cable run, and what kind of cable exactly is feeding the antenna?

[ibanezfoo]

Run the speed test from

http://www.dslreports.com/speedtest

Gives you a bit more information as to whether its your settings or the ISP

[Fizz]

What does "poor" service mean? Slow? Can't connect? Intermittent operation?

If it's slowness, but everything works, check your data plan. Verizon may start throttling you when you're above your 'premium' data cap.

Otherwise, the problem is as you state, you're in the middle of nowhere. Any bit of congestion or interference will bring you to a halt.

[Robotron2k84]

Looks like the hop from Alternet (old UUNET) to UUNET/MCI (actually VZ) (12-13) is overloaded. Maybe they have a router down. Plus, you are being routed through Seattle's POP from VZ, further slowing your access. So, possibly sub-optimal routing due to any number of factors.

VZ has a long history of poor peering with Alternet, and there is animus in that relationship due to why and how UUNET ended up at VZ. Expect neither party to actively help you.

[Epaphroditus]

Usually my setup gets me far better performance but lately there have been intermittently massive packet loss and huge increases in latency.

This happens with either phone or mifi hotspot and with or without the antenna/amplifier so it's not anything on my end.

Verizon customer service is manned by blithering idiots so they are worse than no help.

The antenna/amp/ cable have worked fine for quite some time so no problem or changes there. Even with the rig removed from the 'loop's there is still the packet loss and latency problem so not amplifier, etc.

FWIW cell tower is 35 miles away.

I'm certain the issue is with Verizon or at least downstream of me and the cell tower - just trying to isolate exactly where so when I do get someone worthwhile at Verizon they can see the issue.

[Fizz]

Latency to where? Packet loss to where?

Every host/network on the internet is going to be different. They will all traverse different networks on the internet and be routed differently within Verizon's network. It's possible for one destination network to be completely broken and everything else optimal.

Once you leave your ISPs network, all bets are off as far as latency and loss.

You'd need to do a test that stays entirely within Verizon's network for speed and latency, testing outside that is generally invalid. However, a difference between the two can indicate peering issues as robo indicated.

Why are you doing a traceroute to nytimes.map.fastly.net?

Do a constant ping to your WAN-side default gateway 66.174.27.193 and see if you experience anything intermittent there. At the same time do a constant ping to edge of the Verizon's network for that test host 66.174.24.141


Then finally your destination host 151.101.53.164

Do all three tests at the same time in side by side windows. When you start seeing drops see if i happens to all destinations at the same time or just select ones.

[Epaphroditus]

Well, I did a set of continuous pings but the results were about the same as above.

[Fizz]

Originally Posted by Epaphroditus

Well, I did a set of continuous pings but the results were about the same as above.

You did a continuous trace, and also to a completely different host than your original trace. It also looks like you switched to a hot spot vs tethering. Traces take more time to complete and are more or less sequential, so it may skew downstream results.

Anyway, your constant trace is showing that the highest variability is between your hotspot and the WAN-side default gateway, essentially, the issue for this test was likely the RF segment of the communication path from the hotspot> tower, tower>hotspot, remember that what you measure is round trip, so a delay in sending to the destination host or receiving a response both increases the total latency.

And the loss to the destination host, you're not going to be able to do anything about that. It may not actually be loss, but extreme latency, your cutoff is 1000ms, so anything that takes longer is timed out. There might be something wrong with that specific host, or one of the intermediary routers/networks.

[bigbearbear]

Get the app called OpenSignal, it shows you direction of the nearest cell tower so you can point for directional antenna correctly.

[Robotron2k84]

Originally Posted by Epaphroditus

Usually my setup gets me far better performance but lately there have been intermittently massive packet loss and huge increases in latency.

This happens with either phone or mifi hotspot and with or without the antenna/amplifier so it's not anything on my end.

Verizon customer service is manned by blithering idiots so they are worse than no help.

The antenna/amp/ cable have worked fine for quite some time so no problem or changes there. Even with the rig removed from the 'loop's there is still the packet loss and latency problem so not amplifier, etc.

FWIW cell tower is 35 miles away.

I'm certain the issue is with Verizon or at least downstream of me and the cell tower - just trying to isolate exactly where so when I do get someone worthwhile at Verizon they can see the issue.

Are you sure you're talking to the tower you think you are?

Cell service is terrestrial microwave, and therefore line-of-sight. A 50ft tower only has a horizon of less than 9 miles on flat terrain. To get a horizon of 35 miles, you need to be pointed down-slope at 1000 ft, min, above the tower, or it has to be 1000 ft above you on a hill.

My bet is you are talking to other towers intermittently and the directional isn't doing what you think it is.

[Epaphroditus]

Correction.
The cell tower is 17 miles away and 900 feet higher than my location. Not sure how tall the actual tower is ... I suppose I could drive over there and take a look!

My antenna is about 40 feet above ground level.

Nothing has changed in my configuration for the last 2+ years. The occasional lapses have subsided for now.