Regular Periods of High Latency...?

[JKowalski]

My network has recently been very laggy,
after I restaged my computer, so I decided
to try and figure it out.

I donwloaded PingPlotter and I figured out
that mostly I have a very low latency, but
every 15-20 sec, like clockwork, it has a 2-
3 second period of either high latency or
packet loss.

What could possibly be causing this? I use a
wireless network... I have found the place
where my computer is is a kind of dead spot
in my house (for reasons unexplained) so I
have a very high strength wireless to cope.
I don't see why I would be getting such a
regular period of high latency... I tested it
for a few hours, with no programs open, and
it never wavered... every 15-20 sec,
constantly, with steady, very low latency
inbetween.

I hope someone can enlighten me.

[peterb]

Welcome to Hexus!


My first guess would be interference from some electronic device that is affecting with yoiur wireless set up. If you can run a wired connection (even a temporary one) and see if it goes, that will pretty much confirm it.

If it doesn't, then it could still be something causing intereference on your phone line. If you live in the country, electric fences (which have that sort of periodicity) have been known to interfere with overhead telephone cables.

[JKowalski]

I am really doubtful of outside interference... I can't think of anything nearby that would cause it. There is also a computer close by in another room that does not have this problem, it's latency is never above 20ms.

It's definitely confined to either my computer's particular wireless connection to the router, or my computer itself. Do you have any idea what kind of software might do this to me?

As I said, I have just restaged my computer, and immediately after I installed all the programs that I needed to use (quite a package), pretty much all from CD and a couple from high-profile websites (Apple, Web browsers, etc.). So I really don't think its any kind of virus or malware or anything.

I have McAfee, might this be causing it somehow?

Is there any way to check what processes access the internet?

[Jay]

are you using wireless or wired?

sorry... you have said!

I would say it could be Cordless telephones.

[JKowalski]

Okay, I seem to have figured it out. mwlsvc.exe was causing it, part of my McAfee security center. I looked it up, figured out what settings in McAfee ran it and I disabled it.

Thanks for the help.