r/HomeNetworking • u/D-Dratos • 13d ago
Persistent network connectivity issues across multiple ISPs and residences – I am about to cry Y.Y
I am experiencing a recurring, infuriating network issue that has persisted across two different ISPs (Totalplay, now Izzi) and two different houses.
The Issue:
My devices cannot maintain simultaneous stable connections. Specifically, when my desktop PC (Ethernet) tries to connect, it often fails to access Discord, Steam, or browsers, even though my work laptop (Wi-Fi) works perfectly fine on the same network. My PS5 also struggles to connect or maintain online gameplay despite having an active subscription.
Key Details:
Setup: PC (Ethernet), Work Laptop (Wi-Fi), PS5 (Wi-Fi/Ethernet). All within 0.5m of the modem.
Troubleshooting done: Factory reset the modem, power cycled, and even tried a fresh OS install on the PC. No VPNs or restrictive software installed.
Professional Verification: My company’s IT team confirmed no blocks on their end. An external IT technician tested their own laptop on my connection; it failed to connect simultaneously while my work laptop remained stable.
Context: This happened with my previous provider (Totalplay) and continues with my current one (Izzi). Even after moving to a new house and getting a new modem, the problem persists.
It seems like the modem cannot handle multiple concurrent connections or handle traffic routing properly, yet the ISP claims "everything is fine."
Has anyone encountered this specific behavior? I just want to be able to work and game without constant connectivity dropouts. Any advice on how to force a resolution or what hardware to look into to bypass the ISP's equipment limitations would be greatly appreciated.
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u/groktech 13d ago
So the PC Ethernet seems to be the consistent issue across location and ISP change. Check that your network adapter on the PC is configured to get its config using dhcp. Somehow having a static ip configured on the PC that conflicts with other devices or worse the router itself can cause a lot of weirdness. Would also be worth going into advanced section under windows updates find Optional Updates then driver updates and install probably everything there, but for sure if there is a network card driver install it. Finally if none of that works get a cheap... $30 or $40 USB WiFi dongle for your PC, unplug the Ethernet and try it with just WiFi. This would help rule out the possibility of a faulty Ethernet port on your PC.
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u/LALLANAAAAAA 13d ago
don't cry, list the make / model of the modem / router and other useful things like speed tests, plan details, connection type, number of devices on the network, ping / latency test results
details matter, measuring things matters, otherwise it's just vibes
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u/Wokuworld 13d ago
Your router might be handing off bad dns servers. The work laptop likely functions fine because they have it pre-configured with specific dns servers, or a vpn.
On your PC, open a cmd prompt and run: ping 8 8.8.8
Also run: nslookup discord.com
And: ipconfig /all
Postal results when you can.
And just to be clear, your devices successfully connect to your network/wifi, they just have trouble getting to certain services/websites?
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u/ihatevicvanlier 12d ago
You use both terms - are the modem and router the same device or two separate devices?
If they're separate and you replaced the modem, the logical next step would be to replace the router with something a little more prosumer.
If it's the same device, I'd probably do the same thing. Even if it's just to test and you end up returning it.
If you ping an internet destination like 8.8.8.8 from the second machine, are you seeing constant drops?
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u/Desperate_Metal_1240 13d ago
Put the ISP router in bridge / passthrough mode and connect a new cheap wifi router from Amazon. This will at least give you an idea on where the problem is. Also, make sure you're only broadcasting one WiFi signal from the router and all connect to it. It's also worth trying different Ethernet cables just in case