**Horrible ping spikes on Optimum – tracert shows issue at first external hop, they're blaming 'heavy usage'**
looking for advice on a persistent latency issue. Multiplayer games are unplayable and often getting kicked.
Setup:
- Optimum ISP-provided modem
- TP-Link Archer AXE75 router
- Wired ethernet connection
- Stamford, CT apartment
Issue: Randomly getting unplayable ping spikes while gaming. Ran a tracert to 8.8.8.8 and the spike is clearly happening at hop 2 (first external hop after my router), showing 543ms on the first ping. Everything inside my network is fine — hop 1 (my router at 192.168.0.1) responds at <1ms consistently.
Hop 2 IP: 10.240.176.181 — this is Optimum's first node.
Also seeing occasional spikes at hop 4 (ool-4353e792.dyn.optonline.net) hitting 200ms+.
Called Optimum support and they blamed 'heavy usage' on my end and telling me to “upgrade my package”, but the spike is occurring before my traffic even reaches their network properly. Doesn't make sense. They want to send a tech but threatened a $100 charge if nothing is wrong on their end.
Has anyone dealt with this? Is this a known congestion issue on their network? Any advice on how to escalate this properly or avoid the $100 tech fee?
Attached is my most recent Tracert