Skype has an unstable connection

[Somied]

Thank you. I already tested with the UPnP off, and that didn't work. We're both wireless (them by laptop wireless card, myself by a USB wireless dongle), I have 4.93 Mbps download/3.33 Mbps upload on speedtest.net, and the other side has 5.39 Mbps download/0.39 Mbps upload.

[Neil]

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Somied wrote:

We're both wireless (them by laptop wireless card, myself by a USB wireless dongle), I have 4.93 Mbps download/3.33 Mbps upload on speedtest.net, and the other side has 5.39 Mbps download/0.39 Mbps upload.

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I was going to ask you to run the test at speedtest.net

it would also be good to run the test at pingtest.net, since it was designed to rate the quality of your internet connection for VoIP -- you can let the host site for the test be chosen automatically (the host will likely be nearby), or you can choose a host that is closer to the location where you are trying to connect with Skype

I know you indicated that drivers were up to date -- can you confirm that this applies to the drivers for your wireless adapter?

it is also possible that your computer is competing with another computer for the use of a particular wireless channel -- to check this you need to be able to determine what wireless channels are being used nearby

a very useful/free tool for this purpose can be found at nirsoft.net and is called WirelessNetView -- here is the link:

nirsoft.net/utils/wireless_network_view.html  (you'll have to manually re-insert http://www. in front to re-create the complete URL)

one of the nice things about most of the tools you'll find on this site is that they don't require 'installation' (just put the tool in a folder of your choice and run it)

if you fiind that the channel you are using is being used nearby, it shoud be possible for you to force the use of another on your side -- details on how to do this will vary by wireless adapter

[Somied]

As far as I'm aware, the drivers for the wireless are up to date. I ran a pingtest to Atlanta, GA and got 201 ms ping and 66 ms jitter, with 0% packet loss. I appear to be on a wireless channel myself, with no other computers sharing.

[Neil]

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Somied wrote:

As far as I'm aware, the drivers for the wireless are up to date. I ran a pingtest to Atlanta, GA and got 201 ms ping and 66 ms jitter, with 0% packet loss. I appear to be on a wireless channel myself, with no other computers sharing.

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my ping times from Vancouver, B.C., Canada to Georgia are around 100 ms, and jitter is in the order of 3 ms, with 0% packet loss, and that only qualifies as B grade

http://www.pingtest.net/result/65576012.png

I have 100Mbps download and 3Mbps upload on cable service

regarding whether a wireless channel is being shared, unless Windows sees NO other SSIDs, I don't think it is possible in Windows to know whether a wireless channel is being shared by a nearby access point or not -- that is why you need to use a tool like WirelessNetView (there are other similar tools around, I only offer the name of one that I find useful)

[Somied]

I used the tool and this network is the only one on its channel. No other computer in the house uses the wireless. As for the ping/jitter... it baffles me, but I can't make any comments on it because I have no idea what they were prior to the call drops.

[Neil]

I'm not pointing any fingers yet, just gathering info so far, but having said this, I think the pingtest results are significant

[Somied]

Alright. Is there any other information you need from me that I might have forgotten?

[Neil]

is there any way that you could test with wired connection to your router, rather than wirelessly?

is the router a combined dsl modem/router or is there a separate dsl modem?

[Somied]

I can't test a wired connection, no. We're on cable so our modem and router are separate.

[Neil]

that's too bad, because if it were possible to bypass your router we could totally focus elsewhere

all we know at the moment is that your connection to the internet seems to be less than optimal for VoIP

it would also be nice to test an earlier build, one that we know was around before you noticed issues

what personal firewall are you using, and what anti-malware please?