Troubleshooting Slow or Dropping Connections

If your server feels slow or connections keep dropping, send us test results from both ends of the connection. When our monitoring shows nothing wrong, your data is how we find where the problem is.

What to send us

Include all of this in your ticket. Missing pieces usually mean another round trip before we can dig in.

1. Both IPs. The affected server IP (for example 203.0.113.10) and your public IP from ifconfig.me.
2. Exact times, with timezone. When the slowness or drops happened, like Oct 16, 2:10 to 2:45 PM CST. Note whether it’s constant or comes and goes.
3. MTR in both directions. From your location to the server, and from the server back to your public IP. See Run MTR.
4. A speed test from the server. See Test speed from the server.
5. Scope and local checks. Does it affect every destination or only one site, game, or office? Include what you found in Quick checks.

Run MTR

MTR (My Traceroute) shows latency and packet loss at every hop between two points, so it’s the most useful test you can send. Run at least 100 cycles.

From Windows

1. Download WinMTR and extract the .zip.
2. Open the 32-bit or 64-bit folder that matches your Windows and run WinMTR.exe.
3. Enter the server IP in the Host field with no port, then click Start.
4. After 100 sends or 5 minutes, click Stop, then Export Text and save the .txt file.

If you see “Unable to resolve hostname”, remove the :XXXX port from the Host field. No third-party tools allowed? Run pathping in Command Prompt instead:

pathping -n -q 100 <server-ip>

From Linux or macOS

Install MTR if needed (apt install mtr-tiny, dnf install mtr, or brew install mtr on macOS), then run:

mtr -rwzbc 100 <server-ip>

On macOS you may need sudo.

From the server back to you

Log in to your server and run the same test against your public IP. On a Linux server, use mtr -rwzbc 100 <your-public-ip>. On a Windows server, use WinMTR or pathping the same way.

Test speed from the server

This tells us whether the server itself can move traffic at the expected speed.

1. On a Linux server, install the Speedtest CLI (apt install speedtest-cli or Ookla’s speedtest).
2. Run speedtest-cli and copy the full output.

On a Windows server, run a test from speedtest.net in a browser on the server and send a screenshot.

Quick checks

These cause most slow-connection reports we see, and they’re quick to rule out.

• Your ISP. Run a speed test from your own computer. If it’s slow to everywhere, the issue is likely local.
• Wi-Fi. Test on a wired connection if you can. Wi-Fi interference causes jitter and loss that looks like a server problem.
• Another network. Try a phone hotspot. If the problem disappears, it’s on your ISP’s route.
• Server load. Check CPU and RAM with top or htop on Linux, or Task Manager on Windows. A maxed-out CPU makes the network feel slow.
• NIC saturation. Check whether the server’s port is already full of traffic. Use iftop or nload on Linux, or the Performance tab in Task Manager on Windows.

How to read an MTR

Each line is one hop (a router) between you and the server. The Loss% and Avg columns matter most.

• Loss at a middle hop that doesn’t continue to the end is usually harmless. Many routers rate limit replies to test traffic but forward real traffic fine. Only the final hops tell the real story.
• Loss that starts at a hop and continues to the last hop is a real problem. The first hop where it starts is usually where it’s happening.
• A big latency jump that stays high for every hop after it points to congestion or a long route at that hop. A jump on one hop only is the same rate limiting as above.
• Loss or latency at the first one or two hops is usually your own router, Wi-Fi, or ISP.

You don’t need to diagnose it yourself. Send the raw output and we’ll read it.

Open a ticket

1. Log in to the HostVenom Billing Area and open a new ticket in the Support department.
2. Select the affected service.
3. Paste the items from What to send us. Attach exported MTR .txt files and screenshots.
4. Click Submit.

Paste test output as text instead of screenshots when you can. Text lets us search and compare hops.