Randomly Dropping Traffic - Bad Tech Support - Should I Switch ISP?

[very_annoyed]

Summary

I replaced the Verizon router with a Cisco router that support being an IPSec VPN Tunnel end-point. I switched from the coax to the Ethernet port on the ONT as the router doesn't have a coax port. Next I configured the IPSec Tunnel on the router, and I was a happy camper because I now have access to the company LAN.

[Fast forward a week.]

Phone calls started sounding choppy so I investigated. It now seems like there is a ~15% packet loss for VPN traffic. How did that happen? I spent 2 full days triaging the issue ... I'll spare the details ... and I narrowed down the packet drops to somewhere between the local Verizon ONT and the remote site modem.

As a test, I temporarily switch my Internet connection to my handy iPhone 4 hotspot (thanks AT&T  )

To my surprise ... no packet loss. So that narrows it down to the ONT and the Verizon network. So I contacted tech support and wasted almost an hour with someone who was absolutely no help. To top it off, he tried to sell me on some Expert Care package -- apparently he himself is neither an expert nor does he care -- for me to get my service issues resolved.

Now the question for me is, should I continue struggling with this subpar support service, or should I switch to another more helpful ISP?

[very_annoyed · Accepted solution]

Physical Connections:
PC----[Router A]--(Ethernet Port)[ONT]===={{{{Verizon Cloud}}}}==={{{{Time Warner Cloud}}}}====[Modem]----[Router B]

The central VPN point is Router B.

Router A is a remote VPN client. Alternatively, if VPN is disabled on the router, the PC behind Router A can also connect with a software VPN client.

No.

The configuration is fine.

The IPSec tunnel gets established.

The VPN has worked fine for two weeks.

Starting yesterday, random IPSec encapsulated packets from Router A to Router B are getting dropped.

~30% packet loss.

This happens with either the PC or Router A as VPN client.

(Please note that Router A is not the Verizon supplied Router.)

Also, pings from Router A to Router B outside the VPN tunnel have 100% success rate.

I narrowed down the packet drop to somewhere from the ONT to maybe the Verizon clould (packet filtering or inspection?).

Can you reload the ONT?

Thanks.

Will do.

Done.

There only is a 3rd party router.

There is no Verizon supplied router.

PC----[Cisco UC520 Router]====[ONT]