Are you on ethernet or wireless?

Ethernet.

Do you have these same spikes while playing other games?

check to make sure there aren't any update services running on a schedule, once had a problem where a cisco software would update at times and my ping would spike.

I don't really play other online games but it does take a while to login while on Osu so I'm assuming it's not a tf2 issue. I've tried playing without cfgs and the spikes were still happening.

edit: how would I check that?

Reset your modem if your ISP did not already tell you to

I've reset everything like 30 times :v

we're going to need more info to help

try using ping plotter while playing and look at the hops when you get a spike

Just ran a pingplot:

http://puu.sh/46UzF.png

I've done tracerts on other computers on this network and it makes me want to believe that the problem somehow lies within my computer as the pings seemed fine.

Possible you've got malware that your current defenses didn't catch.

I blanked this HDD a week ago to fix a multitude of issues when this problem was happening. It's still happening.

Go to speedtest.net, works great for testing your speed i live in california and for about 2-3 weeks now ive been getting ping spikes aswell internet going out alot, its not just me though and its not my computer/server im on its my internet 1 sec it'll be 20 mega bite s then 1 mega bite and i lag like shit, and its totally random, fucking sucks D:

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2117746

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?p=25088430#post25088430

Edit: what are dates?

Those posts are almost two years old.

Are you behind a router or is it an modem + router combo?

I'm on a router but I also have a router/modem combo that I tried and it was still spiking.

Can you keep the pingplot running until you get a spike ?

edit : preferably by pinging the tf2 server you're on

look just check if it lags on another computer. (use a game cause you need to upload when testing)

if it doesn't then fresh windows install, if that doesn't fix it get a new network card.

if it lags on all computers then unplug your router and use wired to modem.
(optional step, if you enjoy wasting your time) if it still lags call your ISP and they will check your signal strength and replace your modem. they will also lie about 'upgrading their network', do not under any circumstance believe them.
if it still lags get a new ISP.

the end.

The severity of the spikes fluctuate throughout the day which is kind of leading me to believe it's a network issue. I just blanked this HDD and my network card checks out. I've already tested with two different routers/modems. Talked to my isp and everything else along the network and still haven't gotten any response. Live in the middle of buttfuck nowhere so really there's only one ISP that services me

so basically i'm fucked

i have vorizon and i am having the same issue it happens randomly i got from 20 ping to 300 to 80 to 20 etc it jsut happens randomly

We have entirely different isps but try running a tracert and look for any domains owned by qwest.net or savvis.net, if they're lagging then it's confirmed as their issue

edit: I've also noticed that I pretty much only lag while actually playing tf2; if i'm like spectating someone my ping doesn't get too out of hand

edit2: this is what my net graph looks like when I lag:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=171599456

edit500million: I've actually had a problem like this for a while; my connection would time out on random sites, i guess this is just what happens when my connection times out on a site along my traceroutes. I think it's a hardware issue but I can't find out what could possibly cause it

bump, this shit is still happening, this is fucking ridiculous

When i run a pingplot I get 100% packet loss on the 2nd line. I have the same problem as you constant weird ping spikes throughout the day with or without other people using the internet.

http://i.imgur.com/fnonUZp.png

I was spectating a tf2mix game and it still has ping spikes

I just validated my cache a few days ago and I thought that fixed the error but it looks like it's back. :(

if it is your internet connection:
http://www.dslreports.com/forums/all

register a name, find your ISP and make a post with this relevant information. highly traind tech employees of your ISP work on these forums and might be able to assist you further.

i was having internet troubles (CONSTANT, intermittent internet drops) and made a post here. a tech for my ISP asked for my IP, and within 24 hours i had 3 techs at my house working from the outside/in replacing and tweaking things, and also got 3+ months free of service for my troubles. this was of course after 3 months of 10+ different techs coming to my house and literally doing nothing.

worth a shot - good luck!

kind of sucks that I have such an obscure ISP, navigating through this web of...webpages is really difficult.

related question - Can anyone explain how to read net_graph? I looked at
https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/TF2_Network_Graph
but I'm kind of dumb and I don't understand.

Chances are it's probably your ISP but send me an email or msg and I'll see what I can do for you.