Nightly latency issues

Every night at 5pm MNT time instances become unplayable, the game stutters, jumps, or just plain disconnects. There's 13 pages of posts from users in the latency sticky from Comcast users reporting this SAME issue.

What is SE doing about this? We're considering quitting the game because we just can't play at night. I've reported the issues to Comcast, shared my traceroutes, and even linked them to this thread proving it's mostly Comcast users with the issue and all Comcast does is ask me to buy a new cable bundle.

Square Enix; it's been over a month since your own CM folks posted asking for feedback about the latency issues. How are you fixing it and what is the time frame? Your game doesn't work at nights for Comcast users.

If it's an issue with Comcast, maybe only they can fix it. Sucks that ISPs only care about selling you more shit instead of listening to your problem and trying to find a solution.

Wonder if SE could contact them to work on it together

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Originally Posted by ZenithanGunn

What is SE doing about this?

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I don't want to sound rude, but there isn't really anything SE can reasonably do. The problem is with how your Internet connection is routed to their servers and SE don't have any control over that, only your Internet provider does. For whatever reason (probably money?) Comcast routes your connection via Level3 and that's where your issues are.

SE started the latency thread asking for feedback, but that's not so much an admission of a problem at their end, but to show they are trying to help pass this onto the ISPs and I suspect to also subtly demonstrate that it's specific ISPs that have a problem and doesn't affect the majority of players (i.e. the problem is not SE's end)

Unless Square Enix gets their own Internet connection through Comcast they're unlikely to be their customer/giving them any money at all so Comcast isn't going to change anything just because SE ask them to. Sure SE could probably throw money at them and maybe they'd change their routing, but I can't think SE wants to do that, it's really not their problem/fault, especially as it potentially means other ISPs might start also messing up the routing so SE would have to pay them off too (it's possible that could happen!).

Unfortunately your only options are really to keep badgering Comcast, move to a different provider if possible, or get a VPN service that will then change your routes/avoid Level3.

Let's start by pointing out that I work as a System Admin for a nation wide technology firm.

Comcast routes FF14 traffic as P2P through Canada where packets are dropped. It's widely known, there's 13 page sticky post it. The issue is Comcast and routing the FF14 traffic. Obviously customers are not being taken seriously enough to get through to Comcast. The only agency that can do anything now is Square Enix, their corporate representatives need to contact Comcast. That's how this will get fixed, one vendor talking to another. No amount of user reports and traceroutes from users is going to help. You can see from dozens of posts that users have opened tickets with Comcast, provided proof, etc. None of it helps.

Only SE can fix this now by opening a dialog with Comcast, the same way I would open a ticket with Verizon if one of my VPN circuits were not routing corporate traffic correctly.

I'm comcast, I had no problems until 3.2 patch. For like 3-4 weeks. It runs fine for me now.

Most of my static had such bad lag issues we couldn't clear A1S, which we have on farm, for an hour. That took up over half our raiding time. The latency finally eased around 7:40 server time and we were able to clear, and got A2S knocked out in less than half the time.

This is frustrating. The lag issues are making this game unplayable. People are looking at unsubbing because they have zero issues playing any other game, it's just this one in the evenings.

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Originally Posted by ZenithanGunn

Let's start by pointing out that I work as a System Admin for a nation wide technology firm.

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That's nice, but...

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Originally Posted by ZenithanGunn

Only SE can fix this now by opening a dialog with Comcast, the same way I would open a ticket with Verizon if one of my VPN circuits were not routing corporate traffic correctly.

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You clearly understand where the packet loss is, so why are you trying to get one company to fix the problem of the other? As much as Comcast need to change their routing, do you really expect them to just because Square Enix ask? I know I sure as heck wouldn't...

If SE had services/agreements with Comcast then maybe they would have some clout, but we have no evidence they do (and based on their current servers in Canada, it seems likely they have nothing at all to do with Comcast). So the only way SE could possibly influence Comcast is by giving them money (possibly a lot and probably ongoing). Even if they were to do this, where is this money coming from? Player subscriptions?

Should SE have to pay money to Comcast to change their routing for a small percentage of unfortunate players or use that same money for development/hardware that could benefit all players?

What happens if another ISP has a similar routing "issue"? Should SE spend more money there to pay them too?

I do feel bad for the players who have problems and I know I take my own connection for granted (from another country no less!), but we have to blame the right people here and be reasonable with what SE can actually achieve.

TWC and Rogers Cable, Bell Canada... these are all ISPs with the exact same issue. All you people blaming ISPs are neglecting to shed some light as to why any/every other internet service works fine except for FF and SE's servers.

If its a routing issue, why is it only one service out of hundreds that is being a true problem?

I don't think you're very reasonable, world. If SE is having this many issues, it likely may help if they consider making a deal with a different ISP.

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Originally Posted by Iluvwrenches

If its a routing issue, why is it only one service out of hundreds that is being a true problem?

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Because everywhere on the Internet isn't located in the same physical place.

I'm not familiar with the ISPs you quoted, but it sounds like, for whatever reason, they are also choosing to use Level 3 to route the traffic from the customer to the SE servers. It's when the traffic goes through Level 3 then it has a problem.

Just to clarify, Level 3 isn't the ISP that Square Enix use, it's just a "road" in the the route that the Internet provider is choosing to use.

SE Fanboys, SE has the corporate power to motivate Comcast to care enough to fix it. That's why I say only SE can help at this point, it's impacting their customers.

Mine is getting worse nightly. I've talked to Comcast a few times - absolutely no problems with anything else for me. My speed is very fast, remains fast during these lag spikes, but the game has become unplayable from about 7 to 11pm, ET.

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Originally Posted by Ceridwen

Mine is getting worse nightly. I've talked to Comcast a few times - absolutely no problems with anything else for me. My speed is very fast, remains fast during these lag spikes, but the game has become unplayable from about 7 to 11pm, ET.

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Have you posted in the sticky thread at the top of Technical Support? Players are posting about this problem all over the forum, US idiots are posting in the EU thread rather then in the correct place. Square does not realize how many players this is actually impacting. If you haven't already, post in this thread.

EDIT: Nevermind, saw you have already posted there! :)

Same issue, and its driving me crazy. I love this game, but it becomes practically unplayable for me for hours at a time, with lag so bad i could be standing in one spot or waiting for a crafting step to complete for 30 seconds before i finally move or have the step complete.

It is becoming completely unplayable.

What is this level 3 that you are talking about Scott?

I was fine for almost 2 years. then all of a sudden the game became unplayable. SE needs to stop making excuses. If every other service I use has no issues, you can't blame an ISP for that. I've heard of people on FiOS in Montreal with the same issue as people on cable. Nothing changed with my ISP that suddenly caused this issue.

Absolutely horrible tonight. Went into VA, the whole first fight was a frozen screen. Died on the second boss fight due to being frozen. Cannot even log back in now.

The game is quickly becoming totally unplayable.

Tonight is the first night that I've decided I didn't feel like dealing with the lag. :( I would agree that the game is becoming entirely unplayable during the problem hours at this point. Gathering is about the only semi-reliable activity, and even then the ping spikes are ridiculous and really take all the enjoyment out of playing. I really hope that we hear some sort of response soon, or an update on the sticky thread at least.

Huge effin' lag and D/C tonight. Think I'll try some Blade and Soul til a mod responds or the hamster recovers.

For most of January the lag was noticeable for me, but I could deal with it. This past weekend and the last were all but unplayable in the evening, though, and now I'm frequently getting 90002 errors between 7pm and 9pm CST (already posted in the sticky). Makes it not even worth logging in.

EDIT: I just got 9k'd again, completely impossible for me to finish a dungeon at this rate.

WTB New Servers

I found tonight the same issues, ran a WinMTR trace (think a Ping that goes continuously until you stop it manually). The main issue was not ping, that never went over an average of 50-60. The problem was double digit % of packet loss on the last 3 IP addresses after The final Level 3 node in Montreal. So imo, the issue is their CSP and perhaps Level 3. I had latency psikes of up to the mid 200's with averages in the 50s and 60s on the Level 3 nodes between me and SE. The problem is Level 3 is my last 4 hops. Then I get packet loss when I hit the CSP at Hyperion's portal. Not my problem or that of my ISP.

I came back about a month ago and have been having this problem. I haven't bothered to post in any of the stickied threads because it seems pointless, there's no response from square to any of it, all of the traceroutes show where the problem is and on multiple ISPs. I keep hearing about how ISPs are treating FF14s connection, I don't know a whole lot about the issue but it sounds like SE needs to talk to some people about that.

I'll say that about a week ago after getting really close to just uninstalling the game and being done with it, I tried out the recommended WTFast vpn thing and I am able to play again which is great because I really do enjoy the game. I don't know a whole lot about WTFast or how it works exactly but if you're on PC I'd suggest looking into it, or something similar.

And to the people who keep saying "it's just a small amount of players, who cares" wait until you're on that list of players who literally can't play the game they're paying for. I've only played a few months total, I can't imagine how I'd feel if this happened to me after playing the game for years.

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Originally Posted by LionFranco

What is this level 3 that you are talking about Scott?

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If you do a traceroute to the SE server when you're having a problem you'll likely find that on route to the SE server you're going through one or more nodes that are owned by level3.net and at that point your connection falls apart and the ping increases and possibly packet loss as well (before it gets to SE).

This is also a problem on Tonberry. 7/10 people i know are having the same problem lots of statics are also complaining. Servers have not been reset in a lonnng time now...
This is across Various ISP's in Australia for Tonberry, as well as a few friends in Malaysia, Phillipines, Singapore, and USA, all starting at the same time (3-4 weeks ago) makes it near impossible to do any runs half the time.

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Originally Posted by worldofneil

If you do a traceroute to the SE server when you're having a problem you'll likely find that on route to the SE server you're going through one or more nodes that are owned by level3.net and at that point your connection falls apart and the ping increases and possibly packet loss as well (before it gets to SE).

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How do i do the traceroute? i saw the instructions posted in the other topic, but i have no clue exactly how to do it. i cant even figure out the command, and it is different in Win10?

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Originally Posted by LionFranco

How do i do the traceroute? i saw the instructions posted in the other topic, but i have no clue exactly how to do it. i cant even figure out the command, and it is different in Win10?

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I would suggest using this. http://winmtr.net. first it is brain dead easy, just type IP address in the box and hit run. Next it will run until you stop it. A simple trace route can be deceptive because on highly congested nodes such a long can either be ignored or given a lower priority. Since WinMTR runs until you stop it, providing max and average pings as well as % loss it gives you a much more accurate picture.

PS4 user here. WTF and pingzapper not an option. I am literally three miles away from being able to change my ISP. It's Comcast or bust unfortunately.

Here's the thing... At this point, I don't care who's at fault. SE, Comcast, Level 3, the Illuminati, Lizard Men, whatever. The lag is real and because of it occurring without fail every time I generally play (M-F 7-10est... raid times), I no longer enjoy this game. Since I'm not a driveling idiot and have been conditioned since birth to put down the searing hot rock when it burns me, I don't think I'll be playing this GAME any longer. A "game" which is no longer fun and has now graduated to "chore" because of these issues.

Yeah.. I've invested almost two years into this. But there's more fish in the sea. Dark Souls 3 coming up. Tons of neglected titles due to this journey. Why the hell would I continue log in and put myself thru this nonsense?

Again... nothing personal to SE. I'm sure they understand. I know none of their employees would want to play this game under these conditions. It's not fun. And therefore, can't really be considered a game.

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Originally Posted by Mercutial

Here's the thing... At this point, I don't care who's at fault. SE, Comcast, Level 3, the Illuminati, Lizard Men, whatever. The lag /snip.

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The only thing I would say is the following. This is par for the course with every game I have every played that has Level 3 nodes. RIFT, GW2, EQ2, WoW, the only game I don't have the issue is SWTOR but that is because I am close enough to the servers my route never needs to hop onto Level 3.

This was not the issue the reason that made me consider VPNs. I considered it because in all of these other games I had these same issues because of Level3 off and on throughout my time there. In essence my choices were "stop playing online games because Level3 could give a dang about consumers, as they only peer and have corporate clients" or "I can take the stop I can to fix the issue."

No... I get it, but again "PS4 user".

This isn't a "Peace Out and Thanks for all the Fish" kinda post. It's just me being extremely honest with myself and knowing when to cut bait and head in to shore. I'm not being sarcastic when I say that I think SE would understand. I feel bad that they're taking so much crap when I truly believe it is out of their hands. Still... my loyalty to their product only goes so far. And I think I've reached the tipping point. What a shame.

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Originally Posted by Mercutial

No... I get it, but again "PS4 user".

This isn't a "Peace Out and Thanks for all the Fish" kinda post. It's just me being extremely honest with myself and knowing when to cut bait and head in to shore. I'm not being sarcastic when I say that I think SE would understand. I feel bad that they're taking so much crap when I truly believe it is out of their hands. Still... my loyalty to their product only goes so far. And I think I've reached the tipping point. What a shame.

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I understand you are a PS4 user. All I am saying is that, regardless of platform, if you primarily play server based co-op/MMOs then this is NOT the only time Level3 is gonna bite ya in the butt because whether you are a PS4 user or not, on "long hauls" to the server, in NA at least, you will be hopping on Level3's back bone. If you don't play a lot of online games though, then yeah I can see it as not being part of a decision making process.

Sorry... I read ya now. Yeah, this is the only primarily online game I play. Most others just have "online features" but nothing that Level3 could truly game break. I'll ride it out a few more weeks, but I gotta draw the line somewhere. To not do so would be insane.

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Originally Posted by Mercutial

Sorry... I read ya now. Yeah, this is the only primarily online game I play. Most others just have "online features" but nothing that Level3 could truly game break. I'll ride it out a few more weeks, but I gotta draw the line somewhere. To not do so would be insane.

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No worries and I get your point as well. Thing is beware... I think Sony has a bit in store for the PS4 based on this from Sony's Shuhei Yoshida

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"The main pillar for the PS4 will be online play. We're developing many new ways to play and connect which requires a large investment of resources," Yoshida said.

"Considering the cost, to try to keep such a service free and consequently lower the quality would be absurd. We decided that if that's the case, then it would be better to receive proper payment and continue to offer a good service."

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So I would expect that your connection and thus the impact of Level3 to grow in meaning.