Error [2002] the lobby server connection has encountered an error

[Tashim]

I'm also suffering from this problem as well (DFW area/fios), but I'm 99% certain that its a routing problem with the Aether and Primal datacenters. I can connect to the chaos datacenter, which is in the same subnet/facility without any trouble. But, when attempting to connect to Aether (199.91.189.74), The connections starts up fine, does the little tcp handshake, but then the server (199.91.189.74) starts sending me tcp packets with the wrong seq. number, even though I have no packetloss with pings or traceroutes. now, the traceroute doesn't look that great, some issues with verizon to level3, and from level3 to SquareEnix, but those look identical to the chaos datacenter, where I have no problems.

I have been able to still get into the game using a vpn service, (WTFast, or private internet access, or any vpn that gets you around the dfw level3 router.

[lonestarfox]

I'm having the same issues with ffxiv and youtube

[OfficerCrunk]

Yeah, I just started playing and live in Irving, TX. Verizon FiOS and having the same issue as everyone else.

[lonestarfox]

bump message

[Tashim]

A little more detail on this...
The client fails to receive the character/world list from the datacenter server the moment it attempts to send a packet that gets fragmented.
The first 6 packets are queries and responses to pings, from your game to the server.
The next 17 packets all work fine, and the tcp connections gets established.
However, the 24th packet, is one that gets sent from the server to you, and is the first one that is large enough to be split into two packets.
The first of which, is given the maximum size (1460 bytes) to fit within the standard MTU of 1500. The second one has the rest of the data (796 bytes).
From FIOS in the DFW area, the first packet in that set fails to arrive, and doesn't get retransmitted (or does, but also fails to make its way to the game client)
This happens again, as the 27th packet is split (1460 bytes and 844 bytes), and again, the first one fails to arrive.
Shortly after this, the game client spits out the 2002 error.

The problem with this type of issue, is its uni-directional nature. The packet isn't making its way from the server, to the game client, so traceroutes to the datacenter, while they may show other issues (like with level3 routers), they don't have any real significance with the constant inability to get character/world data from primal and aether.

The only way to really determine which router is failing, is to run a traceroute from the datacenter, to the verizon fios routers in DFW, and then test each hop with a large-value ping that wont fragment. (on windows, this is done with ping 152.63.100.69 -l 1460 -f).

I suspect that one of the last hops in there will reject the large size packet with a 'Packet needs to be fragmented but DF set' error. As this is likely a different route than fios customers take to reach the datacenter IPs, its something that SquareEnix needs to troubleshoot.

And by troubleshoot, I mean, its almost certainly not a problem that SquareEnix can fix, but they are in the best position to quickly identify where the packet drops out, so that whoever does manage that part of the network (Verizon/Level3) can be engaged to fix it.

[Tashim]

update: looks like it was a the dallas3 level3 routers, not playing nice with icmp.
We should be good to go now *crosses fingers*

If not, this type of issue can sometimes be worked around by lowering the mtu on your system. It'll be less efficient, but it will also force the packets to be smaller.
On windows, this is done with something like:

netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface "Local Area Connection 1" mtu=1300 store=persistent

This would make the packets split at 1260 instead of 1460 bytes, but it really shouldn't be necessary. 1460 byte packets should work fine.

[Tashim]

Looks like I may have been a little too hasty. seems like traffic for Aether is routing a little differently, and will function, but I wasn't able to connect to Primal successfully.

While you can use a vpn, Fios customers already have an fantastic network, and you shouldn't have to pay a 3rd party for better routing. If you're still having trouble, I recommend using the reduced MTU trick that I posted above until the packet routing gets fixed. (You may need to edit the connection name, if you're not using "Local Area Connection 1". You can get the correct name from the output of ipconfig /all)

[MayhemProtocol]

Same issue here... DFW, TX and Fios ISP. As of Feb. 26th 2014, the Error 2002 still persists.

[DurtiMonkeyToe]

Dallas, TX Fios user here. I am still not able to log in this morning. I will try some of your tricks tonight Tashim.

[Leatherby]

Tashim...You are amazing! MTU trick worked like a charm. I hadn't been able to log in for days. Changed those setting and got on with no issues. Many brownie points to you, good sir!