Request SE’s Response on Latency and 90k

[timwind]

Recently the Latency and 90k (DC) have become unbearable. This is especially true on busy days such as Mondays.
In general, the issue can be divided into 2 categories:
1. Program Error (as per SE official message) that causes Instance Server Crash
2. The internet connection between SE’s server and players’ client
For #1, we would to know what SE’s response on causes and its plan to address the issue.
For #2, SE mentioned that it is possible to due to P2P throttling. Based on my and many players’ observations, the problem is not necessarily related to ISPs. In fact, the latency is caused by packet lost at the internet hub directly linked to SE’s data center (e.g. Level3 Montreal). We would like to know if SE’s investigation or research has concluded. If yes, what is the outcome?
Thanks

[Lurkios]

For #2, I'm going to venture a guess that the problem is not SEs as services like Battleping that are capable of routing players around problematic equipment such as that Level3 router seem to work for just about everyone who tries them (myself included.)

And where are you getting that the Level3 router is directly linked to SE's data center?

[timwind]

If you are from NA, you do not need additional services such as Battleping and WTFast, etc. For example, my ping to Malboro server is about 28ms during normal time. Of course, those additional services may help you get around the problem route.

I am not saying the problem is SE's. I ask SE if they aware the root cause and if they have plan to address the issue as it is their data packets received special treatment during peak time. Do you think we can call Level3?

To find out route from your computer to SE server, you can simple use tracert in command prompt or other utilities such as pingplotter.

[Raist]

Props/Likes for trying... but don't be surprised if it takes forever and a day to get any response from SE in here, as this is not a support line to them. It is intended for users to assist other users--mods may link to FAQ's and such, but they really don't respond much in here by design:
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...pport-Forum%21

About the only time a thread like this has gotten much attention is when we manage to keep bumping it with a lot of replies and likes. If it doesn't stay on the front page enough to grab someone's attention here, you may have better luck in one one of the other forums... maybe general or feedback, possibly even bug report?

Could give the portal a shot as well, to send feedback about your concerns that way. Who knows... if they get harassed enough through the portal, they may even bring it up in a Live Letter. There was something somewhere about submitting questions for the next Live Letter... don't know if that is still available or not though.

[Lurkios]

If you are from NA, you do not need additional services such as Battleping and WTFast, etc. For example, my ping to Malboro server is about 28ms during normal time. Of course, those additional services may help you get around the problem route.

Those two statements are mutually exclusive. Please pick one of them.

As a separate aside, the issue with the Level3 router is loss, not latency. Ping is irrelevant.

I am not saying the problem is SE's. I ask SE if they aware the root cause and if they have plan to address the issue as it is their data packets received special treatment during peak time. Do you think we can call Level3?

Do you think SE can?

To find out route from your computer to SE server, you can simple use tracert in command prompt or other utilities such as pingplotter.

O...K?

[timwind]

I understand the stuff here is very technical. I try to explain if I can. Basically, there are 3 parties involved here: SE’s ISP, Internet backbone provider such as Level 3 and your ISP (Comcast in my case).
SE just acknowledged this morning about the Instance Server (or Duty Finer) issue due to high volume. Now we can focus on Latency Issue (i.e. lagging). SE also acknowledged that there is possible P2P throttling:
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...P2P-throttling

My point is that the throttling is necessary caused by ISP provider such as Comcast. It is also possible caused by backbone provider such as Level 3.

Netflix recently agreed to pay Comcast to avoid throttling. Am I suggesting SE to pay ISPs? No. There is alternate way called CDN (Content Delivery Network). CDNs pay ISPs to receive better treatment of their
data packages. As you are using Battleping, you can consider Battleping is kind of CDN (although Battleping may use VPN technology).

I recommend SE to do the following:

- Work with ISPs and/or backbone providers so that their data package is not classified as P2P (Peer-To-Peer sharing).
- Consider to use some kind of CDN to deliver the game content. Of course, there is cost involved. But this is SE’s best interest.

BTW: Some games operator have stated that using Battleping is against ToS and maybe bannable.