Serious Performance Issues (latency/server response time)

[Raist]

Thanks for the replies.

As to it not being server-side and it being with our connection, I'm afraid to report that this isn't an issue isolated to me or even 2 or 3 or 5 people. This is an issue spread across literally everyone I've ever raided with. This is through 100mbps connections, through using Battleping or WTFast or even through VPNing to locations close to the data center. This is an issue with FFXIV and not with our machines or our connections. For example, here are my stats:

i5 2500K CPU
GTX980 4GB GPU
8GB RipJaws DDR3 RAM
Intel SSD
100mbps down / ~20mbps up

This is an issue with the game and with the servers or the way the game handles collision detection/positioning. I can even make a video if you want of me running directly through the balls on AS4 to have them not explode. I've even done this on AS3 where I've accidentally side-stepped through the little ball that comes out in the last phase only to have it not explode (thankfully in this case).

All I can say is that were I to fire up a game like WoW (I don't play WoW anymore because I find it boring and old), the responsiveness of the game is extremely crisp and exact. Things are far more fluid and synchronized there. I have no idea why this is but it is.

Also HI E'P'!

VPN'ing to the tunnel nearest the endpoint has been shown to not always improve things...the reason being you may still be hitting the congested networks in the same area you hit without the VPN. I myself have found more stable connections going through the midwest then back over (I'm on the East Coast). I've even seen one VPN that reported it's geolocation as Hungary respond more consistently than one to Montreal (though it was notably slower, but it didn't spike all over the place). I recently demonstrated this with my TunnelBear account on these forums.

It all depends on where your particular problems stem from. If there are issues with local segments--you can still have the same issues with a VPN, because even though you are now encrypted you are still physically on the same medium. If those problems are because of too many people physically on the line--bypassing the shaping filters with encryption is going to have a minimal impact. If the problem is in/around Level3's over-utilized exchange points for Montreal out of the North East, and the VPN is still going through those same exchanges---you will still have the same problems. BUT...if you are able to switch it up and get on to Cogent, TATA, TiNet/GTT...then things might improve. (Those URL's are links to their network maps...notice how they service the same regions? It means ISP's often have options on who they peer with.)

And that is why you see it happen to large groups at once...they are getting shunted through the same congested corridors. Ormuco currently lists peering with 5 major ISP's:


AS701 Verizon Business/UUnet
AS3356 Level 3 Communications, Inc.
AS3257 Tinet SpA
AS6453 TATA COMMUNICATIONS (AMERICA) INC
AS174 Cogent Communications
(source: Eidos/Ormuco ASN report for the Canadian subnet 199.91.189.0/24 from Hurricane Electric's BGP tool kit)

Notice those percentages in the pie chart. If any one of those is having issues, it is affecting potentially at least 15-28% of all traffic. If it is TWO ISP's having issues, you could be in the realm of 31-50% of all traffic being affected.

That is why your WoW experience doesn't quite cut it. Last I recall, they didn't have servers in Montreal...the addresses listed there for the Americas come back with geolocation data for New Jersey and California.