Nightly latency issues

[worldofneil]

What is SE doing about this?

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.

[ZenithanGunn]

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.

[worldofneil]

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

That's nice, but...

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.

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.

[Iluvwrenches]

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.

[worldofneil]

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

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.