Okay so for those of you that can use linux and setup OpenVPN Linode's west VPS is about 5ms away from the SE's datacenter and doesn't route through majority of ntt.net's crappy hops.


from the VPS:

# ping 204.2.229.10
PING 204.2.229.10 (204.2.229.10) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 204.2.229.10: icmp_seq=1 ttl=58 time=5.41 ms
64 bytes from 204.2.229.10: icmp_seq=2 ttl=58 time=5.42 ms
64 bytes from 204.2.229.10: icmp_seq=3 ttl=58 time=5.48 ms
64 bytes from 204.2.229.10: icmp_seq=4 ttl=58 time=5.38 ms
64 bytes from 204.2.229.10: icmp_seq=5 ttl=58 time=5.45 ms


with the VPN enabled:

C:\Users\drebbe>pathping 204.2.229.10

Tracing route to 204.2.229.10 over a maximum of 30 hops

0 Blade [10.8.0.2]
1 10.8.0.1
2 23.92.24.3
3 173.230.159.12
4 192.80.16.1
5 ae-2.r00.scrmca02.us.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.7.33]
6 xe-0-1-0-1-1.r00.scrmca02.us.ce.gin.ntt.net [129.250.195.46]
7 * 204.2.229.234
8 204.2.229.10

Computing statistics for 200 seconds...
Source to Here This Node/Link
Hop RTT Lost/Sent = Pct Lost/Sent = Pct Address
0 Blade [10.8.0.2]
0/ 100 = 0% |
1 67ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% 10.8.0.1
0/ 100 = 0% |
2 67ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% 23.92.24.3
0/ 100 = 0% |
3 67ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% 173.230.159.12
0/ 100 = 0% |
4 69ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% 192.80.16.1
0/ 100 = 0% |
5 72ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% ae-2.r00.scrmca02.us.bb.gin.ntt.net [129.250.7.33]
0/ 100 = 0% |
6 73ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% xe-0-1-0-1-1.r00.scrmca02.us.ce.gin.ntt.net [129.250.195.46]
0/ 100 = 0% |
7 72ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% 204.2.229.234
0/ 100 = 0% |
8 72ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% 204.2.229.10

Trace complete.


and a ping through the VPN:

C:\Users\drebbe>ping 204.2.229.10

Pinging 204.2.229.10 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 204.2.229.10: bytes=32 time=73ms TTL=57
Reply from 204.2.229.10: bytes=32 time=77ms TTL=57
Reply from 204.2.229.10: bytes=32 time=72ms TTL=57
Reply from 204.2.229.10: bytes=32 time=72ms TTL=57

Ping statistics for 204.2.229.10:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 72ms, Maximum = 77ms, Average = 73ms


This reduces latency by 30-50ms and eliminates packet loss.