What is the official statement of SE and FFXIV regarding ping issues related to NTT?

[Bariaus]

Hello,

As many of you are aware, since server migration, a huge portion of players from NA, EU, Central and South America connecting to US servers started having issues related to ping:

- Random lag spikes on certain hours .
- Overall constant increase on ping (300+) due to route changes.
- Both

..while some few others had their pre server migration issues fixed. Latter ones are mostly people who live in US west coast, or people connecting from SEA.

From what I've gathered so far, the issue seems to be 2 main things that end up tightly connected with NTT:

- Your ISP changing your usual route to US and those NTT nodes showing important increase of ping and far more jumps to reach current server location (since it's west coast). This is for EU and Central/South American players.

- NTT nodes number of hops required to reach west coast nodes and ultimately SE servers. This is for US players but same thing for non US players.

So, my following questions for the team are pretty straightforward:

- Was/Is SE and FFXIV aware of this issue?
- Are they going to do anything about this issue?

One can say "ISP's fault for changing route" or "SE's fault for changing server locations knowing/not knowing about what was going to happen". Today, I'm more inclined to think that they never considered this, or, that putting all things on balance, they still win ($) so they just won't do anything about it. Lastly, adding to this that most people willing to keep playing know the alternative solution to reduce ping. Numbers are numbers and for them, if it were really an issue, they'd have already noticed a massive dip on sub numbers, where it seems it hasn't happened yet = they won't do anything.

Any thoughts are appreciated, and btw, I'm one of those affected from South America. For us, the issue is NTT which affect the route on EU (+100 ping only on EU), and the extra +50ping caused by NTT and their extra hops. Before migration? None of that happened; less hops on US, no NTT, no +100 ping on EU hops.

Proof?:

- 7/2016 , from Chile, 185ms, no NTT, with EU hops
- 8/2016 , from Chile , 185ms, no NTT, with EU hops

Not at home at the moment but I will make an update showing current tracert with my ISP so you can make the comparison.


Thanks.

[Kisama]

[Ariellendera]

Hello Bariaus, Thank you for posting on the Final Fantasy XIV Technical Support Forums

I do apologize that you are experiencing this issue. Like we have stated before, this issue has been investigated by our team. They came to the conclusion that the issue is out of our control. outside of the suggestions we have provided, we are also suggesting making a report with your ISP.

Thank you for playing Final Fantasy XIV! Hope to see you online.

[Hestzhyen]

Thank you for playing Final Fantasy XIV! Hope to see you online.

Funny joke when people have a hard time staying connected to the game because of these on-going and well-documented issues...

To OP: Support here won't help you, they can't. It's not within the scope of their role. The official word from SE has been total utter silence outside of passing the buck to everyone's ISPs. The best you can hope for is a third-party solution like MudFish or WTFast routing you in the most efficient way possible. Won't solve the issue with NTT but cutting out extra hops, especially if you're getting routed to EU before coming back to the US like some other people from Chile are, might help.

[Bariaus]

...

Thanks for the tip! I'm in fact using those alternative solutions since servers migrated back then. I didn't knew about SE and XIV being aware of this and the fact that they just won't do anything about it; now I know. I think it's a case awfully closed since ISP won't do a thing either. Expected more for a service I'm paying monthly.

[Bariaus]

outside of the suggestions we have provided..

What are the suggestions you have provided? Sorry, can't seem to find them on any thread. Thanks!

[Einmimiria]

Thank you for the reply Bariaus.

To answer you initial question, our investigation concluded that there is no issue with the North American Data Center itself. This is the only part of the route that we have direct control over. Unfortunately, if you are experiencing issues before you get to the Data Center, there is little we can do in terms of assistance. This is outside of our area of support.

What are the suggestions you have provided? Sorry, can't seem to find them on any thread. Thanks!

Our standard connection troubleshooting is as follows (for PC):

1) Reset your router by turning it off for a few minutes, then back on.

2) Make sure your anti-virus/firewall has the appropriate exceptions for Final Fantasy XIV (you can temporarily disable them while you try to connect as well).

3) Make sure to use a wired Ethernet connection as opposed to wireless.

4) Open the Internet Explorer browser, open the "Tools", go to "Internet Options" and adjust the following settings:
- Under the "General" tab, please delete ALL browser history.
- Under the "Security" tab, please move the slider to the lowest possible settings or no higher than "Medium"
- Under the "Privacy" tab, please move the slider to the lowest possible settings or to "Allow All Cookies"
- Under the "Advanced" tab, please make sure that "Allow software to run or install even if signature is invalid" is CHECKED.
- Make sure that all SSL and TLS (EXCEPT SSL 3.0) are CHECKED. [SSL 3.0 should be UNCHECKED]
- Hit "Apply" to save the settings, and then "OK, to close the Internet Options menu.
- Right-Click on the FFXIV launcher icon and select "Properties"
- Go to the "Compatibility" tab, and change the compatibility mode to "Windows 7"
- Hit "Apply", then "OK" to save the changes.
- Please RESTART your PC now. Once your PC has been restarted, Right-Click the FFXIV launcher icon once more and select "Run as Administrator"

5) Check the following Port Ranges on your router/modem to ensure that the following Port Ranges have been opened:
▼TCP
54992 through 54994,
55006 through 55007,
55021 through 55040
Your ISP may forward these ports for you.

We hope we can be of assistance in helping you enjoy the exciting world of Final Fantasy XIV!

[Keleg]

My concern with this, is that why this happens ONLY with FFXIV servers in NA. It doesn't happen with WoW servers in West or Central coast, or neither California IPS i tried to ping and/or tracert. The only IP giving this issue is Final Fantasy XIV data centers. I'm sure it's something within both (FF and the ISP), but SE must understand (admins please), that we as single users of a service, we don't have the power to make a ISP to change a route, neither to make SE to investigate about it, it seems. If any admin is reading this, please let us know what we can do for at least having attention, so they can look or at least try to do something about this.

Thanks in advance.

[Ariellendera]

Hello Keleg, Thank you for posting on the Final Fantasy XIV Technical Support Forums

We did collect information from players and conducted a investigation of this issue. Here is the link to the thread regarding this issue http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...NA-Data-Center

Thank you for playing Final Fantasy XIV! Hope to see you online.

[Zarkovitch]

Get used to it they wont call they re ISP.
The mod of tech support is here to help any ways they can help but same time they are SE face.Until SE decide to something about they'll will let you know.
Gonna need to use 3rd program GPN to fix you re routing issues until they change isp or add east coast servers.