AH2 is Beautiful...but cannot connect to Online Arenas

[Denholm]

How long did you run the Ping Plot? For best results, let it run for about 10 minutes.

It looks like hop 8 could be causing an issue. However, no packet loss in this trace suggests there are no troubles between your connection and the server.

Is there a possibility that your ISP has its own firewall which is blocking the game's servers from communicating with your computer? Calling them and asking might be worth a shot.

[Someone]

How long did you run the Ping Plot? For best results, let it run for about 10 minutes.

Ahh, I see.  I just let it grab a couple of samples and then shut it down.
I'll re-do sample right now.

[Skuzzy]

The reverse or route back to you is what will be messed up more than anything as that is where Savvis's lousy routing problem shows up.  I'll get the reverse done when I get to the office this morning.

[Someone]

62 trace samples spaced 10 secs. apart:
--------------------------------------

Host Information
1, -------------- ,199.201.13.200
2, -------------- ,96.67.88.1
3, -------------- ,68.85.187.181
4,be-52-ar99.chartford.ct.hartford.comcast.net,68.85.162.194
5,pos-2-5-0-0-cr01.newyork.ny.ibone.comcast.net,68.86.90.65
6,pos-0-1-0-0-pe01.111eighthave.ny.ibone.comcast.net,68.86.86.46
7,er2-tengig3-3.newyork.savvis.net,208.173.138.13
8, -------------- ,192.205.35.9
9,cr2.n54ny.ip.att.net,12.122.130.98
10,cr2.wswdc.ip.att.net,12.122.3.38
11,cr1.attga.ip.att.net,12.122.1.173
12,cr2.dlstx.ip.att.net,12.122.28.174
13,gar23.dlstx.ip.att.net,12.122.138.161
14,12-122-254-154.attens.net,12.122.254.154
15,mdf1-bi8k-2-eth-1-2.dal1.attens.net,63.241.192.210
16, -------------- ,206.16.60.39

[Someone]

The reverse or route back to you is what will be messed up more than anything as that is where Savvis's lousy routing problem shows up.  I'll get the reverse done when I get to the office this morning.

Wow, a little googling reveals a long and rich history of Savvis weirdness and routing problems with many games, organizations, and communications networks throughout the last 5 years.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do to assist.
I'm running to work now, but will try to call Comcast tonight from home.
Maybe I can get it worked out with my ISP before you spend any more time on the issue?
I don't want to make extra work for anyone, and don't want to be a pest.

[Skuzzy]

I try not to assume what the problem is.  I am happy to run the reverse trace.

Hopefully all of this will cease being a problem after June 1.

[Denholm]

...I'm running to work now, but will try to call Comcast tonight from home.
Maybe I can get it worked out with my ISP before you spend any more time on the issue?...

If you did, that would be a miracle!

[Someone]

If you did, that would be a miracle!

Haha, you are a man of wisdom!
I called my ISP and I was surprised that they wanted to review the result of my ping trace with me; I felt encouraged.
The tech. went through it step by step until it left the comcast network, and then the tech. said "Geeee, it looks like the problem is outside the comcast network."
It almost had that Office Space quality to it.
Oh well, I thanked them for their time, and I wasted no more of mine.

So I'm back in the support forum looking for pity...err, help i mean.  <grin>

[Skuzzy]

I apologize.  I got side-tracked from getting the trace done.  I will get at it first thing in the morning.  Yes, the problem is outside of Comcast's network.  The problem is in the network (Savvis) of the ISP Comcast has a contract with for service.

[Patches1]

SAAVIS is the scourge of the Earth!

[Skuzzy]

As I suspected.  The routing issue within Savvis is the most likely culprit of the problem.  Data being routed from Dallas to Los Angeles for 3 hops, then back to Dallas, before heading off to Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, then 4 hops in Comcast's network in Massachusetts, and finally to CT.

Insane.

traceroute 71.192.166.249
traceroute to 71.192.166.249 (71.192.166.249), 30 hops max, 40 byte packets
 1  206.16.60.33 (206.16.60.33)  0.936 ms  0.425 ms  0.362 ms
 2  mdf1-gsr12-1-gig-1-1.dal1.attens.net (63.241.192.201)  0.415 ms  0.307 ms  0.255 ms
 3  12-122-254-29.attens.net (12.122.254.29)  24.861 ms  1.269 ms  5.818 ms
 4  cr2.dlstx.ip.att.net (12.122.138.186)  1.330 ms  3.809 ms  1.449 ms
 5  ggr3.dlstx.ip.att.net (12.122.138.17)  1.167 ms  1.137 ms  1.121 ms
 6  cr2-pos-0-3-3-3.dallas.savvis.net (208.172.139.225)  1.659 ms  1.564 ms  1.414 ms
 7  cr1-pos-0-0-3-0.losangeles.savvis.net (204.70.192.249)  33.751 ms  33.869 ms  33.748 ms
 8  er2-tengig-2-1.lay.savvis.net (204.70.198.6)  33.563 ms  33.687 ms  33.659 ms
 9  comcast-net.lay.savvis.net (208.173.55.218)  34.665 ms  34.427 ms  34.713 ms
10  pos-0-14-0-0-cr01.dallas.tx.ibone.comcast.net (68.86.85.142)  69.143 ms  69.247 ms  69.704 ms
11  pos-0-12-0-0-cr01.atlanta.ga.ibone.comcast.net (68.86.85.158)  69.569 ms  69.708 ms  69.426 ms
12  pos-1-7-0-0-cr01.chicago.il.ibone.comcast.net (68.86.85.165)  69.727 ms  69.821 ms  69.685 ms
13  pos-0-6-0-0-cr01.cleveland.oh.ibone.comcast.net (68.86.85.53)  79.141 ms  79.140 ms  79.277 ms
14  pos-0-14-0-0-crs01.woburn.ma.boston.comcast.net (68.86.90.6)  97.446 ms  97.682 ms  97.421 ms
15  po-16-ar01.berlin.ct.hartford.comcast.net (68.87.146.50)  97.299 ms  97.220 ms  97.233 ms
16  be-10-ar99.chartford.ct.hartford.comcast.net (68.87.146.29)  97.456 ms  97.544 ms  97.481 ms
17  po-52-ur01.newhaven.ct.hartford.comcast.net (68.85.162.193)  98.938 ms  98.923 ms  98.905 ms
18  68.85.187.182 (68.85.187.182)  98.959 ms  99.077 ms  99.087 ms
19  c-71-192-166-249.hsd1.ct.comcast.net (71.192.166.249)  114.178 ms  105.472 ms  105.980 ms

[Someone]

As I suspected.  The routing issue within Savvis is the most likely culprit of the problem.  Data being routed from Dallas to Los Angeles for 3 hops, then back to Dallas, before heading off to Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, then 4 hops in Comcast's network in Massachusetts, and finally to CT.
Insane.

Ouch, it sounds like this is completely outside of my control and/or hitechcreations' control.
Has anyone ever found a workaround for such a thing?

[Skuzzy]

We are going to be trying something in conjunction with AT&T on June 1.  Hopefully it will solve the problem.  We will not know until it is done.

[The Fugitive]

Ouch, it sounds like this is completely outside of my control and/or hitechcreations' control.
Has anyone ever found a workaround for such a thing?

I'm not sure where you are in CT, but I'm just over the border in MA about 5 minutes east of the I84. I use Charter to connect and have a solid connection to HTC. Boston (3 hops), NY (5 hops), Washington DC (1 hop), Atlanta (1 hop), then to Dallas (5 hops), then HTC. Average ping for 10 minutes, 53ms

Switching to Charter "might" be an option.

[Someone]

We are going to be trying something in conjunction with AT&T on June 1.  Hopefully it will solve the problem.

Very cool. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help test.  I'd be glad to assist in any way.