Lots of Host Connections lost

[Latrobe]

Over the last few patches and updates I have been getting a lot of random Host Connection lost messages without warning. No "UDP Session lost", no beacon light, nothing. I'll just be flying along and suddenly I'll get a message saying I've lost host connection. I downloaded that Ping Plotter thing to see what might be up and apparently I'm getting 100% packet loss right before the server.

I have no clue what's going on. 

[Skuzzy]

The 100% packet loss before the server is normal.  It simply means that router is not honoring the "ICMP ECHO" message used by utilities like Ping Plotter and tracert.

If you were really getting 100% packet loss, you would not be able to get any type of connection to the servers.

When I get into the office, I will run some tests on your connection.

[Latrobe]

Was going to post about this, but forgot I already did. 

Still having this problem. 

[Skuzzy]

In one sequence of the return path, your data is going through four load balancing routers. Two of them are in Level 3 in Dallas, the next two are in Level 3 in Atlanta.  I can easily see these routers causing problems.

Level 3's network is extremely oversold and during primetime hours it drops packets often and with great consistency.

[Latrobe]

Well that sure sucks. 

Is there a way to fix that? I think I remember hearing someone say if you leave your router off for a certain amount of time and then turn it back on it will (maybe) find a different path of routers. 

[Skuzzy]

Well that sure sucks. 

Is there a way to fix that? I think I remember hearing someone say if you leave your router off for a certain amount of time and then turn it back on it will (maybe) find a different path of routers. 

Routes are set long before your router goes online.  They are done based on the IP number from the pool i IP addresses the ISP has assigned to it.

Routes changed based on a number of things.  Turning off your router will not cause a route change to take place.  If you get a different route, it is more than likely you got a new IP address from another block of IP addresses, which the ISP had already established another route for.

[Latrobe]

Ah! Thanks Skuzzy! Will start looking into this more now.