Packet Loss
Hello,
I am using a Windows 10 64 bit PC to play Apex. I run on a hard-wired connection.
Using Ookla's Speedtest, I get 200Mbps + Download and 10Mbps upload.
I have been having a good run up until a couple of days ago, and the problem has gotten worse today (9/5/2020) where I constantly see the packet loss icon in the top of the screen. It now never goes away and the game stutters and is unplayable at this point.
I have tried nearly everything to resolve this issue, including:
- Forwarding all of the numerous TDP and UCP ports in my router to my hardwired computer;
- Running a Traceroute using UOTrace;
- Flushing my DNS (as per EA's insctructions);
- Making sure all firewalls are disabled:
- Rebooting the modem and router multiple times;
- Playing the game at different times of the day;
- Having the ISP Provider come out and physically run new cable from my modem all the way to the road and reduce my line "noise" to nearly nothing;
- Calling the ISP and explaining the problem, to which multiple CSRs were "confused" and one guy who was a gamer himself (Overwatch) sympathized and told me to check my ports, but that they did not troubleshoot this issue;
- Changed to a different modem, had only my hardwired connection to the new modem plugged in - no wifi devices - UOTrace path was the exact same. It appears that, although the router may have a stored table for routing my connection to a certain server address, changing modems did not create a new route. Somehow both routers determined that what is shown in UOTrace1.jpg is the best or correct route to take;
I don't know what to do. Something changed between my house and the game. Nothing physically in or around my house changed, except for the now new wire, but I was having this problem before that.
On a side note, I also have Star Wars Battlefront II which I loaded up and played a game, and it has no issues whatsoever. I am able to play other games, visit websites, and also stream video over WiFi. There is simply nothing wrong with my connection. I literally don't know what's going on.
The traceroute hangs up somewhere at 4.79.23.202. I did a WHOis on this IP and it appears to belong to a company out of Colorado called Level 3. I am not sure, but it appears to be another Telecom company, and there are whispers on the internet that they throttle or bottleneck connections coming from places they don't like. However, that is just hearsay, and I can't confirm that.
Anyways, my question is why the route chosen between my computer and EA's servers would go through a node or "hop" that isn't active, or isn't passing connections through? There must be some way to have the connection go another way. I tried to call my ISP about this and they literally have no clue what I'm talking about.
Also, I tried a VPN. However, that did not appear to work as my router is the one which obtains my IP and the issues seem to arise somewhere after hop 7 on my traceroute (which is clear outside of my house). A desktop client VPN would only change the connection from my desktop to my router (if it does anything at all).
Of note, I have Spectrum cable and I live in Dallas. Thus, I am quite close to the Dallas Server of Apex. The information on the title screen of the game tells me I am getting 17ms ping and 0 packet loss. However, it is nothing but packet loss upon joining a game.
On a side note, I don't understand why we should not be worried about 100% packet loss on UOTrace. The concern only seems to come from 1%-99% loss. I don't get why that is.
I have attached a photo of my UOTrace for reference. Maybe someone else can tell me what's happening.
UPDATE 9/6/2020
Online at 9AM CST (Dallas) and am not having any packet loss issues. UOTrace is nearly identical to the first one. See UOTrace2.jpg
Hypothesis
Yesterday, Saturday 9/5/2020, Apex servers were very crowded. Lot of players online. This morning, takes longer to find a game. Early. People want to sleep in. Will probably crowd the servers later.
As well, general internet traffic would pick up in the afternoon / night time.
Thus, I believe the packet loss issue is due to network congestion - likely related to the signal sent from my computer being routed through a series of nodes which are congested, including the Apex servers, despite my proximity to them. Possibly one of those nodes is network hardware owner/operated by another ISP (Level 3) which throttles traffic coming from other ISPs at certain times or for certain other reasons.
If this is the case, there is nothing anybody can do about it except for have an ISP that can re-route your path (Spectrum certainly can't or won't bother), or switch ISPs and have a completely different network backbone to be routed through.
-----
Another, less likely possibility is that the way the Apex game servers are set up, possibly through an on-demand server scaling platform like AWS, create packet loss issues, but there doesn't seem to be evidence for that on my side. They say their servers are up and doing well, and most players are enjoying the game without issues.
-----
Even less likely, but still a remote possibility, a DOS or DDOS attack against the servers.
