To everyone requesting traceroutes...

Kathikins - Dreamweaver
Kathikins - Dreamweaver Posts: 30 Arc User
edited October 2011 in Support Desk
At the risk of asking a stupid question and being laughed at:

Can you do traceroutes? I have no issue connecting and playing, and no real issues with lag (PW claims 189ms right now); however, I can neither traceroute nor ping any PW server from anywhere. They always stop responding at the same machine.

I could believe that people requesting traceroutes expect it to stop there, but this doesn't explain how thye manage to provide their ping times to servers that don't respond to pings.

Here is a sampling of what I get to Dreamweaver, from a variety of locations - it fails for all servers though; East, West and EU:

From a residential Comcast connection in Boston: 
katharine@imac:~$ traceroute pwieast2.perfectworld.com
traceroute: Warning: pwieast2.perfectworld.com has multiple addresses; using 74.201.183.25
traceroute to pwieast2.perfectworld.com (74.201.183.25), 64 hops max, 52 byte packets
 1  10.0.0.1 (10.0.0.1)  1.025 ms  0.594 ms  0.495 ms
 2  73.162.48.1 (73.162.48.1)  11.748 ms  6.047 ms  8.123 ms
 3  te-8-2-ur01.cambridge.ma.boston.comcast.net (68.87.155.25)  10.386 ms  6.330 ms  8.093 ms
 4  be-51-ar01.needham.ma.boston.comcast.net (68.85.162.157)  9.180 ms  7.571 ms  7.852 ms
 5  pos-2-0-0-0-cr01.newyork.ny.ibone.comcast.net (68.86.93.33)  37.050 ms  40.533 ms  36.244 ms
 6  64.209.106.33 (64.209.106.33)  35.901 ms  37.243 ms  35.967 ms
 7  67.17.192.54 (67.17.192.54)  36.013 ms  36.814 ms  38.156 ms
 8  border1.pc1-bbnet1.nyj001.pnap.net (216.52.95.9)  40.473 ms  37.977 ms  37.946 ms
 9  * * *
^C

From a university in Boston: 
katharine@kitty:~$ traceroute pwieast2.perfectworld.com
traceroute to pwieast2.perfectworld.com (74.201.183.26), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  DISCOVERY-ONE.MIT.EDU (18.181.0.225)  0.106 ms  0.074 ms  0.047 ms
 2  W92-RTR-1-SIPB.MIT.EDU (18.181.0.1)  0.821 ms  0.860 ms  0.917 ms
 3  EXTERNAL-RTR-3-BACKBONE-2.MIT.EDU (18.168.1.50)  0.843 ms  0.975 ms  1.036 ms
 4  nox1sumgw1-vl-530-nox-mit.nox.org (207.210.142.233)  0.657 ms  0.685 ms  0.743 ms
 5  nox1sumgw1-peer-nox-internet2-207-210-142-18.nox.org (207.210.142.18)  336.704 ms  340.457 ms  340.738 ms
 6  te-8-1-100-10G.ar3.CHI2.gblx.net (64.208.110.37)  22.972 ms  22.833 ms  22.850 ms
 7  67.17.192.54 (67.17.192.54)  27.987 ms  27.957 ms  28.009 ms
 8  border1.pc2-bbnet2.nyj001.pnap.net (216.52.95.73)  28.154 ms  28.382 ms border1.pc1-bbnet1.nyj001.pnap.net (216.52.95.9)  28.312 ms
 9  * * *
10  * * *
11  * * *
12  * * *

From a datacenter in Manchester, England: 
katharine@inventory:~$ traceroute pwieast2.perfectworld.com
traceroute to pwieast2.perfectworld.com (74.201.183.25), 30 hops max, 40 byte packets
 1  vlan855.cr01.man.bytemark.co.uk (89.16.177.2)  5.767 ms  5.708 ms  5.953 ms
 2  91-223-58-78.no-reverse-dns-set.bytemark.co.uk (91.223.58.78)  0.377 ms  0.390 ms  0.396 ms
 3  89-16-160-33.no-reverse-dns-set.bytemark.co.uk (89.16.160.33)  0.483 ms  0.549 ms  0.611 ms
 4  xe-2-1-0-114.man11.ip4.tinet.net (77.67.95.145)  0.376 ms  0.374 ms  0.358 ms
 5  xe-5-2-0.nyc30.ip4.tinet.net (89.149.181.182)  91.102 ms xe-8-3-0.nyc30.ip4.tinet.net (89.149.183.42)  91.228 ms xe-0-2-0.nyc30.ip4.tinet.net (89.149.183.50)  91.105 ms
 6  internap-gw.ip4.tinet.net (77.67.70.98)  83.604 ms  83.596 ms  83.703 ms
 7  border1.pc1-bbnet1.nyj001.pnap.net (216.52.95.9)  83.871 ms  84.015 ms border1.pc2-bbnet2.nyj001.pnap.net (216.52.95.73)  83.976 ms
 8  * * *
 9  * * *
10  * * *
11  * * *
12  * * *
13  *^C

From a datacenter in New Jersey: 
katharine@pwdb:~$ traceroute pwieast2.perfectworld.com
traceroute to pwieast2.perfectworld.com (74.201.183.24), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  207.99.1.13 (207.99.1.13)  0.721 ms  0.672 ms  0.777 ms
 2  207.99.53.41 (207.99.53.41)  0.607 ms  0.713 ms  0.715 ms
 3  vlan805.tbr2.mmu.nac.net (209.123.10.33)  3.267 ms  3.263 ms  3.250 ms
 4  0.e1-3.tbr1.mmu.nac.net (209.123.10.25)  0.446 ms  0.458 ms  0.572 ms
 5  0.e1-2.tbr1.ewr.nac.net (209.123.10.117)  8.376 ms  8.484 ms  8.557 ms
 6  xe-3-0-6.ar2.ewr1.us.nlayer.net (69.31.95.129)  5.211 ms  1.951 ms  1.920 ms
 7  TenGigE0-3-0-0.GW5.EWR6.ALTER.NET (157.130.217.37)  2.421 ms TenGigE0-0-0-0.GW6.EWR6.ALTER.NET (157.130.217.73)  2.373 ms  2.347 ms
 8  0.ge-4-0-0.XL3.EWR6.ALTER.NET (152.63.17.149)  2.261 ms  2.229 ms  2.260 ms
 9  0.xe-2-1-0.XT1.NYC4.ALTER.NET (152.63.18.58)  2.121 ms 0.so-1-0-3.XT2.NYC4.ALTER.NET (152.63.17.110)  35.546 ms 0.xe-2-1-0.XT1.NYC4.ALTER.NET (152.63.18.58)  2.043 ms
10  GigabitEthernet7-0-0.GW18.NYC4.ALTER.NET (152.63.22.229)  1.655 ms GigabitEthernet6-0-0.GW18.NYC4.ALTER.NET (152.63.22.225)  1.975 ms  2.151 ms
11  internap-gw.customer.alter.net (65.217.199.202)  1.814 ms  1.867 ms  1.830 ms
12  border1.pc2-bbnet2.nyj001.pnap.net (216.52.95.73)  2.016 ms  2.257 ms  2.182 ms
13  * * *
14  * * *
15  * * *
16  * * *
17  * * *
18  *^C

And, to prove that *nix isn't insane, from a Windows machine: 
C:\Users\Developer>tracert pwieast2.perfectworld.com

Tracing route to pwieast2.perfectworld.com [74.201.183.27]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  10.0.0.1
  2    15 ms    19 ms    18 ms  73.162.48.1
  3     7 ms    10 ms     6 ms  te-8-2-ur02.cambridge.ma.boston.comcast.net [68.87.155.29]
  4     7 ms     7 ms     7 ms  po-20-ur01.cambridge.ma.boston.comcast.net [68.87.144.69]
  5    10 ms     8 ms     9 ms  be-51-ar01.needham.ma.boston.comcast.net [68.85.162.157]
  6    35 ms    37 ms    37 ms  pos-2-0-0-0-cr01.newyork.ny.ibone.comcast.net [68.86.93.33]
  7    35 ms    37 ms    73 ms  64.209.106.33
  8    37 ms    36 ms    37 ms  67.17.192.54
  9    37 ms    37 ms    37 ms  border1.pc2-bbnet2.nyj001.pnap.net [216.52.95.73]
 10     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 11     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 12  ^C

So... what are people supposed to be doing?
Post edited by Kathikins - Dreamweaver on

Comments

  • SylenThunder - Twilight Temple
    SylenThunder - Twilight Temple Posts: 7,908
    edited October 2011
    You won't be able to either ping, or have a traceroute complete all the way to the servers. In fact, I am pretty sure that it doesn't make it bast the hubs of PWE's ISP host. This is because of security reasons to prevent DDoS attacks and other similar attacks.

    However, Looking at your traceroute can tell a lot about how you're connection is getting to the server. Since the majority of the users are playing on Windows, I'll use that as an example.

    1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 10.0.0.1
    This is the first connection. For most users it is their router/modem. In your case it's an internal router.
    2 15 ms 19 ms 18 ms 73.162.48.1
    The second hop here is your modem in your case. For some it will be their ISP.
    3 7 ms 10 ms 6 ms te-8-2-ur02.cambridge.ma.boston.comcast.net [68.87.155.29]
    This hop is the Central Office for your ISP. First hop outside of your building/house.
    4 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms po-20-ur01.cambridge.ma.boston.comcast.net [68.87.144.69]
    All connections afterwards are regional router hubs on the internet highway.
    5 10 ms 8 ms 9 ms be-51-ar01.needham.ma.boston.comcast.net [68.85.162.157]
    6 35 ms 37 ms 37 ms pos-2-0-0-0-cr01.newyork.ny.ibone.comcast.net [68.86.93.33]
    7 35 ms 37 ms 73 ms 64.209.106.33
    8 37 ms 36 ms 37 ms 67.17.192.54
    9 37 ms 37 ms 37 ms border1.pc2-bbnet2.nyj001.pnap.net [216.52.95.73]
    This is the InterNap servers that are most likely the closest regional hub that the ISP PWE uses connects to from their Central Office. (If you were tracing from the PWE server this would be hop 4, but it's possible that it could be the CO (hop 3).)
    10 * * * Request timed out.

    What I'm looking for is unusually large numbers or a lot of *'s
    If Hop 1 is having an issue, you should check your local computer and connection. Maybe there's a wireless issue, or a setting on the firewall that needs to be changed.

    If it's hop 2, then maybe the interface between your router and the modem is having trouble. Could be a bad cable, could just be low memory on either device.

    If it's hop 3, then it's time to start looking at issues with your outside lines, weather conditions, and overall quality of signal to your CO. This can also get bogged down by media streaming depending on the quality/settings of your modem and the switches within the CO that you connect to.

    After hop 4, there's not a lot you can do without re-routing your connection using a proxy or VPN, but at least it can tell you where you're having an issue.

    If all the numbers are looking good, but you still have a problem creating a connection to the server, then maybe port 29000 is blocked somewhere. Then it's time to look deeply into your firewall and anti-virus software. If no issues are there, contact your ISP to run some tests with that port.

    To answer your final question, "So... what are people supposed to be doing?"...
    Post your OS, system specs, firewall, anti-virus, network and ISP information, and I can look over the data and give some helpful suggestions on what to look at specifically. With enough information I can even give you a step-by-step walk-through on the steps you need to take to resolve it.

    Hope that helps.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Kathikins - Dreamweaver
    Kathikins - Dreamweaver Posts: 30 Arc User
    edited October 2011
    Fair enough - so it is the "you expect the traceroute to die at internap" suggestion. (And yes, I am clear on the benefits of blocking ICMP packets, and also on how to make use of a traceroute in inferring such information ;p)

    So then - where are you claiming (non-client) ping numbers from? :p

    Also, while I'm asking pointless questions, what does this forum have against UTF-8!? b:angry
  • SylenThunder - Twilight Temple
    SylenThunder - Twilight Temple Posts: 7,908
    edited October 2011
    Kathikins - Dreamweaver wrote: »
    Fair enough - so it is the "you expect the traceroute to die at internap" suggestion. (And yes, I am clear on the benefits of blocking ICMP packets, and also on how to make use of a traceroute in inferring such information ;p)

    So then - where are you claiming (non-client) ping numbers from? :p

    Also, while I'm asking pointless questions, what does this forum have against UTF-8!? b:angry

    You're not going to get a non-client ping number per-se. What I do is average the numbers from the connections getting up to the last returned hop. Although personally, the ping that you get from the server selection list is about the nearest that you will get to an actual ping reading. The in-game ping is heavily flawed and has several points of failure that causes it to show higher numbers than what are actually there.

    The forum hates UTF-8, tables, lists, and quite a bit of other BBCodes that it shouldn't have any issues with.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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