Routing Issues In Valorant and League Of Legends

[Vietziggs]

A couple of weeks ago, I've been having issues with ping on Valorant and League Of Legends. I get around 70-90ms on my default server (Illinois), but recently I've been routed to Oregon and get around 60-70ms. I've restarted my router, my computer, looked up forums online, contacted Riot Support, Shaw Support and got a technician down to my house and still the problem is still there. I remember this happening when Shaw went down in the summer of 2021 but that got fixed right away, I'm thinking that it might be the same issue. All of my friends that use Shaw are having the same problem, but Sasktel users aren't. The issues only occurs on Riot games. Does anyone know a solution or have the same problem?

[mdk]

@Vietziggs -- please use the Windows command-line utility "TRACERT" to show the route your Internet packets take to reach those game-servers, and post the output here.

Is it possible that the game-servers have been relocated to a different data-centre, with different (faster? slower?) routing.

P.S. Changing your equipment (computer, network cable, WiFi adapter, cable-modem, in-house wiring, cable out to the nearest telephone-pole) probably is ineffective, since the problem is "further away".

[Vietziggs]

[mdk]

@Vietziggs -- regarding:

Traceroute output

I am not sure where "*.ss.shawcable.net" is physically located, but I see some lag from "SS" to "ED" [Edmonton], and more lag from "ED" to "WA" (Shaw's gateway into WA(shington) State. Shaw's network in Edmonton is a gathering-point for traffic to/from Northern Alberta and also to/from the Saskatoon area and to/from Vancouver -- that point tends to be quite busy.

For me, close to Vancouver, I see:

  7 11 ms rc1wt-be40.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.68.18]
  8 14 ms six1.riotgames.com [206.81.81.42]
  9 35 ms hu-0-0-0-4.er01.pdx03.riotdirect.net [104.160.154.224]
10 36 ms ae1.er02.pdx03.riotdirect.net [104.160.151.169]
11 35 ms ae13.er02.sjc01.riotdirect.net [104.160.128.13]
12 36 ms ae1.er01.sjc01.riotdirect.net [104.160.143.178]

13 36 ms ae2.er01.lax01.riotdirect.net [104.160.159.119]
14 38 ms 104.160.131.1

Much quicker to "WA", and then into RiotDirect's network (PDX - Portland Oregon / SJC - San Jose / LAX - Los Angeles). into that game-server.

>> All of my friends that use Shaw are having the same problem,

So, it's not your equipment; blame Shaw's network, or move to Edmonton / Calgary / Vancouver, to get smaller PING & TRACEROUTE numbers.

>> but Sasktel users aren't. 

Can you get one of them to do the identical "traceroute" command, and send the output to you, for posting here? Probably, a vastly-different "route" for Internet packets -- within Canada, crossing into the USA, and finally on a US network to the Los Angeles area.

[Vietziggs]

[mdk]

@Vietziggs -- those "142.156.xxx.yyy" IP-addresses are assigned to SaskTel.

Hop #7 seems to be CHI(cago) on RIOTDIRECT's network.

Hop #8 & #9 are in Los Angeles.

Nice routing! Very efficient.  🙂

[Vietziggs]

What can I do to make the routing better?

[mdk]

@Vietziggs wrote: what can I do to make the routing better?

Not a lot.  The routes are assigned by the Internet companies, namely Shaw & Telus & SaskTel & RiotDirect. They built the "roads" that you must use to get from town-to-town, city-to-city, province-to-province, province-to-gateway-in-the-USA, cross-Pacific, Tokyo-to-Singapore.  If you were a billionaire, then at great expense, you could deploy your own "private" road, and have the road to yourself.

However, it is possible that using a VPN-server might help. You might be able to find an "optimal" server to be in the "middle" -- halfway between you & the game-server.  For example, if you are in Winnipeg, wanting to drive your car to Seattle, you might drive due west on Highway 1 to Vancouver to Seattle, or due south to Fargo (North Dakota) and then due west to Seattle. Maybe, a VPN-server in Fargo is a fast trip from Winnipeg, and also a fast trip from Fargo to Seattle. You also have to hope that the VPN-server itself is fast to receive your Internet packets, and fast to send them along, and fast to receive the response packets from Seattle, and fast to send them along.

The other possibility is a ring of stationary orbiting satellites around the world. Your Internet packets would go "up" to a satellite, and "across" to the satellite nearest to Seattle, and then "down" to the ground. I expect that there would be some "cost-recovery" (think of toll-roads & toll-bridges) for the privilege of using this network. Would it be faster than fiber-optic cables & internet routers?  Hmm.

[Vietziggs]

It's been awhile but, I realized that its all games that I'm having routing issues.

[mdk]

@Vietziggs wrote:  I realized that its all games that I'm having routing issues.

As long as your computer is in Saskatchewan, and as long as your Internet packets are routed by Shaw through Edmonton, then Vancouver, then Seattle, before getting anywhere "close" (on the Internet network inside the USA) you will have routing issues.

You mentioned that the routing for SaskTel users is better. Shaw is not a monopoly; it's only their two-year Value Plans that have you "locked-in", unless you pay the $30/month penalty for each of the remaining months of your two-year plan, to break out by cancelling your contract.

Or, maybe you can find and pay for a VPN-server that is connected to SaskTel.  Then, your packets would be routed inside Saskatchewan to that VPN-server, and then on Telus to the foreign game-server. Response packets will take the "reverse" route to the same VPN-server, on their way to you.

Or, you may possibly "downgrade" your Shaw Internet to a very-slow speed (which does not break your contract) at a very-low price, and not use it on your gaming-computer, but keep Shaw TV and Shaw Phone, and subscribe to fast Internet through SaskTel, and connect only your gaming-computer to SaskTel.

You have choices. Yes, it may cost more to get faster gaming.  It seems that the extra $$$ will be worth it for you.