My connection struggles HARD whn I play at TTP...

**WileECyte** · 02-25-09, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by DJ Mr. White

Wily, if you're still around DFW, try Verizon Fios. My parents got the complete package (phone, TV, Internet) and still save ~$160 a year right now as compared to when they had DSL and Comcast cable.

FIOS isn't available in Richardson. They sold their soul to SWBell nee SBC nee AT&T. I have Time Warner Cable for my internet. Unfortunately, the same idiots man the phones there since Comcast sold their DFW market presence to Time Warner a year or two ago. Knock on wood. I haven't had any connectivity issues in several years.

**WileECyte** · 02-25-09, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Veovis

Originally Posted by WileECyte

Looking at your traceroute though, shows that Level3 in Dallas may be the culprit. Your ISP or TTP's server host would need to take that issue up with Level 3 to get it corrected.

If it was that node, wouldn't the ones above it also "carry" the high ping? I sometimes find on tracerts that certain nodes in the middle time out, and have always heard that is fine as long as the ones "above" them ping ok.

When you see high ping on a node, it's usually the connection between the previous hop and that node with the high ping that's the issue. All apperances is it's a Level 3 issue, solely, since the hops are after it leaves Comcast's network and is on Level 3's network. Likely a routing issue or an overloaded router issue.

**DJ Ms. White** · 02-25-09, 12:48 PM

:3 Well, hopefully the Fiber networks extend that way. I can't wait for the day when the whole country is wired. With the internet needs of the populace increasing, it's the only logical way for infrastructure to keep up.

Originally Posted by WileECyte

Originally Posted by Veovis

Originally Posted by WileECyte

Looking at your traceroute though, shows that Level3 in Dallas may be the culprit. Your ISP or TTP's server host would need to take that issue up with Level 3 to get it corrected.

If it was that node, wouldn't the ones above it also "carry" the high ping? I sometimes find on tracerts that certain nodes in the middle time out, and have always heard that is fine as long as the ones "above" them ping ok.

When you see high ping on a node, it's usually the connection between the previous hop and that node with the high ping that's the issue. All apperances is it's a Level 3 issue, solely, since the hops are after it leaves Comcast's network and is on Level 3's network. Likely a routing issue or an overloaded router issue.

This was the issue that affected me last January. It's sad that Level3 still can't get their act together.

**Consultant** · 02-25-09, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Tick

Not sure if this would work with Comcast, but when I was having a similar problem with Suddenlink, I ended up calling their business support division, not their regular customer service. I told them I was a network admin for some bullshit company, explained the situation, and immediately got the call elevated to their level 2 techs (the ones who actually know what they're doing). Sent them my TraceRT log, they contacted the offending node, and my service was back to normal within a couple hours.

Don't bother with the public customer service. Having worked in a call center before, I can tell you from experience that 90% of the people working there don't know their ass from their face. It might take some hunting, but you can probably find their business service line if you dig around their website a bit.

Who's business service line? Comcasts?

lol - I need a script - I fear I would be sniffed out as a major bullshit artist pretty quick if I didnt have my lingo right. I will try this if i know what to say.

**enf** · 02-25-09, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by Consultant

Originally Posted by Tick

Not sure if this would work with Comcast, but when I was having a similar problem with Suddenlink, I ended up calling their business support division, not their regular customer service. I told them I was a network admin for some bullshit company, explained the situation, and immediately got the call elevated to their level 2 techs (the ones who actually know what they're doing). Sent them my TraceRT log, they contacted the offending node, and my service was back to normal within a couple hours.

Don't bother with the public customer service. Having worked in a call center before, I can tell you from experience that 90% of the people working there don't know their ass from their face. It might take some hunting, but you can probably find their business service line if you dig around their website a bit.

Who's business service line? Comcasts?

lol - I need a script - I fear I would be sniffed out as a major bullshit artist pretty quick if I didnt have my lingo right. I will try this if i know what to say.

I think you can BS with the business to get bumped to lvl2 support and then just say "listen buddy, Im gonna level with ya. Im a gamer and having a major snag in my ping all of the sudden. I did a tracert and found this..."

**Consultant** · 02-25-09, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by tr_enf

Originally Posted by Consultant

Originally Posted by Tick

Not sure if this would work with Comcast, but when I was having a similar problem with Suddenlink, I ended up calling their business support division, not their regular customer service. I told them I was a network admin for some bullshit company, explained the situation, and immediately got the call elevated to their level 2 techs (the ones who actually know what they're doing). Sent them my TraceRT log, they contacted the offending node, and my service was back to normal within a couple hours.

Don't bother with the public customer service. Having worked in a call center before, I can tell you from experience that 90% of the people working there don't know their ass from their face. It might take some hunting, but you can probably find their business service line if you dig around their website a bit.

Who's business service line? Comcasts?

lol - I need a script - I fear I would be sniffed out as a major bullshit artist pretty quick if I didnt have my lingo right. I will try this if i know what to say.

I think you can BS with the business to get bumped to lvl2 support and then just say "listen buddy, Im gonna level with ya. Im a gamer and having a major snag in my ping all of the sudden. I did a tracert and found this..."

lol awesome.

I dont know why, but I picture everybody who works in Tech Support as gamers themselves. Maybe this is the tactic to take.

**Tick** · 02-25-09, 02:26 PM

Begin Call Script:

Hello, this is <insert first and last name> with <insert first initial, middle initial, last name> Consulting. We've been having some difficulties with our internet and have been in contact with several of your service representatives throughout the day. Our in-house network admin recently ran a trace route following a call with <insert random generic name here>, and we were told to call back and speak with a level 2 technician concerning the results.

End Script.

Whatever you do, stay in control of the conversation. Most service reps will do everything they can to simply go by their own script, ie, "Thank you for calling such and such, may I have your first and last name? And is the first time you're calling?" etc.. They're trained this way, and most of them only have knowledge of what's on the script, which include things like clearing your internet cache and other crap. Don't let them do this, otherwise you'll just end up wasting time arguing over a bunch of useless steps.

Also, use "we" instead of "I" and "us" instead of "me". This will help sell the fact that you represent a major business customer, and as such, represent a lot of money. Most first level reps won't want to risk screwing up a call with a major customer, especially if you tell them (in a slightly annoyed tone of voice) that you've been speaking with several different reps throughout the day. More than likely they'll be all to happy to escalate the call rather than deal with you themselves.

Once you get in touch with the level 2, you don't necessarily have to keep up the act, just identify the problem and ask when you can expect it to be resolved. Again, don't fall into the trap of following their script. Most level 2s don't bother with it, as most of the calls they deal with have already been through those paces probably half a dozen times already, but they might if they're feeling lazy or can't be bothered to actually help.

Anyway, hope this helps. Good luck.

**Veovis** · 02-25-09, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by Consultant

I dont know why, but I picture everybody who works in Tech Support as gamers themselves. Maybe this is the tactic to take.

Literally how I got into RTCW, my most played game ever.

When I had that huge problem in college with Roadrunner, I spent hours on the phone with a high level tech who felt my pain. He eventually admitted it wasn't going to change any time soon (the node I was on was overloaded with apartments, and it was bad there but good everywhere else in the city) so I changed to DSL. In our conversations he told me he played the RTCW beta and it was awesome, so I took his advice and tried it out.

**Veovis** · 02-25-09, 02:27 PM

Nice script Tick, but with many companies you can literally just ask for a next level tech with no lies or reasons. The Tier 1 can't hang up on you, and if you refuse to answer his stupid questions and just keep repeating yours, he'll give in eventually. Just be persistent if they try to start back on their script. Sometimes you can even get a number straight to Tier 2 or 3.

**Ruukil** · 02-25-09, 04:03 PM

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Owner>tracert 72.233.44.143

Tracing route to 143.44.233.72.static.reverse.ltdomains.com [72.233.44.143]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 70 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.168.1.254
2 26 ms 26 ms 25 ms 68.152.247.189
3 26 ms 26 ms 26 ms 68.152.247.193
4 30 ms 30 ms 34 ms 205.152.122.132
5 30 ms 31 ms 30 ms 65.83.239.0
6 32 ms 31 ms 32 ms 65.83.238.76
7 59 ms 84 ms 54 ms 65.83.238.202
8 57 ms 57 ms 57 ms cr2.attga.ip.att.net [12.122.140.22]
9 56 ms 58 ms 56 ms ggr7.attga.ip.att.net [12.122.87.153]
10 56 ms 54 ms 54 ms 192.205.35.210
11 57 ms 62 ms 58 ms ae-72-52.ebr2.Atlanta2.Level3.net [4.68.103.61]

12 70 ms 76 ms 74 ms ae-63-60.ebr3.Atlanta2.Level3.net [4.69.138.4]
13 77 ms 72 ms 79 ms ae-7.ebr3.Dallas1.Level3.net [4.69.134.21]
14 57 ms 66 ms 62 ms ae-63-63.csw1.Dallas1.Level3.net [4.69.136.154]

15 72 ms 73 ms 72 ms ae-12-69.car2.Dallas1.Level3.net [4.68.19.4]
16 71 ms 71 ms 71 ms DATABANK-HO.car2.Dallas1.Level3.net [4.71.170.2]

17 74 ms 72 ms 73 ms aw_cw_10g.databank.com [63.164.96.54]
18 57 ms 56 ms 58 ms pod23a_aw.layeredtech.com [63.164.96.210]
19 * * * Request timed out.
20 * * * Request timed out.

Trace complete.

That's me. I don't really understand