Severe Network Stuttering on Wi-Fi - Completely Fixed by VPN (Suggests ISP Routing/Gateway Issue)

Hello GGG Technical Team and Community,

I am experiencing severe and persistent network-related stuttering and lag spikes while playing Path of Exile 2. This issue renders the game unplayable, particularly during combat, as my character freezes or rubber-bands frequently.

The crucial observation is the effect of using a VPN:

1. Current Setup:

Connection: Wi-Fi (Cannot use Ethernet due to physical limitations)

Game State (Without VPN): Constant, unpredictable stuttering and network spikes visible on the in-game graph (latency jumps from a stable value to hundreds or thousands of milliseconds).

Game State (With VPN): The problem is completely solved. The game runs perfectly smoothly with stable, low latency, demonstrating that my Wi-Fi connection itself is stable and capable of handling the game traffic.

2. The Paradox:

If the issue were with my local Wi-Fi (e.g., local packet loss, interference), the problem would likely persist or even worsen when routing traffic through a VPN (due to the added overhead). The fact that a VPN entirely eliminates the stuttering strongly indicates:

My local network (Wi-Fi) is NOT the root cause.

The issue lies with the network path (routing) between my Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the Path of Exile 2 Gateway (server). The VPN bypasses a problematic node or congestion point that the standard ISP route takes.

Alternatively, it could be an instance-specific server issue that the VPN connection avoids by connecting to a different/new instance or a different logical endpoint on the GGG side.

3. Request to Developers:

Could the team please investigate potential routing or peering issues affecting traffic coming from certain regions/ISPs?

Many players reporting similar VPN fixes suggest this is a broader issue related to:

Sub-optimal routing paths.

The game's current reliance on Lockstep mode (without a Predictive option like in PoE1), which is extremely sensitive to network inconsistency.

Specific game server (Gateway) instances being unstable.

Thank you for your time and any potential solutions you can investigate for players who rely on Wi-Fi and cannot use a VPN for a permanent fix.

Fix it please

bump