Failed to connect to instance & async trade, idea for fix included (likely isp-related)

Hi,

i cannot connect to some of the servers, which make async trade quite unpleasent.

from /logs

2025/11/29 13:01:04 [INFO Client 12420] [SCENE] Set Source [(unknown)]
2025/11/29 13:01:04 [DEBUG Client 12420] [SCENE] Height Map Texture: 800 x 800
2025/11/29 13:01:12 [INFO Client 12420] Async connecting to fra.login.pathofexile.com:20488
2025/11/29 13:01:12 [INFO Client 12420] Connected to fra.login.pathofexile.com in 125ms.
2025/11/29 13:01:15 [INFO Client 12420] [SCENE] Set Source [(null)]
2025/11/29 13:01:15 [DEBUG Client 12420] Got Instance Details from login server
2025/11/29 13:01:15 [INFO Client 12420] Connecting to instance server at 23.109.220.163:6112
2025/11/29 13:01:36 [DEBUG Client 12420] Connect time to instance server was 0ms
2025/11/29 13:01:36 [INFO Client 12420] Abnormal disconnect: Failed to connect to instance

this was trying to connect to frankfurt.
pinging the server directly results in 100% package loss.



2025/11/29 13:01:36 [INFO Client 12420] [SCENE] Set Source [(unknown)]
2025/11/29 13:01:36 [DEBUG Client 12420] [SCENE] Height Map Texture: 800 x 800
2025/11/29 13:08:02 [INFO Client 12420] Async connecting to ams.login.pathofexile.com:20484
2025/11/29 13:08:02 [INFO Client 12420] Connected to ams.login.pathofexile.com in 47ms.
2025/11/29 13:08:04 [INFO Client 12420] [SCENE] Set Source [(null)]
2025/11/29 13:08:04 [DEBUG Client 12420] Got Instance Details from login server
2025/11/29 13:08:04 [INFO Client 12420] Connecting to instance server at 69.41.173.3:6112
2025/11/29 13:08:05 [DEBUG Client 12420] Connect time to instance server was 125ms
2025/11/29 13:08:05 [DEBUG Client 12420] Client-Safe Instance ID = 1773551279
2025/11/29 13:08:05 [DEBUG Client 12420] Generating level 13 area "1_1_town" with seed 1

this was amsterdam - working as intended.
pinging the server directly has 0% package loss.


the problem becomes apparent when traveling to an hideout that is among the servers that cannot establish a connection.

in that case, the game takes roughly 20 seconds before returning to the log-in screen.

sometimes it is possible to connect via another server, example:
unable to connect to US hideout via amsterdam
able to connect to US hideout via singapore

2025/11/29 15:02:16 [INFO Client 12420] Async connecting to sng.login.pathofexile.com:20485
2025/11/29 15:02:17 [INFO Client 12420] Connected to sng.login.pathofexile.com in 78ms.
2025/11/29 15:02:20 [INFO Client 12420] [SCENE] Set Source [(null)]
2025/11/29 15:02:20 [DEBUG Client 12420] Got Instance Details from login server
2025/11/29 15:02:20 [INFO Client 12420] Connecting to instance server at 172.241.5.141:6112
2025/11/29 15:02:21 [DEBUG Client 12420] Connect time to instance server was 359ms
2025/11/29 15:02:21 [DEBUG Client 12420] Client-Safe Instance ID = 2210176133
2025/11/29 15:02:21 [DEBUG Client 12420] Generating level 13 area "1_1_town" with seed 1
2025/11/29 15:02:21 [WARN Client 12420] Could not find row for MeleeAttackActionClient skill..
2025/11/29 15:02:21 [INFO Client 12420] Tile hash: 1139181677
2025/11/29 15:02:21 [INFO Client 12420] Doodad hash: 2393431363
2025/11/29 15:02:22 [INFO Client 12420] [SCENE] Set Source [Lioneye's Watch]
2025/11/29 15:02:22 [DEBUG Client 12420] [SCENE] Height Map Texture: 300 x 180
2025/11/29 15:02:22 [DEBUG Client 12420] [SCENE] Static Walkability Texture: 230 x 138
[shortened to relevant entries for readability]
2025/11/29 15:02:29 [DEBUG Client 12420] Got Instance Details from login server
2025/11/29 15:02:29 [INFO Client 12420] Connecting to instance server at 169.45.69.248:6112
2025/11/29 15:02:29 [DEBUG Client 12420] Connect time to instance server was 203ms
2025/11/29 15:02:29 [DEBUG Client 12420] Client-Safe Instance ID = 2218942885
2025/11/29 15:02:29 [DEBUG Client 12420] Generating level 20 area "HideoutCourts" with seed 1
2025/11/29 15:02:29 [INFO Client 12420] Tile hash: 3474430180
2025/11/29 15:02:29 [INFO Client 12420] Doodad hash: 3100027006
2025/11/29 15:02:29 [INFO Client 12420] [SCENE] Set Source [(null)]


the target hideout was 169.45.69.248, seems to be an US server.

there seems to be some routing issue, mainly when trying to connect from some EU servers to US servers. I can ping 169.45.69.248 with 0% package loss, however i was not able to connect to it from a hideout on amsterdam.



It is probably ISP-related.
Feel free to send me an e-mail if you want me to provide tracert-logs or additional information.

tracert 23.109.220.163 (Frankfurt Server for PoE) falls apart on multiple points, last being IP belonging to: ASN AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc.


Here is my idea for a possible fix to prevent these cases on your end - with two positive side effects:
1. players no longer being able to get griefed by builds that are able to crash their hideout
2. reduce load times by no longer needing to load their entire hideouts, smoothening the overall experience of the in-game market panel

fix:
create a "copy" of the merchant on the server the buyer is on.
instead of traveling to the sellers hideout, effectively the merchant tab would load onto the buyers server.
when the buyer attempts to purchase, the "merchant copy" communicates with the server of the seller - it then authenticates and decides who bought the item first, in case multiple buyers try to buy at the same time. (or the faustus mechanism for filling orders somehow gets applied)

this could be implemented as an option and would smoothen the experience of using the integrated trade browser.
instead of "Travel to Hideout" it could be "Visit Merchant" and instead of loading into the hideout, a merchant stash would show - highlighting the item and keeping the overall functionality of current merchant tabs.
Or a different button to still allow for choice - "Travel to Hideout", "Visit Merchant", "Ignore Player". (personally i would also like a whisper button, to be able to make offers for items via chat and still trading player2player. It could be optional to introduce "Exact Price" and "Negotioable Price" to merchant tabs)

Since the PoE-Servers are likely to be able to always communicate with each other, this would eliminate a lot of routing issues for individual players.

I hope this post is somewhat-readable, thank you & have a nice day!