Issues, Workarounds & Localization

While not using PFSense I am using pf on a dedicated box, and have been for many years.

I haven't had any issues with the launcher or updates in general at all (well, except the server 'derp!' at the launcher initial launch).

But I've had, and debugged, similar issues for many years and many users ;)

In general, if you have issues with a (usually large(-ish)) download from a site while not having any similar issues reaching that site with tools like ping/traceroute/pingplotter or browsing small(-ish) stuff then it's a network issue somewhere between your client and the server.

Most likely related to traffic shaping, MTU or timing limits.

Stuff like VPNs or other tunnels, proxies (including 'live' virus/malware scanners), firewalls (both internal and external) and routers are the main suspects.

And that's after ruling out viruses and so called "Internet Accelerators".

If large downloads works from some sites but not from other, or if some types of download works but not other the suspicion falls heavily on a "traffic shaping" (a technology loved by ISPs and carriers but hated by users and content providers).

Traffic Shaping works (if/when it works) by profiling data streams and assigning data packets to different queues with different priorities. Intention being that 'interactive' traffic should be passed faster while 'bulk' traffic gets delayed, or in some cases blocked since it's decided (based on vague/random rules and most likely voodoo) to be "bad traffic".

The only known solution to such issues is to provide the content provider with comprehensive logs (adding stuff like traceroutes or pingplotter logs help).