Connection problems - In the lobby

[euphoria]

Too often it's not possible to establish connection to a race in the lobby. No ping is reported, only a X. Is it a way to avvoid this? I hope so...

[aro69]

I suspect the firewalls people (including myself) are using block access - anybody having an idea how to solve such matters? On VSK site it states ports 80 (http) and 2350 are used by the game - I've opened these in the firewall but still have problems hosting (nobody joins)...?

Cheers,

[christiansen]

I have the same problem. I can join games and I can take over the hosting in the game if the original hoster leaves. The problem is that people can`t join my game when I wan`t to be the hoster. I have turned off the firewall.

Any suggestion?

[admiral 1]

when you are behind a router:

a) firewll must allow traffic on ports used (80, 2300 - 2400)

b) router must forward traffic to your private IP (incoming AND outgoing. For incoming possibly put your computer in the demiltarized zone DMZ hostin a race is not unlike running a webserver)

vskconfig advanced settings:

check radio button force use of server IP
enter PUBLIC IP in vskconfig
enter port that your router forwards incomming traffic to

If that doesn't help, does your ISP allow you to host? (eg. run services like a webserver?)

[christiansen]

Thanks admiral 1!

I searced for Vsk2Config and selected Advanced Network configuration. In client port I typed 80, and then I was able to host a game with sailers.

The problem now is my sailing, but I have to figure that out by my self.

Thansk again.


christiansen

[The Nude]

i'm on a university lan connection. Is there a way to find out what port your gateway forwards too? (other than ask)

any help is much appreciated

andy - the nude

[christiansen]

T thought I had fixed the problem, but I think I still have a problem. I`m able to host a game some times, but other times I`m back where I was before I typed in 80 in the client port.

Even if I don`t do anything I can host in one minute and not in the other.

Any suggestion to this?



Edited By christiansen on 1046847942

[CAN Knot]

Too often it's not possible to establish connection to a race in the lobby. No ping is reported, only a X.

I think there are some other issues involved other than people with firewalls. I sometimes get an X even when the game shows that there is already more than person in the game. It almost seems you can't connect while the host is changing any of the game parameters (name, course, wind speed etc.)

Is there a way to find out what port your gateway forwards too? (other than ask)

The only way is to ask. However, there is a good chance that the university blocks incoming ports, most do to prevent student from running servers. If they don't block them, the quickest way to get them to is to ask if they're open

In client port I typed 80

Try another port. Port numbers below 1024 are reserved for specific services so using port 80 (HTTP) may be confusing some things, particularly if you run a web server. Try any random number over 1024 (5000 to be safe) and under 16,000 and you should be ok.

You can also check out http://www.suderman.com/vsk2faq.html#hosting and see if there is anything there that helps.

[christiansen]

Thanks for answering CAN Knot!

Yesterday I had success to host games where people could join. I tryed different numbers in the range 5000-16000, but I`m not sure if that was the answer. But when I typed in my IP address, I managed to host games. I`m not sure if this was luck, but I wan`t quit before I know a stable way so host a game.

If anybody have comments to my "Stable Host" Project please give me a hint.

[admiral 1]

Try another port. Port numbers below 1024 are reserved for specific services so using port 80 (HTTP) may be confusing some things, particularly if you run a web server. Try any random number over 1024 (5000 to be safe) and under 16,000 and you should be ok.

actually vsk advices to use the default port 2350.
Reason some skippers may have their firewall/router configured so that only connections to port 2350 are allowed/forwarded. Others have their firewall/router configured for ports 2300-2400.

[admiral 1]

After that is all clear, there still might be a problem (in isolated cases) with the packet size with wich the data is exchanged.
To save on bandwith, some routers don't allow for fragmentation in smaller packets (the router has to fragment), but request of the source to reduce the size of the packets. If this request does not reach the originating vsk computer. Then a loop happens, send packet, router request for fragmentation not received, retry to send packet, etc. normally this is broken off after 4 attempts, then an X will show, or worse the race is started but sincronisation fails.

You can safely (at the cost of some speed) reduce this packet size. (can change it back too )

http://home.tiscali.de/kurtzimmermann/dfuetweaker_e.htm


To read up a bit pay a visit here:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/support/gaming_help.htm

[CAN Knot]

actually vsk advices to use the default port 2350.

That is the port VSK2 will listen to when hosting a game (i.e. VSK2 is acting as a server). However, the "Client Port" setting is the port number that VSK will use when establishing outgoing connections and should NOT be set to 2350.

If this request does not reach the originating vsk computer. Then a loop happens

Good point. I know that Outlook can have problems connecting if the MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit, i.e. packet size) is set incorrectly. The connection problems in VSK could be due to the host (most likely) not having their MTU tweaked correctly. MTU should be 576 for dialup, 1492 for DSL with PPPoE, and 1500 for all other broadband connections.

A great tool for checking you network connection settings can be found on the "Tools" page at Broadband Reports. Run the Tweak Test and then download DrTCP to make any suggested changes.

Also, if a router is installed the MTU on it should be set to the same value.

[christiansen]

I have been playing VSK2 for some days now, and I have been able to host a game every time I try. I just find out what my IP adress is and type it in in the advanced network configuration. My firewall is turned on.

I hope this will last!