Host Connection Lost part deux

[FuFiter]

Anyway, FooFiter here, I'm having the same connection problems, since last Friday, I can't stay connected.   I managed to connect for a few minutes in the Mid War Arena but got disco'd after about 20 minutes.  When I log on, it appears that the game has reset, vox and chat and all, plus I am rook now instead of knight.   it's like the game reset itself.  As well, I did do a complete reinstall as well, and that did nothing.  I can see the lobby, and the ping information on the arena's, but as soon as I log into the arena itself, kaput.   I've even tried playing it with my antivirus shut off.    HELP ANYONE!!. 

[The Fugitive]

Like old #5 use to say..... "Need input!"

What you have said is "my car doesn't run right, how do I fix it?"

First step is to check your connection. ftp://www.pingplotter.com/pub/pingplotter/pngplt_1.exe Pingplotter is a free program that you can use to "ping" the HTC servers to be sure your connection works.

Next you need to show a Dxdiag from your computer.... well just the top third up to and including "SOUND DEVICES"

Info on how to use/do these things can be found in the sticky threads posted at the top of the "Technical Support" threads.

Last, what in game setting are you using? When you first start the game before hitting the "online" button hit the "video" button and find out which texture size you are using and if you have the anti-alison checked or not. In game what eye candy do you have turned on.... shadows, ground clutter and such.

Bring all that info here and post it and maybe someone can help you pin point the problem.

[Skuzzy]

When the game appears to have reset some information, it is usually due to the game not being able to contact the servers to get the information from them.  When this happens, the game assumes a set of defaults.

If you are running any A/V (anti-virus) or file security software, they can interfere with the game.  If it is Norton or McAfee, then even disabling them will not restore normal operations to your computer.

If it is not another program interfering with the game, then grab Ping Plotter and run it to the server IP address for a couple of minutes (best done right after a disco) and see if it catches anything.

If that looks normal, I will need to see the output of a DXDIAG to go further.

[FuFiter]

i can't access the pingplotter, even if I turn on intranet, plus dxdiag is being sent to scuzzy via email. lets hope we can get it sorted out.

[The Fugitive]

i can't access the pingplotter, even if I turn on intranet, plus dxdiag is being sent to scuzzy via email. lets hope we can get it sorted out.

Sorry I screwed up the link.

http://www.pingplotter.com/downloads/pngplt_1.exe

[FuFiter]

Here it is guys, I think there's a problem with one of them.  any help would be great.
EDIT - the one that appears to have multiple missing packets, 2 of them showed up just when I pressed pause, so there's a missing spot there somewhere.  can't even show the IP address.

[Skuzzy]

What kind of Internet connection is this?  A 600+ms ping is going to cause some problems.

[FuFiter]

I'm using the same wireless modem I've been using all these years, and yes, the pings you see are what I usually play under.  granted I get the occasional disco, sometimes once a night, sometimes not at all.  I'm running anywhere between 2k and 25kbps, and its the norm.  I've played on dialup speed without issues, on the same modem when I go over my monthly limit, so its not my connection, if you noticed in the pingplotter, there is one spot where i can't even see the IP address.   I've never had a problem like with not even being able to get into any of the arenas. I've used this modem 5+ years I've been playing, and the ping times you see, are my norm.

Foo

[FuFiter]

I'm not a techie;  but has anyone else noticed that at 14, in my pingplotter, just before the destination IP, the packet is lost? and there is not even an IP address with it?? yeah...help?   I tried to hitechcreations and it works fine..as it says in the pingplotter, but when I go to the arena servers, it's a different story.

[The Fugitive]

Wireless connections are not very good. Your dial-up would be better. The game doesn't need a fast connection, but it does need a steady one. Your wireless connection is going to be all over the place, it's just the nature of the wireless signal.

Lost packet are never good, but there could be different issue that make it "look" like your losing them too. Some server won't return a ping cue to the way they are set up. So while it looks like you didn't hit the server it did and it passed it on.

Time is another issue, nothing lasts forever. 5 years is pretty darn good for a modem. What may have been you getting booted now and then could easily turn into getting booted often, or not being able to stay connected. It may just be time for a new modem.

Run the pingplotter longer. 10 minutes pinging every second. This will give a better idea of what your connection is like.

[FuFiter]

I"ll try again, but I've never had a problem like this in the past, i'll run pingplotter again later for a while.  this has never been an issue until right about midnight, last Friday.  these ping times are normal for me. i'll post pics later.

[Bizman]

I"ll try again, but I've never had a problem like this in the past, i'll run pingplotter again later for a while.  this has never been an issue until right about midnight, last Friday.  these ping times are normal for me. i'll post pics later.

As Fugitive said, five years is a long time for a modem. I had a similar experience with mine, an ADSL modem I believed was built to be a known reliable workhorse instead of a decorative item. All of a sudden the net just fell off, usually like once a week at Sunday noon after no problems during a Friday-Saturday night's AH sessions. After changing the modem there's been no drop outs for months now. Worth paying the $50 or so for the next half a decade!

[FuFiter]

ok guys, I tried another modem, it's still not working.....Skuzzy, did you get my dxdiag??

[Skuzzy]

I'm not a techie;  but has anyone else noticed that at 14, in my pingplotter, just before the destination IP, the packet is lost? and there is not even an IP address with it?? yeah...help?  I tried to hitechcreations and it works fine..as it says in the pingplotter, but when I go to the arena servers, it's a different story.

The next to last hop/router ignores the ICMP ECHO message, which is used by Ping Plotter/traceroute utilities.  It is normal for that hop to show 100% packet loss.

The WEB server is hosted at another facility on another ISP's network which does not block that network message type.

ok guys, I tried another modem, it's still not working.....Skuzzy, did you get my dxdiag??

I may have.  I am not in the office, at the moment.  I'll see Monday.  However, I doubt that is going to be an issue.  I have never seen the type of latencies you are getting from a wireless connection.  It is several times longer/slower than a dial-up would be.

It would be fast for a satellite connection, but for wireless, it is horrific.

[FuFiter]

yeah, where I live, its ok, I will try one more clean up and reinstall, I hope that will help, it will use up my monthly bandwidth, but that's ok.  yeah, I have a wireless modem, which relays to a tower, then uplinks to a satellite, what stupid is that it does a circle around Canada, then to your servers.  They used to call it "High Speed Internet" but had to change the name to Fast Internet because technically it does not meet high speed speeds.  I used to play FSX online with this modem, no problems.  yeah, sigh...when I was emailing Carrie, I sent her the DXDiag to her, asking her to show it to you.  offline practice just does not cut it  .  Google Pond Inlet and you will see where I live.

Foo