Host connection lost on entering arena

[Nimrod]

I'm new to Aces High.  I've created an account and logged on.  When I get to the arena I see a couple of messages, one about Voice and my modem RD light is almost solid.  SD goes on every so often.

Then I get a Connection to Host Lost message.  It looks as though AH doesn't like me.  My Internet set up is OK (been on it for years so I know all the problems).

Looks like an AH problem because I've seen other messages on this BB with the same problem.  Seems a pity to waste my 2 week trial hehe.

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Nimrod

[Pyro]

Hi Nimrod,

Have you run a traceroute to us when this happens.  It'd be very useful if you could post one here so as to help determine whether it's a software/hardware problem or route related.



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Doug "Pyro" Balmos
HiTech Creations

[Nimrod]

OK will do.  I managed to get on later the same night.  Could you tell me what address to ping or where that info is posted please. Thx

[Nimrod]

Can't get on again.  Found an address by poking around, hope it is the right one.  Here is a Visual Route table
==========================================================
=== VisualRoute (tm) 4.2a report on 01-Aug-00 21:28:22 ===
==========================================================

Report for beta.hitechcreations.com [216.91.192.19]

Analysis: Node 'beta.hitechcreations.com' was found in 14 hops (TTL=243). It is a HTTP server (running
Apache/1.3.9 (Unix) mod_ssl/2.4.2 OpenSSL/0.9.4).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Hop | Err | IP Address      | Node Name                              | Location             | ms  | Graph      | Network                           |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 0   |     | 192.168.0.1     | HOMER                                  | ...                  |     |            | (private use)                     |
| 1   |     | 194.159.254.69  | gyle-69.access.demon.net               | -                    | 105 |   x-       | Demon Internet Limited            |
| 2   |     | 194.159.254.100 | tele-core-1-fxp3.router.demon.net      | 51.81 N, 0.26 W      | 130 |   x-       | Demon Internet Limited            |
| 3   |     | 194.159.252.54  | tele-backbone-1-ge020.router.demon.net | 51.81 N, 0.26 W      | 111 |   x        | Demon Internet Limited            |
| 4   |     | 195.173.173.9   | ny2-backbone-1-ge020.router.demon.net  | 40.70 N, 74.01 W     | 185 |     x      | Demon Internet Ltd                |
| 5   |     | 195.173.173.210 | ny1-border-1-210.router.demon.net      | -                    | 192 |     x--    | Demon Internet Ltd                |
| 6   | 1   | 144.232.173.9   | sl-gw9-nyc-0-2.sprintlink.net          | New York, NY, USA    | 182 |     x      | Sprint/United Information Service |
| 7   | 1   | 144.232.7.93    | sl-bb10-nyc-4-0.sprintlink.net         | New York, NY, USA    | 182 |     x      | Sprint/United Information Service |
| 8   |     | 144.232.18.37   | sl-bb10-pen-7-0.sprintlink.net         | Pennsauken, NJ, USA  | 187 |     x      | Sprint/United Information Service |
| 9   |     | 144.232.5.153   | sl-bb12-pen-9-0.sprintlink.net         | Pennsauken, NJ, USA  | 184 |     x      | Sprint/United Information Service |
| 10  |     | 144.232.9.238   | sl-bb21-fw-5-2.sprintlink.net          | Fort Worth, TX, USA  | 217 |     x-     | Sprint/United Information Service |
| 11  | 2   | 144.232.0.130   | sl-gw13-fw-0-0.sprintlink.net          | Fort Worth, TX, USA  | 277 |     --x--- | Sprint/United Information Service |
| 12  |     | 144.228.137.6   | sl-dnetfw-1-0-T3.sprintlink.net        | -                    | 222 |     -x     | Sprint                            |
| 13  | 1   | 216.90.2.66     | applink-1.usdlls.savvis.net            | -                    | 249 |      x---  | SAVVIS Communications             |
| 14  |     | 216.91.192.19   | beta.hitechcreations.com               | ?Grapevine, TX 76051 | 249 |      x---  | Applink Corp                      |


Sorry about the formatting.


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Nimrod

[Nimrod]

Trying again tonight, still can't get in.  Traceroutes give ping times 220-250ms with a couple of errors at Sprint routers.  It gets as far as the population of the map with red and green blocks then gives a switching to TCP message and Host not found.

It seems a bit too sensitive - are you blocking out people to stop warpers?  To my reasonably experienced eye, the connect seems fine.

Perhaps you might want to have a retry button rather than simply dumping people out of the program, back to the desktop.  It is frustrating enough not getting in without going through the whole rigmarole again hehe.

I've seen a few with this problem now.  Have you sussed it out or produced a FAQ yet that I can read?  Thanks.

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Nimrod

[Vermillion]

Nimrod, I'm not a tech support type, but have you tried the alternate connection route?

When you login, at the arena selection screen choose it. It may say its closed, but its lying  

That may help. At least its worth a try.



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Vermillion
**MOL**, Men of Leisure
"Real Men fly Radials, Nancy Boys fly Spitfires"

[Pyro]

Nimrod, when you say a couple errors at Sprint, do you mean lost packets?  Because that is the real killer, not the how long they take to get there.  It's the packets not getting through that will lose the connection.  I'd try as Verm suggests, hopefully that will bypass the problem.  If not, we need a copy of the trace showing the problem.  I can get that to Skuzzy and he can notify those capable of fixing it that there is a problem.



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Doug "Pyro" Balmos
HiTech Creations

[Skuzzy]

I wish those lunatics at Sprint would sell thier backbone services to a company that can actually manage a network  .


------------------
Roy "Skuzzy" Neese
President, AppLink Corp.
http://www.applink.net
skuzzy@applink.net

[Strega_Mskt]

Ahh come on Skuzzy, tell us how you REALLY feel heheheee  

[Nimrod]

Ok I think you mean alternate arena Verio which is marked Closed. I just tried this and got the same result.

I've flown WB (can I say that here?) for years and must admit the connect is great.  Sure there are the odd poor spots but that's the Internet for you.  In fact I just jacked in WB on the strength of AH being a bit more mature now and wishing to support folk who care B-).  I can't afford both and I can't afford not to get my fix with one or the other.  I am in a bit of a quandary because if I don't get a decent connect I'll have to jack in AH.  And since I only get 1 free trial I'm not going to want to risk $30 say in 3 months time to see if it is any better.

Sorry to go on a bit, but other on-line sims seem to survive the odd packet lost.  Ah well I'll give it the full 2 weeks and see.  From what you've said here it doesn't sound like there's anything _I_ can do.  Perhaps you could de-tune the sensitivity a touch?


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Nimrod

[Nimrod]

It gets worse.  Visual Route gives _no_ lost packets, so I try AH.  Get as far as the map and my modem rd and sd lights play ping pong at about 2-3HZ.  The map turned bases red then after several minutes I get lost connection.  Do I just give up with the feeling AH is only for US citizens <grin>.  I am a bit surprised there is no FAQ for this (e.g. I was told to send a traceroute but nobody told me what to ping!).  ISTR WB (Killer) making arrangements to route using more reliable paths.  They have alternates.  Will AH go down that route?

Sorry if my frustration gets through.  I guess you guys have a lot to do.  I just don't seem to have any options but pray that Sprint stop screwing up my connection (assuming that's all it is).


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Nimrod

[Nimrod]

Errors are in the third column.  If you'd prefer I send this to someone please let me have their email address.

| 0  |     |   | 192.168.0.1     | HOMER                                  |
| 1  | 100 |   | 194.159.254.64  | gyle-64.access.demon.net               |
| 2  | 121 |   | 194.159.254.100 | tele-core-1-fxp3.router.demon.net      |
| 3  | 111 |   | 194.159.252.54  | tele-backbone-1-ge020.router.demon.net |
| 4  | 182 |   | 195.173.173.9   | ny2-backbone-1-ge020.router.demon.net  |
| 5  | 212 |   | 195.173.173.210 | ny1-border-1-210.router.demon.net      |
| 6  | 180 |   | 144.232.173.9   | sl-gw9-nyc-0-2.sprintlink.net          |
| 7  | 182 | 2 | 144.232.7.93    | sl-bb10-nyc-4-0.sprintlink.net         |
| 8  | 190 | 2 | 144.232.18.37   | sl-bb10-pen-7-0.sprintlink.net         |
| 9  | 187 | 1 | 144.232.5.153   | sl-bb12-pen-9-0.sprintlink.net         |
| 10 | 218 |   | 144.232.9.238   | sl-bb21-fw-5-2.sprintlink.net          |
| 11 | 232 |   | 144.232.0.130   | sl-gw13-fw-0-0.sprintlink.net          |
| 12 | 230 |   | 144.228.137.6   | sl-dnetfw-1-0-T3.sprintlink.net        |
| 13 | 230 | 1 | 216.90.2.66     | applink-1.usdlls.savvis.net            |


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Nimrod

[Westy]

 This may be way out there but try checking "poll with interupts" in the Windows game controller to turn it on. If it is checked try unchecking it and see if it helps.
 I had trouble early on in the beta with the exact same trouble and this oddly enough was the fix. Till I got cable modem service and I'm back to unchecked on the "poll with interupts"
 If this does nothing, then I'm out of ideas.

  -Westy

[Dowding]

I know this is going to make me sound like a complete simpleton. I had a similar problem, gets to map and host connection lost message appears; and the only problem was that the internet browser had the 'Do not allow programs to use this connection' box checked in IE.

Made me feel a complete idiot.  

And u probably won't need this.

[This message has been edited by Dowding (edited 08-28-2000).]

[hiegunn]

Well I tried the interrupt both ways and I can't see a similar setting in IE 5.5 :-(

I've had to give up since my 2 week "trial" is up.  I think AH should change that to say 14 successful attempts.  I am not going to risk giving them a monthly payment when I can't tell whether I'll get a connection.

What pisses me off most is asking for a time extension and getting my message here and my username here pulled.

Ah well guess they don't need/want my money.  It's pretty poor service - I have to say the early days of WB were better and Killer very helpful.  Shame that spirit hasn't moved here with some of the WB staff.

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Nimrod