latest Win10 Version Interference w\ AHIII

[TequilaChaser]

Pudgie have you ever tried BDSM? I think you'd enjoy it.

ROFL.... are you talking about the game "BDSM" on Steam?.... or the other "BDSM" which is not allowed to be discussed on these message boards?
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Pudgie,  now that you have found a 2nd program/app/etc... that has the same thing happening, it does sound like your Windows 10 OS has possibly had some files that did not fully correctly install properly during the update you did way back in what was it ? March? when this problem first started showing up....

you're like a Large Mouth Bass hooked onto a Johnson's Silver Minnow, and are unwilling to let go of this until you have figured it out and fixed it, LOL

I know it is aggravating, but if i was you I would back up any files you want to save and do a complete "FULL" format ( not the quick format option ) and if you desire create your partitions, then do a fresh installation from your Windows 10 media ( albeit a DVD installation disc or  a Windows 10 USB Stick/USB Thumb Drive )

and don't be connected to the internet


wish ya the best

TC

[Bizman]

I'm with TC here. I'm the guy that would rather spend days trying to fix Windows instead of copying the data folders to an external and doing a fresh install which would only take half a day including reinstalling all programs and copying the data folders back. Yet there has been cases where the latter would have saved me from much hassle. There's elements within Windows that won't get fixed and some of them may lie in even inside the full reset system. A fresh copy of the installing media on a USB stick and a clean install is the way to go, including unplugging any other hard disks and deleting all partitions from the OS disk. And unplugging from the Internet and taking a step back when it asks for your login info!

[Pudgie]

Quick update:

I haven't stopped working on this issue......

Been working w\ Hitech so that he would also have the info from this as a lot of what I've been witnessing going on\seeing isn't exactly lining up w\ what most are familiar experiencing so Hitech made a suggestion to me to try to use my IPhone as a hotspot to establish an alternative connection to the Internet to verify if my issues were really located in my box since I've reset my Windows 10 Home x64 OS some 3 separate times w\ the last time actually performing a C:\ drive format (same drive the OS was installed on) then downloading a clean Windows image from the MS cloud to use to reinstall Windows (which essentially imitates a clean install from a USB stick.....yeah you're still connected to the Internet but to my knowledge no virus\Trojan can execute\operate on it's own coding...still needs an OS to run it's code & the OS drive was wiped before OS reinstall....actually recovered a fair amount of drive space in the process--found later that MS Store was defaulted to auto update MS Store programs installed so shut that down) so I set out to perform the test.

Using a dedicated Verizon hotspot (had issues w\ my box recognizing my IPhone as a hotspot over USB--yes it was set up correctly--so I borrowed the wife's Verizon hotspot....had forgot that she had it) to connect to the Internet verified that there was actually no issues w\ anything software\hardware wise in my box (Windows OS & Windows Security AV--including the Windows Firewall--& AHIII, no viruses\Trojan infections) as AHIII started up, ran normally & AHIII servers downloaded any missing terrain files needed to enter an arena w\o a hitch as written to do so this pointed to the issue source being located somewhere between my box's NIC, CenturyLink ADSL modem\router or within my CenturyLink ISP's DSLAM\routing system between me & Hitech's AHIII servers.

Repeated this test several times thru the hotspot to establish repeatability to remove any doubts & got the same results then went back thru my CenturyLink ADSL connection several times & got blocked every time so same results thus is now reliably verified. So now am waiting on an AHIII patch update to be released to then run this test again using the Verizon hotspot to verify what we have noted in the prior testing......got a hunch that this will turn out the same.........

So in the meantime we're working w\ my ISP (CenturyLink) to see if this issue is being caused thru their system after running a test to make sure that the URL Hitech is using isn't getting altered (somehow getting switched from http to https) to localize the source before making any moves to replace hardware on my end since other apps\programs I use that also use the std Web Service http protocol (TCP Port 80) aren't having any issues connecting or sending\receiving data packets thru my CenturyLink ADSL modem\router & my unit has been using it's default settings since I got it last year, all logs show it operating fine w\ no errors, all diagnostic tests run come back normal & unit is using the latest firmware.

In the meantime I now can still run\play AHIII just fine thru my CenturyLink ADSL connection since I've manually downloaded all the terrain files that Hitech is using in rotation in the Open Melee arena & patched up to the latest patch thru the link he provided me to access all this on their servers thru my web browser (MS Edge) to get around this problem & the patching update problem until this issue is resolved.......which also adds to the weirdness as we're connecting to the very same AHIII servers that the terrain files are kept on to play the game.......

This is where we are at this time so I know now w\ pretty good assurance that my box or the software running on it (including any AV software) isn't the source of this issue concerning AHIII & the AHIII client software\AHIII servers aren't the source either.

Once this is finally rectified I'll let all know what was found.

FYI....................

 

[Arlo]

Wait .... BDSM is banned on this board?

[Pudgie]

Final Update:

As of now this issue has been resolved.

Ended up replacing my verified defective CenturyLink ADSL modem\router w\ my used NetGear Nighthawk AC1900 ADSL modem\router after resetting it's bricked firmware back to factory defaults to finally regain access to it then flash it up to the latest firmware to clean it up then set it all back up. Working just fine now.....hope it holds up as this unit is now discontinued................

AHIII operates just fine over my LAN now.....all back to normal.

Heck of a deal but it's finally fixed.......never could figure out why this CL modem\router had an issue w\ blocking AHIII server downloads only & not have issues w\ any other app\software running thru the Web Service protocol (TCP Port 80) but it doesn't matter now....at least not to me.

 

[Bizman]

Glad you got it sorted! So it was not Win10 at all, this time...

[Pudgie]

Glad you got it sorted! So it was not Win10 at all, this time...

Yep, nor was it an AV issue, neither Windows Security (which includes Windows Defender AV & Windows Firewall) or 3rd party WebRoot SecureAnywhere AV.

The issue was also shown to not be related to any outbound data traffic (which also would indicate my box as a suspect...but I did see a lot of outbound data activity that was happening at the same time & only in conjunction w\ the AHIII outbound data traffic over TCP port 80 tying up this port which to me looked suspicious) but was verified related to inbound data traffic issues only that were happening before it reached my box BUT was isolated in tandem to only 1 source.....AHIII game servers which Hitech knew were using the std Web HTTP Service protocols over TCP Port 80 to download game data over the Internet directly to their game client software on my box, which is very weird since other software's online servers which use the very same std Web HTTP Service protocols over the very same port were having no issues getting incoming data into my box blocked by the OS itself (this part is a real legit function of Win 10 which was verified when I tried to run a separate piece of MS software that did conflict w\ the OS's 64 bit function & got the same error dialog as I got when patching up AHIII client to latest version....which the AV firewalls aren't written to detect) so my CenturyLink ADSL modem\router was somehow altering the direct AHIII server incoming data packet's header info\data packets themselves in a way that the Win 10 OS (not the AV firewalls) saw it as faulty & thus rejected it but if the same data packets came thru another source like MS Edge Web browser then my CenturyLink ADSL modem\router passed it thru untouched so then the OS saw it as clean so allowed it to be processed then the game would function as normal afterwards.
All diagnostics tests ran & all service logs looked at from the CenturyLink CT1100 (made by Actiontec) ADSL 1-Gbit modem\router came back as normal\clean operations so no hint of any pending issue within the unit itself & the unit was using the latest firmware so there was no path to doing a refresh to see if it straightened up & all other components downstream of it all passed my testing so there was nothing to suggest it was a suspect until we tested my box thru another path to the Internet which then the results of this test exposed my modem\router as a suspect.

Hitech offered to get w\ my CenturyLink ISP provider to run some tests between their AHIII servers & CenturyLink's DSLAM here in Farmington (gave him my account #) to see if my issue was occurring somewhere within CenturyLink's system before it got to my residence (was waiting on feedback from him before I did anything as I was gonna have to order another CenturyLink-compatible replacement ADSL modem\router....all stores in my area have stopped selling these since FIOS was installed some 5 yrs ago....online pickings are very thin at best). Hadn't heard from him yet but I got to thinking bout my old Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 ADSL WiFi 1-Gbit modem\router (CenturyLink approved) that had issues shortly after a firmware update (why I replaced it) so I got it out, hooked it back up then after a LOT of fiddling I finally got my IPhone to run the Netgear Genie setup software in it on Safari after performing multiple resets to default settings to get it signed back into CenturyLink's ISP then I could use the wife's computer (IE 11...MS Edge had issues displaying the Netgear Genie HTML graphics imaging even w\ IE11 compatibility enabled....) thru Ethernet to access it to then flash it to the latest firmware which was successful so then fixed it.

After setting all back up I then ran the game & tested it using the Steal the Sheep arena (uses only 1 terrain file) by deleting the stealshe.res terrain file from the ah3terr folder then clicking online to enter this arena (AHIII servers check the FE's ah3terr folder to see if the terrain file is present-if not then they will download the necessary terrain file to the FE to use in the arena, does the same process for all online arenas)....AHIII servers successfully downloaded the terrain files into the FE thru this Netgear Nighthawk ADSL modem\router w\o Win 10 OS interference & opened the arena so the issue was now no more...just as it had done thru the Verizon hotspot thru USB.

Hell of a deal w\ a lot of rabbit chasing on my part but we got it isolated to the source.....still don't know what exactly is the specific cause of this issue within this CenturyLink modem\router....a simple firmware upgrade may very well fix it but as of today CenturyLink hasn't posted any & I didn't see any on Actiontec's web site for this model either.

But as usual, when you do this kind of diagnosis work, you end up finding more unrelated issues....the WAP I was using to extend wireless Internet service to the rear of the house had gotten cut out since I installed my new CPU\mobo upgrade (mobo NIC is full 1-Gbit capable as is my Netgear switch but my old Zoom WAP thru it's WLAN port is not which caused severe WAP wireless data traffic slowdowns between it & the full 1-Gbit capable ADSL modem\router since the single Ethernet port was set for full 1-Gbit speeds between it, the switch & my box's NIC) so now I've ordered a TP-Link WAP\1-Gbit Ethernet router to replace the old Zoom unit to rectify this issue so the entire LAN system now will have the same 2.4G\5G wireless WAP LAN capability AND the same 1-Gbit Ethernet LAN speeds so I can take full advantage of the 5G wireless LAN speeds w\ the devices that can use it as well as full 1-Gbit Ethernet LAN speeds across all Ethernet connected devices.

Should be all hunky dory after this for a while...........I hope.

 

 

[TequilaChaser]

Glad you were able to figure it out....seems like we were discussing router issues some 5 months ago

I'm guessing that the CenturyLink ADSL modem got "cooked" internally back when it overheated....

Am thinking you probably could have saved yourself a lot of time if you had just switched out modems....but look at all of the other things you found going on with your OS & system before you got to this point....

Happy New Year!

TC

[Pudgie]

Glad you were able to figure it out....seems like we were discussing router issues some 5 months ago

I'm guessing that the CenturyLink ADSL modem got "cooked" internally back when it overheated....

Am thinking you probably could have saved yourself a lot of time if you had just switched out modems....but look at all of the other things you found going on with your OS & system before you got to this point....

Happy New Year!

TC

Yeah TC we were but to me there wasn't enough conclusive data in my mind at that time to isolate my modem\router as a suspect.....now if these issues would have started happening immediately after the modem\router overheat then that would've tied the 2 together for me but that was not the case so I couldn't see it being related at the time. Didn't help that I didn't have a working spare unit at the time either to test with.......so I thought.........

I wish I'd had remembered that Mrs. Pudgie had that dedicated Verizon hotspot a LOT sooner but as you have stated I got a lot more out of all this than I might have otherwise so in the end it's all good. The bad part is that after all this time I finally remembered me using it on my box once before to keep it connected to the Internet back when I had jacked up this Netgear unit waiting on the CenturyLink unit to come in thru the mail.......

Yes, my memory is starting to slide some as I get older.......I'll admit it! 

I was glad\relieved that the firmware reflash of my old NetGear Nighthawk AC1900 WiFi 1-Gbit ADSL modem\router actually fixed it as this unit was very pricey at the time when I bought it (was top of the line back in the day for ADSL modem\routers w\ emphasis on gaming) but TBH I didn't think it was salvageable.....or else I'd have tried this earlier. Only tried it now due to the lack of suitable replacement CenturyLink-compatible ADSL units left online to buy........... This last 1 that went bad I bought directly from CenturyLink so I definately wasn't going back to them for a replacement if I could help it.......WAP range in it sucked as well vs this Netgear.

You can now rest assured that this has broken me of always updating component firmware just for the sake of updating it to the latest version.....back to the old true saying for me....."If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

 

[Pudgie]

Oh & BTW, TC...................

Yes I do relate to your large mouth bass comment..............

 

 

[Pudgie]

Just to inform all,

As of today I have sent this defective modem\router that I have replaced (was gonna discard it anyway) to Hitech so that he can run tests on it to determine what exactly is the reasoning as to why\how it was affecting their server's data packets as they passed thru it for future reference.....