Connection Problems Week of August 6, 2012

Jenai · Post by **Jenai** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 9:28 pm

Yes, they appear to be missing but I am also having an issue with porting over from Avlis.

I get this response: Your character file could not be transfered successfully (an error occurred). Portaling aborted.

I did get the latest haks and they worked fine a few days ago.

Thanks!

Melissa

MissyFlows · Post by **MissyFlows** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 8:02 am

i tried to direct connect over the last days and it wouldnt work, someone on IRC mentioned this being a prob mainly for non US players?

Psye Shaar · Post by **Psye Shaar** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 9:58 am

It's been no problem for myself or Nas in the UK, so really not sure what to tell you I'm afraid

Freeze was able to get back on eventually last night and I've just had another look and can get on now no problem...

Jenai · Post by **Jenai** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 11:57 am

I am a U.S player.

silverdragonams · Post by **silverdragonams** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 12:05 pm

If you're not able to connect when others are, there's a good chance its because your connection is attempting to go through a dead server between your location and Hala's. With AT&T having problems, I'd guess there is probably a lot of dead servers right now. Its happened to me a couple of times, and the only thing anyone can do about it, unfortunately, is wait it out.

Jenai · Post by **Jenai** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 12:09 pm

Thank you

terror2001 · Post by **terror2001** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 4:06 am

What is a dead server?

silverdragonams · Post by **silverdragonams** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:48 am

I don't know the technical terms for all this. As it was explained to me, when you make a connection from your computer to another, like Hala, a path is created through various other servers for the information to move through. Sometimes that path includes a server (or computer or router or whatever) that has gone down, or is dead, and your ISP doesn't account for that. It will continue to try to route through that same path until the IP address on the other side changes, which forces the path the connection takes to be recalculated.

Like I said, that's how it was explained to me anyway. I really have no clue how this new finagled internet-ma-thingy works.

Freeze01 · Post by **Freeze01** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 2:26 pm

Sounds plausible!

However, what i dont get is that sometimes I -can- connect, but lose connection after a while and -then- can no longer connect again.

Assuming the "dead server" hypothesis, then it would assume that my ISP makes different connections each time, or at least chooses from a small number of different connections causing it to sometimes work and most of the time fail?

All this server/internet stuff is too much for my tiny brain

silverdragonams · Post by **silverdragonams** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 3:02 pm

At this point, there is no telling what is actually causing the problems. But, Themi is working very hard on getting it fixed for us!

Sable · Post by **Sable** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 3:34 pm

From my very limited understanding, the route is calculated quite frequently, so if things are working right then routes would be calculated and rerouted to get around problems. Problems can be anything from dead nodes through to ones running a bit slow - the idea being that they'll get you the fasted route to were you want to go based on the traffic on the internet at the time.

This is a blind guess, but I suspect this means that performance reporting isn't working properly, therefore dead nodes are reporting that they are fine or that these things are chached for a while because the internet is so insanely large and so traffic is being routed down a bad route and into a black hole.

If, for whatever reason, your route takes you another way (there is a slow spot between you and the bad route) and so around the bad places, then it'll work. If it then recalculates it could take you the bad way.

Jenai · Post by **Jenai** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 8:05 pm

Thank you thank you thank you!

Post by **Themicles** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:30 am

While it is true that there have been problems with internet infrastructure across the US this past week, it appears that our specific problem with our DSL resides with our modem.

The short version is: I've switched the modem from standard mode with the PPPoE login on the modem, to bridged mode with the PPPoE login on Zeus.

Longer details: In standard mode, inbound traffic was getting stuck at the modem and never actually making it across the LAN cable to the network card on Zeus that it's connected to. This screams Firewall behavior, however the Westell 6100 modem does not have a built-in firewall. Switching to bridged mode effectively makes it appear that the modem isn't there and that Zeus is directly on the internet. Inbound connections are no longer getting stuck at the modem and Zeus is seeing all inbound attempts on all relevant ports.

This all started coincidentally at the same time that AT&T began having nation-wide issues with DSL logins. Michigan was one of several states affected. However, we did not experience any login issues. We in fact hadn't logged out until after I started troubleshooting. This leads me to my best guess.

My best guess is that in response to the login issues, AT&T pushed a software update to all modems. The modem is set up for automatic updates and does NOT log when it has done an update, so I cannot be sure of whether it has received an update. Once I moved PPPoE to Zeus and tried visiting a web page, I was redirected to AT&T's password reset system, which is clearly again a response to the login issues they were experiencing. My bet is that the software update contained something that broke or maybe intentionally blocked inbound connections. Perhaps as a security measure, perhaps not. I don't know any of this for sure, but I'm really out of ideas.

In addition to AT&T's issues, I have read that Verizon had a backbone go down this week. Further, in my own experience the DNS servers on Comcast's cable internet and even Google's primary public DNS server (8.8.8.

were fickle and randomly not responding.

At this time, everything appears stable and I believe it will remain that way. As always I have remote access to the network if anything acts up, and am opening myself a secure window through my cable internet in case the DSL goes down again. Kessa and I are going on a trip with her family starting tomorrow, and we will be returning late Wednesday.

Post by **Themicles** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:32 am

I also want to add my apologies for how long this took to solve. I spent the first half of the week bouncing between this problem and installing a new exhaust on my car. I finally got enough time to focus on the problems after dropping my car at a shop to have them complete the install.

If you're into cars, you can see pictures and videos here:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/10417828826 ... EVhSmuGhZj
https://plus.google.com/u/0/10417828826 ... n9rwtUe8Ng
https://plus.google.com/u/0/10417828826 ... 7yMz7ubkS7

Freeze01 · Post by **Freeze01** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 2:05 pm

Great job finding and fixing the problem!

And looking at your pictures, computers arent the only field you can find and fix problems in

Psye Shaar · Post by **Psye Shaar** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 7:31 am

Servers are showing, but when trying to log in it just hangs. Not just me either apparently.

Psye Shaar · Post by **Psye Shaar** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 10:51 am

aaaaaand all sorted again.

Thanks CD!

bidocks · Post by **bidocks** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 1:16 pm

Tried logging in just now to Hala and Ysgard, through favorites menu and direct connect. I can see 2 players on Hala, and one on Ysgard, yet, it never connects to the server.... my character list never shows up. Just the little box that says, "Server found, attempting to log in"

I can log into Avlis servers just fine. Any ideas?

Psye Shaar · Post by **Psye Shaar** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 1:21 pm

There have been a couple of issues lately, but usually if you try again a few times it should work. Sometimes closing NWN completely and then going back in helps too.

bidocks · Post by **bidocks** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 1:25 pm

Restarted NWN 4 or 5 times.... can see that Hala is now empty.... restarted my router and modem, just in case. Still endless wait. It doesn't freeze or lock up, just sits.

Psye Shaar · Post by **Psye Shaar** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 1:27 pm

Looks like there may be a problem afterall this time... we'll give them a kick as soon someone is able

bidocks · Post by **bidocks** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 1:31 pm

*nods* sure thing..... of course.... gotta work in a couple hours. That's my luck

Psye Shaar · Post by **Psye Shaar** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 2:03 pm

Should be fine now if you want to try again.

Thank CD

Psye Shaar · Post by **Psye Shaar** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 2:14 pm

Or not.. bear with us folks

Psye Shaar · Post by **Psye Shaar** » Sat Oct 19, 2013 3:01 pm

aaaaand.... fixed

Connection Problems Week of August 6, 2012

Connection Problems Week of August 6, 2012

No idea if it's the same issue as before or if it's me.....