Being Disconnected after 1 Minute

[Clash]

Hi,

I'm having this issue for like 3 weeks now. Same happens with some mates, we don't know why, after like 1 minute we get disconnected from the server(it doesn't matter which). I have played on those servers below and my ping is low on them.

A message just appears: Nickname has been Disconnected. And I have to connect there again.

Any idea?
Thanks.

[DeMo]

Clash you noob!
Just kidding, what he says is true.. some people are being constantly disconnected from the servers for no apparent reason.
They play for some (little) time and then simply get disconnected.

[chrisgbk]

There are a few possible causes for this:

1) Wrong Map Version, although it usually kicks players within 5 seconds

2) Router/Firewall issue, or just dropped packets period. If the server doesn't recieve certain replies to packets in a timely fashion it disconnects the player.

Check and make sure you have nothing running on your computer, or on your network if you are on one, that could be monopolising bandwidth.

Enable logging with the configuration tool, and after you are disconnected check and see if anything strange was logged.

Ensure you are running the latest client and that it is not corrupted; reinstalling may help.

[Clash]

I enabled file logging and played, but I didn't find any file with the logs so I figured there might not be any log of errors.

I'm pretty much sure it's not wrong map version neither corrupted stuff, but I'll try reinstalling.
I think it's my cable internet provider...

I'm on a network, I'll test later at my brother computer.
Thanks for the help anyways guys!

[chrisgbk]

Logs go into into <where you installed soldat>\Logs, ie: c:\Soldat\Logs, and there are 2 different files you can look at: ConsoleLog.txt and Log.txt

[Clash]

What is this?
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20032
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20034
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20000
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20045
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20038
06-06-30 15:34:54 Config ticks 20019
06-06-30 15:34:54 Config ticks 20014
06-06-30 15:34:54 Config ticks 20015

Weird thing happened today, I logged on, after like 10 seconds, the map ended. But do you know the console lag and it takes much longer for you to start the map? You start to hear others playing while you're still waiting? Then after the lag, I started playing, and I played with like 2~3 minutes without itself disconnecting, I disconnected and tried again, but then it disconnected after 50 seconds. I'm starting to think this is a soldat bug...

[chrisgbk]

What is this?
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20032
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20034
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20000
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20045
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20038
06-06-30 15:34:54 Config ticks 20019
06-06-30 15:34:54 Config ticks 20014
06-06-30 15:34:54 Config ticks 20015

I believe that is Soldat determining how many processor ticks are equal to one of it's ticks, but I'm not completely sure.

Weird thing happened today, I logged on, after like 10 seconds, the map ended. But do you know the console lag and it takes much longer for you to start the map? You start to hear others playing while you're still waiting? Then after the lag, I started playing, and I played with like 2~3 minutes without itself disconnecting, I disconnected and tried again, but then it disconnected after 50 seconds. I'm starting to think this is a soldat bug...

Doubtful it's a Soldat bug in and of itself; it's more likely that the bug is elsewhere and Soldat is just triggering it to happen. Having a connection that drops packets (despite having a good ping) can cause this, and it might not necessarily be something you can fix as it might be somewhere down the chain of computer networks you go through to connect to servers.

You said that you are on a network; some cheap models of routers use a method of working with games where they blindly modify any packet data that happens to match your IP address as a "quick fix", causing corruption to packets that contain data that do not represent an IP address but on a byte level match your IP address. It's possible that this may be the cause of the problem, but no guarantees. Using any decent router will solve that if it is in fact the problem.

Try this: connect yourself directly to your modem, and try playing. If you can play just fine, then you know the problem lies with your router.

[DeMo]

Chris, this problem is very odd.. people started complaining about it only last month I guess.
We have players that live in the same city and use the same ISP and some get disconnected while others don't.

It might be related to their modem/router but then we'll have to assume that everybody got a new modem since they didn't have this problem before. Maybe it's a spot down the route (the chain of networks) to the server... but as I said we have people using the same ISP and most of them don't have this problem.

[Clash]

I connected myself directly to the modem and the same thing happened, I'll try on another computer and edit this post.

Edit: I tested on another computer, same ISP, not on a network, same problem. Hmmm...

[FliesLikeABrick]

call your ISP and find out if they have any information for you

[chrisgbk]

Warning: Huge reply, lots of reading.

The thing is, from what I understand, there were no changes to the net code(and anything aside from minor changes would cause compatability issues anyhow, which would require a client update). Most of the added functions and such that were added were not directly added to the netcode, but to data parsing functions that the net code calls, which don't affect player (dis)connections.

These are the changes that could possibly affect the UDP net code(most are applicable only to admins and/or specialized circumstances, and not normal gameplay):

Version 2.4.9 - 2.5.0
- Fixed /kick & /ban command kicking an empty player slot.
- Fixed /unbanlast now unbans IP's banned via /banip aswell.
- Fixed players joining with blank names.
- Added Chat/Command flood protection. Players exceeding 8 Messages/Commands per second are flood kicked.
- Modified /loadcon command to load specific INI files. /loadcon xxx.ini
- Added command to send a Private Message to players. (Admin Only)
/pm # Message (Cannot use player names)
- Modified players lose 1 kill for typing /kill or /brutalkill.
- Added Global Mute command to mute players from talking completely.
/gmute ID /ungmute ID (Cannot use player names)
- Added Team Kill punishment. Enable by changing 'PunishTK=1' in soldat.ini
- Added Anti-Hack to detect Mass-Flag cheat. Turn off in Server.ini by changing AntiTeleport=0.


Changes 2.5.0 - 2.5.1:
- Fixed server not restarting when using /gamemode or /survival or /realistic.

As far as I am aware, there were no other changes made other than those listed. And it still leaves the question of why disconnections are limited to a very small group of people, while the majority are able to play without a problem.

A better question to ask, is this: of those players that are currently affected, is there a version of the dedicated server that they are able to connect to without issues? If they only experience the issue with the newer version and not the older one, thats one thing; however if the version of the server that was out before their problems started suffers the same symptoms that means that nothing with the server changed to break anything, and the problem lies elsewhere. Any volunteers to test this?

Having the same people using an ISP can mean little, if it happens that the node some people are connected to is having issues, while the others are not.

It may also be an issue with modems that has just started with modems; ISPs are notorious for at times using cheap components. I have had problems with modems dropping out, as well as friends using the same ISP/modem model, and our problems were rectified by getting a new modem.

The modem was -working-, but only in the loosest sense of the word: it would drop packets, stop working at times, and when it did work it was slow, way below what the speed should have been.

I was lucky, I only went through 2 modems at 2 different locations, that suffered the exact same problem; one of my friends went through 4, before he gave up and bought his own quality one rather than use the ISPs one.

I would be very curious to know if a new modem would help these players, or even if 2 players in the same city, using the same ISP, but with only one suffering from the problems, were able to swap modems temporarily and see if the problems moved with the modem.

As well, there is also the following possible causes:
- damaged ethernet cabling; does using a new/different cable solve problems?
-poor ethernet card; does using a different ethernet card, or updated drivers, help?
- are you using any software firewalls? do the problems go away when you disable them?
- are you using active anti-virus scanners? do the problems go away when you disable them? (Norton caused this for me for a few programs; I ended up deleting it because it was crap >.>)


If we could, to see if there is any common link between people, could all those who are affected by this post the following information:

- Computer Specifications, notably model of ethernet adapter, or motherboard model if using integrated.
- Operating system/version (98, ME, XP, XP SP2, etc)
- Router Brand/Model
- Modem Brand/Model and type (cable, dsl...)
- ISP
- IF you feel comfortable posting: city/which area of city(north, southwest, etc)
- Settings for soldat

I'm curious to see if those affected are geographically clustered, have some similar hardware, or some other link other than they all have soldat.

Oh, also one more thing: do you have the problems, if you host a non-dedicated server and have people join, or have someone else host and you join? Since the Client server hasnt changed, suffering problems in that case may also be an indicator.

One final other question: what settings are you using for soldat? Does changing your in-game connection type higher or lower help? Does closing all running programs help? (For me, I get strange errors if I leave Explorer(not IE) windows open, or MSN Messenger window open, due to addons that I use)


Then, if after all of that, or if an older version of the server doesn't cause issues, can we say that something has changed in the server to cause these issues.

Otherwise, soldat and its horrible, HORRIBLE (I love you MM) netcode are just making the problems apparent to you (remember, soldat uses plain UDP, not a guaranteed/reliable UDP wrapper so packets that get lost get lost forever, they never get resent), and in that case it's not really soldat's fault as it isn't doing anything wrong; its your connection being lossy that is at fault.


I'll keep trying to help you; I can even try hosting various version of the dedicated server sometime for testing if you catch me at an opportune time.

I'm done now, have fun reading.

[Clash]

chrisgbk, first of all, thanks a lot for your help.
Anwsering to a few questions here, the other computer I tested has a different modem so I think it's not the modem fault.

I think it's a great idea to test people on my client server and to try other versions, I'll give you some input tomorrow, it's a bit late now and I have homework to do, lol. Thank you, I appreciate.

If you have MSN, AIM, ICQ, please add me so we can talk:
MSN - begeladim@hotmail.com
AIM - freezeburnd
ICQ - 283718809

[chrisgbk]

Well, I added you to MSN but haven't seen you online at all; did you give me the correct address?

[Michal Marcinkowski]

What is this?
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20032
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20034
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20000
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20045
06-06-30 15:34:53 Config ticks 20038
06-06-30 15:34:54 Config ticks 20019
06-06-30 15:34:54 Config ticks 20014
06-06-30 15:34:54 Config ticks 20015

Weird thing happened today, I logged on, after like 10 seconds, the map ended. But do you know the console lag and it takes much longer for you to start the map? You start to hear others playing while you're still waiting? Then after the lag, I started playing, and I played with like 2~3 minutes without itself disconnecting, I disconnected and tried again, but then it disconnected after 50 seconds. I'm starting to think this is a soldat bug...

That is fine. It's not where the problem is.

[Clash]

Well, I added you to MSN but haven't seen you online at all; did you give me the correct address?

Yes, can you give me yours?
I'll try this weekend some stuff, my bud who is also having this problem said that before he couldn't host, people would disconnect too when he hosted, he says that now he can host.

I'll test some stuff and post tomorrow...

[Clash]

Just an update here, when I log to a server as an spectator, I am not disconnected.

I can't connect to the lobby any longer, my file:
lobby.soldat.pl
selfkill.com

I'm trying to test 1.3 but I can't find any server...

[chrisgbk]

chrisgbk@hotmail.com <--

Good luck trying to find a 1.3 server, I don't think anyone runs one anymore. The lobby is a known issue, see the other stickies/threads.

[chrisgbk]

Alright, update to any of those interested: We tested using Soldat 2.4.6 Dedicated Server, which as you may know, is somewhere around 6 months old. (Soldat 1.3.1 was releaseed December 12, 2005) The problems still persist in this old version of the server, so no recent changes have broken it, and interestingly enough, since the problems started recently, this means that it's not Soldat or the Dedicated Server at fault as something else is causing issues.

What's happening is, for some reason, certain packets are being dropped by the ISP(s) in question, on a regular basis. Whether this is the result of active filtering by an ISP, or some other unknown reason, I don't know for sure. What I can say, after talking to EnEsCe, is that this triggering a cheat flag in the server, which is usually set off by certain types of hacks. Basically, the server is receiving normal movement data, but not some of the other packets. Either the client is not receiving the packet in the first place, or the server isn't receiving the reply.

So, to sum up: nothing has changed in the last 6 months codewise, and any users experiencing this problem should complain to their ISP as we at the forums, and MM/EnEsCe, cannot fix it.

UPDATE: User in question did some testing on my advice, and it turns out his connection DROPS all packets that are 1 or 2 bytes in size. So it is officially confirmed: The ISP is dropping the packets used by soldat on a regular basis.

UPDATE2: User also found a 1.3.0 server. Still experiences issues. Suffice to say, that should end any speculation on the server being at fault.

(Sorry for double post, wasn't thinking)

[Clash]

Hmm... I don't my ISP will change it, can MM/EnEsCe or whoever make something? I don't this problem with other online games, why Soldat uses 1 byte packets? Isn't the default 32 bytes?

[EnEsCe]

We cant do anything about it, changing the netcode would require alot of changes, which we arent prepared to do.

"Isn't the default 32 bytes?" Dunno which hole you pulled that from, there is no default size for packets... if you include the RAW packet headers, then maybe its atleast 32 bytes.

But, the point is, change ISP or have fun not being able to play Soldat lol =D