new Pitboss game on dedicated box

[desolat]

Guys I'm thinking about scrapping the game. I sent you all an email about this. Not sure what the issue is but my vote is with pitboss, and perhaps the size of the game. The OS may have something to do with it too (win2k3 Server Enterprise), but intermittent issues are the hardest to t-shoot. If you have any ideas, I'm open, but the generic "make sure your firewall ports are open" or something like that isn't going to fly because we've had connections. Connections from ppl who couldn't connect previously, then connected later. I'm really thinking it is the known bug about not being able to connect while another player is in. While I'm sure you guys HAVE been able to do this on other servers, from what I'm reading, not everyone experiences the bug. One person even said in another forum that a remote client was attempting to connect on some random super high port number for unknown reasons, like 65432 or something. Once they accomodated for that port at the server it worked, but they don't know why it did that. There's no way I can combat that. Anyway, I've gotten a couple emails wanting me to keep the server up. Give me a full headcount-- a yea or nay. If you don't want to play on my server, I can kick you to AI and those that were able to connect can keep playing.

 

[desolat]

joethree just hang out, if anyone wants out I will give you their slot and see if you can connect.

 

[Mysterio10000]

Des, have you ever seen more than one person logged onto the server at the same time (not including you)?

 

[desolat]

No but I don't really monitor every waking minute. I wish there was a good log on the app. Is there?

 

[Mysterio10000]

No but I don't really monitor every waking minute. I wish there was a good log on the app. Is there?

I don't know of any.

 

[desolat]

Yeesh! They sure don't want anyone troubleshooting do they? <Sigh>. 'night

 

[Furious]

OK I've played my turn. 43 minutes left on the counter.
I connected using labersons.com, although the DNS probably wasn't the reason for the previous failure.

 

[tals]

I don't know of any.

Turn logging on from the server and the clients side and then look in the network log - it is reasonably clear what the issue is if people have problems connecting. Almost bet money that it will be one persons SW firewall at issue.

The game only needs the server to port forward 2056 to its IP - if people have connected then this won't be the issue.

Are people not getting a connecting at all or are they getting a connecting to peer and then failing?

I believe the next update (as and when it comes down) should resolve a lot of the connectivity issues people are experiencing.

In terms of machine spec - unless that machine is there for another reason that is way more powerful than you need - I mean WAY So could be worth trying it on a lowier machine first to see if it is OS/machine issue. Judicious use of port forwarding should mean no one even notices when you move it to another machine even if its temporary,

Tals

 

[Mysterio10000]

Are people not getting a connecting at all or are they getting a connecting to peer and then failing?

Players are timing out at "Contacting host..." when someone's already logged onto the server.

 

[tals]

Players are timing out at "Contacting host..." when someone's already logged onto the server.

Next update should make it clear but I would say someones firewall (its a peer to peer connection) is blocking the necessary traffic. If you enable your logging in the ini file i'm pretty sure it will identify the ip of the person you cannot connect to when it doesn't let you in.

Tals

 

[Mysterio10000]

Next update should make it clear but I would say someones firewall (its a peer to peer connection) is blocking the necessary traffic. If you enable your logging in the ini file i'm pretty sure it will identify the ip of the person you cannot connect to when it doesn't let you in.

Tals

But doesn't the fact that all players are timing out at "Contacting host..." indicate that the problem resides on the server's PC, not on any of the players' PCs?

 

[tals]

I thought you said someone was connected into the server?

 

[Mysterio10000]

I thought you said someone was connected into the server?

Right, only one person's able to connect to the server at a time. So, if someone's logged into the server, I would expect another player trying to log in to time out at either "Contacting peer" or "Connecting to peer" if the problem is due to a player, not "Contacting host." From what I've seen, when someone logs in, the order is:

Contacting host…
Connecting to host…

Contacting peer… (this is the first player logged into the game; lowest slot # gets contacted first)
Connecting to peer…

Contacting peer… (this is the second player logged into the game; second lowest slot #)
Connecting to peer…

.
etc.
.

Knowing this, you can determine which peer is blocking UDP traffic on port 2056.

Is this your understanding, as well?

 

[tals]

Yep thinking about it that would make sense - however if any one user can connect in it makes me wonder if it is another player than the actual server. Have you guys all tried to link up and try connecting in different sequences. We had a similar issue - albeit I think it went to the connecting to peer screen and that I am 99% sure was an issue with one of the players routers which was happy handling some peer traffic through it but would allow any more - was very strange.

If any one player can connect then all others time out I wonder if the servers router/network card could be at fault? Desolat - are you happy with your router, have you tried resetting it?

Tals

 

[Pennywise_30]

I am using a SW firewall, I wonder if thats part of the problem. Is there anything I can do to check my firewall. I am using zone alarm.

 

[Mysterio10000]

I am using a SW firewall, I wonder if thats part of the problem. Is there anything I can do to check my firewall. I am using zone alarm.

The easiest way to ensure your ZA is not preventing other players’ PCs from contacting yours is to set your security level from High to Medium. This unblocks UDP traffic. I believe that adding Civilization4.exe to ZA’s exception list is not enough.

The harder way is to set ZA to allow UDP traffic on port 2056.

 

[desolat]

Yeah I'm happy with it. It's a zyxel prestige. I guess you could say an above average one with 90 MHz processor and 16M RAM in it for stateful packet inspection operations. It can definitely handle more than one incoming connection. And I have played some games, albeit not civ4 through it. I will reboot it.

 

[desolat]

I enabled logging in the ini file. I would assume I need to restart the game. I'd like to not do so, but guess I will have to.

 

[tals]

I enabled logging in the ini file. I would assume I need to restart the game. I'd like to not do so, but guess I will have to.

Yep save the game, restart - load the game. They will never know it was down

I suspect the clients connections are going to tell us more in there loggin files than yours will but you never know.

Tals

 

[desolat]

Done I also restarted the box. Do you know of anyone that has run this on win2k3 before? Also, I don't have a less powerful box. I have 3 of these workstations in the house. They're identical. Sux to be me I guess.