WideFS and WLAN

[Tesser]

Hello Pete,

firstly a happy new year! I hope you had a good start.

Unfortunately I got a silly problem with WideFS since I use WLAN connection. Nobody was able to help me so I appeal to you.

Im using WideFS and FS9.1. WideClient is installed on a Toshiba Satellite Notebook. Sadly the connection between WideServer and Client is very (!) slow. Altough they get a connection any data tranfser between the FS and third party software like ActiveSky or FSINN stagnates. Sometimes the connection even gets completly lost! E.g. a weather update via ActiveSky takes several minutes. On a "wired" connection it's done in a few moments. Online Flying is almost impossible due to casual loss of connection.

The problem occured on a Linksys router as well as on a router provided by me internet supplier. It also occured on a different Notebook. As I already wrote within a wired connection everything runs perfectly - on the same machines. (Unfortunately I depend on a WLAN :? ) Any other network functions also run stable e.g. network printing, internet browser etc. So I only have problems with the connection of WideFS

Finally some technical facts:

No Firewall or Anti-virus

WEP 128bit encryption

Server: MSI US54SE WLAN Stick (USB)

Client: Intel PRO 2200 BG

Router: Speedport W500V (German Telekom tech. documentation)

Client Log:

********* WideClient.DLL Log [version 6.02] Class=FS98MAIN *********

Date (dmy): 01/01/07, Time 15:54:41.828: Client name is TE-TOSHIBA

47 Attempting to connect now

78 Connection made okay!

4985 New Client Application: "AS2004" (Id=3888)

245250 Timed out response: connection assumed lost!

245250 Ready to try connection again

245313 Attempting to connect now

245313 Connection made okay!

780344 Timed out response: connection assumed lost!

780344 Ready to try connection again

780360 Attempting to connect now

781828 Connection made okay!

800360 Timed out response: connection assumed lost!

800360 Ready to try connection again

800422 Attempting to connect now

800422 Connection made okay!

820422 Timed out response: connection assumed lost!

820422 Ready to try connection again

820485 Attempting to connect now

820485 Connection made okay!

1811281 Timed out response: connection assumed lost!

1811281 Ready to try connection again

1811313 Attempting to connect now

1811375 Connection made okay!

1851656 Timed out response: connection assumed lost!

1851656 Ready to try connection again

1851719 Attempting to connect now

1851719 Connection made okay!

4403406 Error on client post-Connection Select() [Error=10053] Software caused connection abort

4403469 Ready to try connection again

4403469 Attempting to connect now

4403563 Connection made okay!

4403719 GetRecv() missed block? Sequence -1 jumped to 25038

4403719 LAN data received:

PREQ ulSize=30, ulTime=25038, uSum=2355, fUsed=0

B4 02 00 FE 04 00 AF 54 DD 00 09 00 00 00 00 00

4403719 --> Sumcheck error!

4403719 Size Act=41 Exp=41, Sum Act=1692, Exp=2355

4404078 GetRecv() missed block? Sequence 25038 jumped to 1

4751906 Timed out response: connection assumed lost!

4751906 Ready to try connection again

4751969 Attempting to connect now

4751969 Connection made okay!

5949297 Error on client post-Connection Select() [Error=10053] Software caused connection abort

5949297 Ready to try connection again

5949344 Attempting to connect now

5949344 Connection made okay!

7152610 Timed out response: connection assumed lost!

7152610 Ready to try connection again

7152672 Attempting to connect now

7152672 Connection made okay!

8293125 Timed out response: connection assumed lost!

8293125 Ready to try connection again

8293156 Attempting to connect now

8293156 Connection made okay!

9990297 Timed out response: connection assumed lost!

9990297 Ready to try connection again

9990328 Attempting to connect now

9990328 Connection made okay!

10024985 Error on client post-Connection Select() [Error=10053] Software caused connection abort

10024985 Ready to try connection again

10025000 Attempting to connect now

10026000 Error on client pre-Connection Select() [Error=10061] Connection refused

10026000 Ready to try connection again

10026063 Attempting to connect now

10110000 Error on client pre-Connection Select() [Error=10060] Connection timed out

10110000 Ready to try connection again

10110047 Attempting to connect now

10111000 Error on client pre-Connection Select() [Error=10061] Connection refused

10111000 Ready to try connection again

10111047 Attempting to connect now

10210688 Error on client pre-Connection Select() [Error=10060] Connection timed out

10210688 Ready to try connection again

10210735 Attempting to connect now

10211797 Error on client pre-Connection Select() [Error=10061] Connection refused

10211797 Ready to try connection again

10211860 Attempting to connect now

10230438 Reception maximum achieved: 132 frames/sec, 5893 bytes/sec

10230438 Reception average achieved whilst connected: 8 frames/sec, 356 bytes/sec

10230438 Max receive buffer = 12369, Max send depth = 39

10230438 ********* Log file closed (Buffers: MaxUsed 40, Alloc 129955 Freed 129955 Refused 0) *********

Client.ini

; PLEASE SEE WideFS documentation for parameter details

; =====================================================

[Config]

Port=8002

Window=-32000,-32000,160,31

Visible=Yes

Timeout=20

UseTCPIP=Yes

ServerIPAddr=192.168.2.11

; -----------------------------------------------

[user]

Log=Errors+

ActionKeys=Yes

KeySend1=RWon

KeySend2=RWoff

; ===============================================

Server Log:

********* WideServer.DLL Log [version 6.50] *********

Blocksize guide = 4096 (double allowed)

Date (dmy): 01/01/07, Time 15:44:30.421: Server name is TESSERPC

124391 Initialising TCP/IP server

124407 Initialising IPX/SPX server

124407 IPX/SPX socket() failed [Error=10047] Address family not supported by protocol family

124407 Failed to start IPX/SPX Server

126391 Broadcasting service every 1 mSecs

136032 Restarting service due to total lack of use

136032 Failed to start IPX/SPX Server

191032 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=10124)

191078 Connected to computer "TE-TOSHIBA" running WideClient version 0.000 (skt=10124)

436266 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=10136)

436328 Connected to computer "TE-TOSHIBA" running WideClient version 0.000 (skt=10136)

444297 Error 10053: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=10124)

972922 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=10040)

973000 Connected to computer "TE-TOSHIBA" running WideClient version 0.000 (skt=10040)

991375 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=10192)

991407 Connected to computer "TE-TOSHIBA" running WideClient version 0.000 (skt=10192)

1012282 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=10460)

1012282 Connected to computer "TE-TOSHIBA" running WideClient version 0.000 (skt=10460)

1012969 Error 10053: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=10136)

1012969 Error 10053: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=10192)

1824297 Error 10053: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=10040)

2002938 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=11468)

2003063 Connected to computer "TE-TOSHIBA" running WideClient version 0.000 (skt=11468)

2005766 Error 10054: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=10460)

2042672 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=11460)

2042672 Connected to computer "TE-TOSHIBA" running WideClient version 0.000 (skt=11460)

2093188 Error 10053: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=11468)

4594438 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=10440)

4594469 Connected to computer "TE-TOSHIBA" running WideClient version 0.000 (skt=10440)

4601750 Error 10054: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=11460)

4942844 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=10216)

4942891 Connected to computer "TE-TOSHIBA" running WideClient version 0.000 (skt=10216)

4949891 Error 10053: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=10440)

5850563 **** ERROR! Sumcheck or length fails on received socket 10216 block, len=536 (time=264)

6139625 Error 10054: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=10216)

6140172 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=10940)

6140250 Connected to computer "TE-TOSHIBA" running WideClient version 0.000 (skt=10940)

7330125 **** ERROR! Sumcheck or length fails on received socket 10940 block, len=29 (time=1953497088)

7343516 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=11984)

7343578 Connected to computer "TE-TOSHIBA" running WideClient version 0.000 (skt=11984)

7354328 Error 10053: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=10940)

7933203 **** ERROR! Sumcheck or length fails on received socket 11984 block, len=659 (time=512)

8483938 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=12124)

8484016 Connected to computer "TE-TOSHIBA" running WideClient version 0.000 (skt=12124)

8489985 Error 10053: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=11984)

9792172 **** ERROR! Sumcheck or length fails on received socket 12124 block, len=11 (time=0)

10181078 Incoming connection Accepted ok (skt=10268)

10181125 Connected to computer "TE-TOSHIBA" running WideClient version 0.000 (skt=10268)

10196938 Error 10053: client socket disconnected at Client: removing (skt=12124)

10215719 Closing down now ...

Memory managed: Offset records: 158 alloc, 158 free

Total number of received blocks having sumcheck errors = 4

Throughput maximum achieved: 27 frames/sec, 1278 bytes/sec

Throughput average achieved for complete session: 4 frames/sec, 180 bytes/sec

Average receive rate from "TE-TOSHIBA": 1 frames/sec, 59 bytes/sec

********* Log file closed *********

Server.ini

; PLEASE SEE the documentation for parameter details

; ==================================================

[Config]

Port=8002

ServerAddr=192.168.2.11

AdvertiseService=Yes

AutoRestart=0

AutoUpdateTime=13

MaximumBlock=4096

NoStoppedRestarts=Yes

RestartTime=10

SendTimeout=15

TCPcoalesce=No

; -----------------------------------------------

[user]

Log=Errors+

; ===============================================

[ClientNames]

1=TENOTEBOOK

2=TE-NOTEBOOK

3=TE-TOSHIBA

Thanks for your help in advance

Best regards from Germany

Thomas Esser

[Pete Dowson]

Im using WideFS and FS9.1. WideClient is installed on a Toshiba Satellite Notebook. Sadly the connection between WideServer and Client is very (!) slow. Altough they get a connection any data tranfser between the FS and third party software like ActiveSky or FSINN stagnates. Sometimes the connection even gets completly lost! E.g. a weather update via ActiveSky takes several minutes. On a "wired" connection it's done in a few moments. Online Flying is almost impossible due to casual loss of connection.

Seems as if your wireless connection is not good. These errors:

**** ERROR! Sumcheck or length fails on received socket 10216 block, len=536 (time=264)

are indeed a very bad sign -- the data arriving, despite being "guaranteed" by the TCP system, is corrupted -- bytes missing, changed or (less likely) added.

I too have a wireless connection from my laptop, but it works quite well. Not as fast as any wired connection, of course, but using the latest "g" type adapters with MIMO it gets better than a 10mbps wired connection, but still no where near a 110 mbps. This accords with the reviews of wireless kit I've read, which measures them as varying enormously from 10 to 30, but never anywhere near the quated 54 in practice.

However, I've also found them unreliable for continuous connection, needed for stuff like music from my music server -- there's always stutters, brought on by simple things like folks walking in the room. I've returned to using wired for that -- though the electric wiring connection adapators such as those from Devolo work well too, at about 85 mbps.

Any other network functions also run stable e.g. network printing, internet browser etc. So I only have problems with the connection of WideFS

Well, network printing and internet browsing have no time constraints on them like flying. And ActiveSky is probably the heaviest WideFS user you can apply when it is sending all the METAR data for all the weather stations. I really think that is probably the worst candidate you could think of to run across a wireless link, unless that link is perfect. Simpler WideFS applications, akin to printing and browsing, would probably be okay. For example, driving some unessential but useful gauges or a moving map.

Good timing is essential for the flight simulator link I'm afraid. I suspect, from the log, that there are plenty of TCP retries going on and that these are slowing the whole thing down even further to the point of critical timeouts.

Different channels on your wireless network might help too. Sometimes one channel more than another gets interference from stuff like microwaves, teelphones, monitors, and metallic objects in general. I had no end of problems with two wireless devices only 3 feet from each other and in direct view, but half surrounded by metallic shelf supports. I suspect that signals were bouncing of these and causing severe interference.

There are some freeware wireless network measuring programs around. I don't recall their names offhand, but with those you can see the varying and generally low level of your connection. They would also help you possible choose an alternative channel for the wireless connection. But even without them you could try changing channels one by one till you found one that works well.

Else try upgrading to MIMO which automatically finds better routes, or look out for the new "N" wireless routers and adapters which promise better speeds and reliability.

I'm sorry, but there is really nothing I could do to help with slow, poor or simply bad connections from within WideFS. If all it needed to do was exhange information and take its time about it there wouldn't be a problem. It is the real-time nature of the application which imposes the constraints.

Regards

Pete

[Tesser]

Hello Pete,

thank you very much for the fast and comprehensive answer. I already guessed that the Network itself would be the problem. Nevertheless I hoped there would be a hint or workaround regarding timing settings or similar.

Seems that I musst handle it in any other way... perhaps the "20 meter wireless-cable" :roll: :lol:

Thanks again!

Thomas

[Tesser]

Short addition:

I found a hint that the automatic network configuration of windows XP can cause problems with timing. The service searches automatically for new wireless networks. While doing this the current connection is stopped for about 1.5 seconds. I don't know how often the service stopps the connection but there are some tools (I tried WirelessZeroShutdown by http://www.elligs.net) which cut-off the service after the system boot. I tried this tool and behold it seems to work quit fine now. The client.log does not show any disconnects and weather update runs smoothly. Hopefully this may be a proper solution... just to let you know :wink:

[Pete Dowson]

Seems that I musst handle it in any other way... perhaps the "20 meter wireless-cable" :roll: :lol:

I have good results using a pair of those electric socket Ethernet adapters, which use the electric mains cable already in your house. I have Devolo ones. (see for example http://www.expansys.com/p.aspx?i=123925 ), but they are for UK mains. See what you can find for your country.

Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

I found a hint that the automatic network configuration of windows XP can cause problems with timing. The service searches automatically for new wireless networks. While doing this the current connection is stopped for about 1.5 seconds. I don't know how often the service stopps the connection but there are some tools (I tried WirelessZeroShutdown by http://www.elligs.net) which cut-off the service after the system boot. I tried this tool and behold it seems to work quit fine now.

Hey, that is useful information! Thank you. I should put that into my WideFS documentation -- you don't mind me quoting you do you?

Best Regards

Pete

[Tesser]

Of course I don't mind quoting me. But perhaps I should test it a little more before you may add it to the documentation. I'll try it with several addons this day and give you a notice here.

[Pete Dowson]

Of course I don't mind quoting me. But perhaps I should test it a little more before you may add it to the documentation. I'll try it with several addons this day and give you a notice here.

Okay. Thanks!

Pete