Cannot restore WideFS connection once it drops

[Watcher]

I recently added WIdeFS and moved Radar Contact and IYP to the client system. For the most part it works great but ocasionally my connection seems to drop. Once that happens I cannot restore the connection without ending my flight and sometimes I even have to close and restart the simulator. Is there any to restart the connection without haveing to do this? Also, the server sometimes continues to show waiting for clients when it is actually comunicating with a client. Other than this the problem it is working great.

[Pete Dowson]

I recently added WIdeFS and moved Radar Contact and IYP to the client system. For the most part it works great but ocasionally my connection seems to drop.

Really? You aren't trying to use a wireless connection, are you? I've never found those very reliable for continuous use.

Once that happens I cannot restore the connection without ending my flight and sometimes I even have to close and restart the simulator. Is there any to restart the connection without haveing to do this?

If WideClient OR WideServer detect a disconnection they are continually trying to re-connect in any case, so it would make no difference. I've heard of occasional re-connections (on a wireless or faulty network), but never one whch didn't recover.

Also, the server sometimes continues to show waiting for clients when it is actually comunicating with a client.

If it is showing that it most certainly thinks the connection is broken. How are you determining that the communication is ongoing? Don't forget the WideClient maintains a copy of the FS data locally, so unless the applications are checking for a change in something they won't notice.

I can't really help further without information. I'd need to know the version of FS, the version of FSUIPC and the version of your WideClient. If FSUIPC or WideClient are out of date please update first -- see the Download Links subforum. Then, if you get a disconnection which doesn't reconnect (or even if it does) I need to see the WideServer.log from the FS Modules folder and the WideClient log from the folder in which you placed WideClient.

Regards

Pete

[Watcher]

I am connecting through a wireless network so it sounds like there is the most likely problem. Since I have the workgroups already set up and only two computers are involved would the connection work if a connected the two computers through a cat 6 crossover ethernet cable?

[Pete Dowson]

I am connecting through a wireless network so it sounds like there is the most likely problem. Since I have the workgroups already set up and only two computers are involved would the connection work if a connected the two computers through a cat 6 crossover ethernet cable?

Should do I suppose. I don't really know what those "cat" numbers mean. Providing it's a crossover.

Pete

[Watcher]

Yes, the cable that I am intending to buy is a crossover. I believe the cat numbers refer to speed.

[Watcher]

I hace managed to get the crossover cable set up and providing a local connection. However, I am still having the client go away after various times. When I look at the client log it appears to be connecting to the local network based on the IP address. I have the WideServer and corresponding WideClient logs saved from my last terminated flight but have not been able to attach them. From the WideServer log it appears that the Client socket was unused for too long.

[Pete Dowson]

I hace managed to get the crossover cable set up and providing a local connection. However, I am still having the client go away after various times.

It's starting to sound like a hardware problem.

When I look at the client log it appears to be connecting to the local network based on the IP address.

That's correct, isn't it? Why mention it?

I have the WideServer and corresponding WideClient logs saved from my last terminated flight but have not been able to attach them.

Paste them into a message is best.

From the WideServer log it appears that the Client socket was unused for too long.

You mean it timed out. Both ends operate a timeout -- WideClient expects to here from the server at least every few seconds, otherwise it will re-connect. the Server expects to hear from each client every 20 seconds or so, otherwise it assumes it has gone away, switched off or something. It would be waiting for a reconnection.

There's nothing timewise which can cause this in WideFS. I have a cockpit system with 8 clients and it runs all day with never even a reconnection let alone a failed connection. Something is going very wrong on one of your PCs.

See if it runs longer without the wireless connection also running. If so it might be something to do with having two parallel TCP/IP operations going on. I think you'll need someone who knows a lot more about networks than I to help sort that out.

Regards

Pete

[Watcher]

I have solved the problem. After some investigation and some trail and error I was able to specify the TCP/IP protocol and address of the server in the client ini file, forcing the client to only connect through the local lan that was established through the crossover cable. Hope this helps others with the same problem.