2 Minute Stutter Cycle - Any ideas?

[Keith Cocker]

Hello Peter and other networking experts,

I thought this was a FSUIPC/Widefs problem at first but now I'm not so sure - and I wondered if it rang any bells with people.

I have set up a network (winXP TCP/IPC) with two computers through an Etherfast 10/100 Workgroup Switch. FS2004 on 1st computer and running FSmeteo, FS Flight Keeper etc on 2nd Machine. I have Registered and latest copies of FSUIPC and Wide FS.

I am getting short but very severe stutter every 2 minutes (normal fps of 22 rock solid diving to 1-4fps every 2 minutes) Stutter only last for a second or so but cause very visible hesitation. Then everying returns to normal for aboyt 2 minutes. As i say I thought this might be FSUIPC, Wide FS or FSMeteo related. But I have eliminated each of them in turn and it seems as though I get this without WideFS etc operating. And it seems to stop its regular cycle if the 2nd Computer is off. (At least that's my provisonal finding.)

I am not a networking expert and wondered if this sounded familiar to anyone? The 2 minute cycle is quite predictable. Any suggestions on what this might be in the network and where to start to look for a solution.

Many Thanks

Keith Cocker

[Pete Dowson]

I am getting short but very severe stutter every 2 minutesit seems to stop its regular cycle if the 2nd Computer is off. (At least that's my provisonal finding.)

This sounds very much like the action of Windows when you have left the IP address for Windows to obtain automatically. Check that you've assigned a specific IP address to each PC. To do this go to Network Connections, Properties, select the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and its properties, and choose the "Use the following IP address" section. Allocate something like 192.168.0.N (where N is up to you, a unique value for each PC) and a mask of 255.255.255.0.

If it isn't this then I'm out of ideas already. I would say check what else is running in the background -- virus checkers and memory managers also exhibit this sort of behaviour sometimes. But you said it doesn't happen when there's no connection on the Network, so it seems likely to be something to do with that.

Regards,

Pete

[Keith Cocker]

I am getting short but very severe stutter every 2 minutesit seems to stop its regular cycle if the 2nd Computer is off. (At least that's my provisonal finding.)

This sounds very much like the action of Windows when you have left the IP address for Windows to obtain automatically. Check that you've assigned a specific IP address to each PC. To do this go to Network Connections, Properties, select the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and its properties, and choose the "Use the following IP address" section. Allocate something like 192.168.0.N (where N is up to you, a unique value for each PC) and a mask of 255.255.255.0.

Pete,

Thanks very much - this was the problem. One Computer had an assigned address, the other was automatic and putting both to assigned solved the stutter cycle.

However!!! - it introduced another problem. With the previous auto setting my second computer could access the Dial-up Internet connection on the First computer. Switching to assigned numbers in TCP/IPC takes this away. It disappears from network connections on the second machine and running a programme that requires internet access.g Internet explorer or FSmeteo on the second machine no longer starts up the dialup on number 1. Even starting the dial up on number 1 doesn't seem to allow No 2 to useit. Is there a way to get this facility back that you are aware of?

Thanks very much for your help

Keith Cocker

[Pete Dowson]

With the previous auto setting my second computer could access the Dial-up Internet connection on the First computer. Switching to assigned numbers in TCP/IPC takes this away.

Hmm. Not sure. But I have a router on my Network, and I have to put its IP address in the 3rd entry -- the one below the Mask, called "Default gateway". I also have to set this in the lower section, "Use the following DNS server addresses". Maybe this applies? Maybe your Internet access PC needs its address here?

Otherwise, sorry, I don't know. Maybe someone else who knows about this stuff might chip in and help?

BTW, wouldn't it be better for FS to have the Internet access on the 2nd PC in any case?

Regards,

Pete

[Keith Cocker]

Hmm. Not sure. But I have a router on my Network, and I have to put its IP address in the 3rd entry -- the one below the Mask, called "Default gateway". I also have to set this in the lower section, "Use the following DNS server addresses". Maybe this applies? Maybe your Internet access PC needs its address here?

...

BTW, wouldn't it be better for FS to have the Internet access on the 2nd PC in any case?

Regards,

Pete

Pete,

Thanks. It seems that assigning IP stuffs WXP's Internet Gateway Internet Connection Sharing. If anyone else knows whether this is a limitation that can be overcome I would love to know.

Can I ask - do you have Broadband through your router or ISDN or ordinary analogue dial-up. We live in the Styx north of Manchester and Broadband is just about to reach us so I'm a bit baffled by it all. We have ISDN and I don't really want to change.I talked to BT and got a spotty youth who really didn't inspire confidence that I should go to broadband! But I'm not clear on what is possible with an ISDN line and a network.

Best wishes

Keith Cocker

[Jamie Fox]

It seems that assigning IP stuffs WXP's Internet Gateway Internet Connection Sharing

It shouldn't. Make sure you have assigned 192.168.0.1 to the ICS host machine (the one that's connected to the Internet), and 192.168.0.x to all the others (ensuring of course that's it's unique). You'll also have fewer problems if you make sure that the host is running Windows XP. On the clients, you need to enter 192.168.0.1 as the default gateway and also as the DNS server (without the latter DNS won't work!)

[Pete Dowson]

Thanks. It seems that assigning IP stuffs WXP's Internet Gateway Internet Connection Sharing.

It certainly shouldn't, but maybe it was set up that way. Try restoring it, i.e. turn it off then re-enabling it. If that doesn't change the IP addresses back to automatic then it should be okay. I don't see why it should insist on them being automatic. If you don't get any luck, ask Katy Pluta over in the FS2004 forum here -- she is very knowledgeable on this stuff and has helped me a few times.

Can I ask - do you have Broadband through your router or ISDN or ordinary analogue dial-up. We live in the Styx north of Manchester and Broadband is just about to reach us so I'm a bit baffled by it all. We have ISDN and I don't really want to change.

Yes, it is BT's ADSL. It's good. I don't use the USB modem they supplied, but a Zoom Ethernet router.

I had ISDN before, too. I changed in May when BT changed their pricing and when my main income stopped -- ISDN was costing me an arm and a leg and I was going to just stop it when BT brought out their special offer. Before May it would have cost me about £200 to change over, after May it was just £50 -- and that was for the modem which I told them I didn't want, but got anyway! The quarterly bill for ADSL is around half what I was paying for ISDN. I had to change over from Demon (who I was with ever since I had my first Internet connection) to BT for this advantage though. Demon aren't allowed to remove BT's ISDN so I'd have still had to pay BT over £100 to do that if I'd stuck with Demon.

Regards,

Pete

[Keith Cocker]

It seems that assigning IP stuffs WXP's Internet Gateway Internet Connection Sharing

It shouldn't. Make sure you have assigned 192.168.0.1 to the ICS host machine (the one that's connected to the Internet), and 192.168.0.x to all the others (ensuring of course that's it's unique). You'll also have fewer problems if you make sure that the host is running Windows XP. On the clients, you need to enter 192.168.0.1 as the default gateway and also as the DNS server (without the latter DNS won't work!)

Jamie,

Thanks. Adding the DNS information on the client did result in the ICS remaining available on the client and programmes on the client can start the ICS on the host. However, they don't seem to be able to use it!. For example. I start Internet Explorer on the Client and it automatically starts the Internet connection on the Host machine. But it doesn't get any data through. It tries to find the site and then I get a "The page cannot be displayed message" This applies to all sites through the client machine but I can access the sites through the host - so they aren't down or a problem with my ISP. Are there other setting I should be looking at in Internet Options or other areas? Both machines are running XP home by the way.

Thanks for your help

Keith Cocker

[Jamie Fox]

Make sure you have both the gateway and DNS set on all client machines.

Try opening a command prompt and using the 'ping' command to ping your own computer '127.0.0.1', and also all your network PCs '192.168.0.x'. Then try pinging the IP address of something on the Internet, and then try with a domain name rather than IP address (preferably for the same server). That'll help you distinguish if your problem is with DNS or the Internet connection itself.

Hope that helps; I'm afraid I'm not expert on the subject.

[Keith Cocker]

Pete,

I've now decided to go with BT Broadband and it is being installed next week. Is there a particular reason for not using the BT supplied modem - which I'm aparently getting free. I would want to use two desktops and a laptop in the network to access the ADSL. If so could you let me know the model of Zoom you have.

Thanks

Keith Cocker

Yes, it is BT's ADSL. It's good. I don't use the USB modem they supplied, but a Zoom Ethernet router.

I had ISDN before, too. I changed in May when BT changed their pricing and when my main income stopped -- ISDN was costing me an arm and a leg and I was going to just stop it when BT brought out their special offer. Before May it would have cost me about £200 to change over, after May it was just £50 -- and that was for the modem which I told them I didn't want, but got anyway! The quarterly bill for ADSL is around half what I was paying for ISDN. I had to change over from Demon (who I was with ever since I had my first Internet connection) to BT for this advantage though. Demon aren't allowed to remove BT's ISDN so I'd have still had to pay BT over £100 to do that if I'd stuck with Demon.

Regards,

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

I've now decided to go with BT Broadband and it is being installed next week. Is there a particular reason for not using the BT supplied modem - which I'm aparently getting free. I would want to use two desktops and a laptop in the network to access the ADSL. If so could you let me know the model of Zoom you have.

I don't like USB being used for this. First off, it is an overhead on the PC it is connected to. Second, the only way your other PCs get access to the Internet is via that PC, so that's even more overhead. If you do stick to using the supplied modem then connect it to a PC which is not running FS.

Also, with that method you must definitely use ZoneAlarm or some other firewall as you are effectively otherwise giving access to your PC to all and sundry.

The router solution I think is much better suited to a Network. All PCs on the network have equal access, the "always on" connection is actually always on, even when your PCs are off (unless you turn the router off, which I don't) -- and you don't need a specific PC on to access Internet. On top of that you don't have the USB overhead.

The Zoom modem I have is the X3 ADSL Ethernet Modem. This was £80 from PC World, and it works very well. It does not have any hub or switching facilities so it needs to connect to your current hub.

For not much more of an outlay you can get router/modems with a 4-way (or more) hub included. But take care not to get just an ADSL router -- this will have a hub, most likely, but you'd still need a modem then. (I got very confised by all this!). There is actually a router which will accept the USB modem that BT provides, rather than connecting it into a PC, but I think that works out more expensive. If you have a spare Ethernet socket on your current hub/switch, I'd really recommend the Zoom X3.

By all means, get the system installed and working with the supplied modem (as BT won't support your use of anything else), and keep it to one side in case of difficulties. If you need any particular information to set up the Zoom let me know. Some of this stuff is rather obscure. Once you have it set up, though, it's a doddle.

Regards,

Pete

[Keith Cocker]

Pete,

Thanks, that's very helpful. I got a Zoom ADSL Modem from PCWorld this afternoon (its the X4 rather than the X3 which was out of stock. It has an additional USB port as well as the Ethernet Connection but its use is optional and they said that otherwise it was the same as the X3) I've just looked over the Manual for the Zoom and I must say I feel a little daunted. The ISDN Line is being replaced by Broadband next Thursday so I may need to take up your kind offer of some configuration help!

Best wishes

Keith Cocker

The Zoom modem I have is the X3 ADSL Ethernet Modem. This was £80 from PC World, and it works very well. It does not have any hub or switching facilities so it needs to connect to your current hub.

For not much more of an outlay you can get router/modems with a 4-way (or more) hub included. But take care not to get just an ADSL router -- this will have a hub, most likely, but you'd still need a modem then. (I got very confised by all this!). There is actually a router which will accept the USB modem that BT provides, rather than connecting it into a PC, but I think that works out more expensive. If you have a spare Ethernet socket on your current hub/switch, I'd really recommend the Zoom X3.

By all means, get the system installed and working with the supplied modem (as BT won't support your use of anything else), and keep it to one side in case of difficulties. If you need any particular information to set up the Zoom let me know. Some of this stuff is rather obscure. Once you have it set up, though, it's a doddle.

[Keith Cocker]

Hello Pete,

Just for the record the problem was being caused by the network Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). Disabling ICS made it go away. And now that I have Broadband with the Zoom Modem you recommended I don't need ICS. (There are other oddities now with Browsing the Internet!! but that's another story and probably to do with Firewall's etc)

Many Thanks for your help and the others who contributed

Best wishes

Keith Cocker

Thanks, that's very helpful. I got a Zoom ADSL Modem from PCWorld this afternoon