No Success Linking 2 Computers over Network - Newbie

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I recently purchased both FSUPIC (4.966c) and WideFS. My goal with WideFS is to run some FSX steam applications (AS16, possibly PF3, and a flight planner) on my client laptop while running the sim on my server laptop.  The server laptop is new and usually runs FSX with most add-ons adequately.  The client laptop is running the same OS as the server (win10), and both are connected by cable to my router/modem from centurylink (C1900A). Both laptops have read/write permissions to their respective harddrives (I can move and change files on either computer from the other one).  I installed and registered both FSUPIC and WideFS on my server laptop.  I read the installation instructions for WideFS, and extracted the zip into D:\FSX_ADDON\WIDEFS.  My steam FSX is also on the D drive. I installed WideClient.exe and WideClient.ini in a WideClient folder on my client laptop's desktop. 

When I start WideClient, I follow up with starting FSX but I always get the same result, "Waiting for a connection".  Attached is a recent logfile for WideClient, which seems to always have this Error 10061. 

My first step was to create rules for the 8002/9002 ports on each firewall, creating inbound rules for my server and outbound rules for my client. No change.

My next step was to disable to firewalls on the private network for server and client. No change.

Suspecting that the 10061 error is a result of the firewall in the router, I then went into my router/modem settings under IPV4 and created a new rule for ports 8002 and 9002, allowing traffic in and out. No change. 

I then checked the workgroup, both are using the same WORKGROUP name.

Then, per the instructions, I added the ServerName=DESKTOP... and Protocol=TCP to the WideClient.ini under [config] at the bottom.  No change. I also tried to specify the IPaddress instead of the sever name with no change.

I feel like there is something basic I haven't done, but I'm at a loss. Any help would be appreciated, and if there is any more detail you need I'm happy to provide anything I can.

Thanks in advance.

WideClient0.log

[Pete Dowson]

4 hours ago, admoney58 said:

My goal with WideFS is to run some FSX steam applications (AS16, possibly PF3, and a flight planner) on my client laptop while running the sim on my server laptop.

WideFS only links FSUIPC applications to FS. AS16 is not one. I think PF3 may be but i'm not 100% on that -- see its documentation.

Flight Planners vary, some do some don't. Those that don't are using Simconnect instead -- and instructions to set this up are provided with the application (eg AS16).

4 hours ago, admoney58 said:

Both laptops have read/write permissions to their respective harddrives

That's not actually needed for either WideFS or SimConnect, but will be for Flight Planners and the like.

4 hours ago, admoney58 said:

When I start WideClient, I follow up with starting FSX but I always get the same result, "Waiting for a connection".  Attached is a recent logfile for WideClient, which seems to always have this Error 10061.

There will be a WideServer.LOG on the Server too, in the Modules folder. There are always two ends to a connection and it is useful to see details for both.

4 hours ago, admoney58 said:

Then, per the instructions, I added the ServerName=DESKTOP... and Protocol=TCP to the WideClient.ini under [config] at the bottom.  No change. I also tried to specify the IPaddress instead of the sever name with no change.

The IP address is generally more reliable because sometimes the Router uses fake "proxy" IP addresses and you need then to find the true one. Best to assign fixed IP addresses to each PC, not allow the DHCP system in the Router to assign them -- the latter is okay for transient devices over WiFi.

Did I read it correctly. Are you using two Laptops?  I hope they are not both using WiFi?  You might get away with one on wifi and the other wired, but even that can be flakey. With two I'd be surprised if it worked. The communication needed, whilst not heavy (a 100 M wired connection is sufficient) it is frequent, and WiFi can impose too much of a delay which can cause conflicts.

However, now looking at the log I see

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

In my experience the "Connection Refused" error is almost ALWAYS down to Firewall protection, at one end or the other.  It won't be anything to do with the router firewall if that's what you were tintering with -- that's only for external connections, the Internet -- check the Windows Fiewall in the Laptops -- either or both ends. Also any additional protection programs used.

I also see it says:

   618844 Trying TCP/IP host "DESKTOP-7264SC4" port 8002 ...
   618844 ... Okay, IP Address = 192.168.0.19

so the Server name is "DESKTOP-7264SC4", not "DESKTOP"? And is the IP address 192,168.0.19? Check that. It looks like the right range (proxy ones look more like Internet IPs).

If I were you I'd see if it works with both Laptops connected to the router by wire. If so then it is definitely WiFi problems.

If not I can suggest some extra logging you can get -- but first let's see the server log.

Pete

 

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Thank you for the swift response. I hope I am not intruding in you holiday weekend.

3 hours ago, Pete Dowson said:

WideFS only links FSUIPC applications to FS. AS16 is not one. I think PF3 may be but i'm not 100% on that -- see its documentation.

Flight Planners vary, some do some don't. Those that don't are using Simconnect instead -- and instructions to set this up are provided with the application (eg AS16).

That's not actually needed for either WideFS or SimConnect, but will be for Flight Planners and the like.

Thank you for that clarification. I had read in several other places about using AS16 through WideFS; perhaps I was misreading what they were doing. I've purposefully been trying to avoid using SimConnect because I've heard nothing but problems and I am no expert at networking.

4 hours ago, Pete Dowson said:

That's not actually needed for either WideFS or SimConnect, but will be for Flight Planners and the like.

Yes, that was as a result of my earlier efforts to use simconnect. I didn't read anything in the WideFS docs about needing this, but I figured I would include it in case it could have affected anything I was doing.

4 hours ago, Pete Dowson said:

There will be a WideServer.LOG on the Server too, in the Modules folder. There are always two ends to a connection and it is useful to see details for both.

Oddly enough, there is no log file in the Modules folder. I did not move the WideServer.dll and .ini files into Modules as I'm running FSX and I didn't think I needed to -- that part was a little confusing because I saw it was required for older versions of FS. Should I move them into this folder?

4 hours ago, Pete Dowson said:

The IP address is generally more reliable because sometimes the Router uses fake "proxy" IP addresses and you need then to find the true one. Best to assign fixed IP addresses to each PC, not allow the DHCP system in the Router to assign them -- the latter is okay for transient devices over WiFi.

I'm not sure how to assign fixed IP addresses, but I'll research and apply this.

4 hours ago, Pete Dowson said:

Did I read it correctly. Are you using two Laptops?  I hope they are not both using WiFi?  You might get away with one on wifi and the other wired, but even that can be flakey. With two I'd be surprised if it worked. The communication needed, whilst not heavy (a 100 M wired connection is sufficient) it is frequent, and WiFi can impose too much of a delay which can cause conflicts.

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear about this, but both laptops are direct connected by Ethernet cable to the router. I read about the gotchas using wifi so I've erred on the side of caution by having both hardwired through the router.

4 hours ago, Pete Dowson said:

In my experience the "Connection Refused" error is almost ALWAYS down to Firewall protection, at one end or the other.  It won't be anything to do with the router firewall if that's what you were tintering with -- that's only for external connections, the Internet -- check the Windows Fiewall in the Laptops -- either or both ends. Also any additional protection programs used.

Thank you for the clarification...I will remove the rule I created in the modem.  However, I created rules to allow the 8002 and 9002 ports open through the firewall on my private networks, but that didn't work. I ended up turning the firewall off on both computers, but again nothing changed. I am however running AV on both laptops; it sounds like I may need to check my exceptions list. I'll look into that today.

4 hours ago, Pete Dowson said:

I also see it says:

   618844 Trying TCP/IP host "DESKTOP-7264SC4" port 8002 ...
   618844 ... Okay, IP Address = 192.168.0.19

so the Server name is "DESKTOP-7264SC4", not "DESKTOP"? And is the IP address 192,168.0.19? Check that. It looks like the right range (proxy ones look more like Internet IPs).

I'm sorry, for brevity I said DESKTOP..., but in the WideClient.ini file the sever is correctly named.

It sounds like the start of my problem may be the missing log files, so before I start tweaking anything else should I move the Wideserver dll and ini files into the Modules folder?

Thanks again!

[Pete Dowson]

5 hours ago, admoney58 said:

Oddly enough, there is no log file in the Modules folder.

Then in that case you have not enabled (registered) WideFS iin thefSUIPC installer.

5 hours ago, admoney58 said:

I did not move the WideServer.dll and .ini files into Modules as I'm running FSX and I didn't think I needed to -- that part was a little confusing because I saw it was required for older versions of FS. Should I move them into this folder?

No. As it says, WideServer is built into FSUIPC4.

5 hours ago, admoney58 said:

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear about this, but both laptops are direct connected by Ethernet cable to the router.

Excellent!

5 hours ago, admoney58 said:

It sounds like the start of my problem may be the missing log files, so before I start tweaking anything else should I move the Wideserver dll and ini files into the Modules folder?

No!!!

WideServer is part of FSUIPC. I think you need to show me the Install FSUIPC and FSUIPC log files, form that same folder. If you have registered with your correct WideFS key then WideSever should be enabled as soon as FSUIPC is running okay and it then creates its log immediatlely.

WideServer does not start till FS is "ready to fly", and it seems FSUIPC is never getting there. Let me see the logs!

Pete

 

 

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Here are the log files from the Modules folder. These are the only two I see. Also, I've started FSX and gotten "into" the sim per se while trying to connect to the client. I can see FSUPIC from the add-on menu and everything looks fine and it says it and WideFS are registered. 

Hopefully these are the log files you are looking for.

Thanks

FSUIPC4 Install.log

FSUIPC4.log

[Pete Dowson]

49 minutes ago, admoney58 said:

Here are the log files from the Modules folder. These are the only two I see. Also, I've started FSX and gotten "into" the sim per se while trying to connect to the client. I can see FSUPIC from the add-on menu and everything looks fine and it says it and WideFS are registered. 

But the FSUIPC log shows that it never reached the "ready to fly" state, which is where other things like WideServer are started.

Did you actually let FSX reach the stage where you are in the cockpit and ready to fly?

Pete

 

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Well, I never actually started the engine!  I just did and now suddenly I have a WideServer.log file, but I'm not at home so let me get home and get connected and see what happens. I'll update you later today when I do.

Never thought not starting the engine would have impacted it! I'll keep you posted when I connect on the network later.

Thanks

[Pete Dowson]

2 minutes ago, admoney58 said:

I never actually started the engine! 

The engine? You don't need to start "the engine". Just proceed with letting FS get to the point that you are in the cockpit and can do things there -- whether look around or start engines or whatever. That's when FSUIPC (+WideServer) actually starts. Before then there is too much undetermined data and FSUIPC is in "limbo".

Pete

 

 

 

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I guess I just wasn't giving it enough time to connect...sorry :/  After waiting a minute or two it connected; I have it running Plan-G flight planner smoothly on my client laptop now.

Thanks for all of your help. I'm off to try and figure out how to make SimConnect work for AS16 now...

Appreciate everything and the software (and support) was definitely worth the $!