Forged Alliance Forever

Re: Can't connect to all players in lobby - Can't play

2016-08-08T14:02:24+02:00

I'm not getting too far though lol

I think that investigating the hosts file was a dead end, but anyway try and have a look here:https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/972034

Interestingly my router (the one given by the ISP) lacks the option for DMZ so I can't test whether that makes a difference on my end.

[EDIT]
Today's server/client update changed nothing it seems, I still can't connect to all players.

Statistics: Posted by RedSplinter — 08 Aug 2016, 14:02

Re: Can't connect to all players in lobby - Can't play

2016-08-08T04:48:27+02:00

Looks like your trying to get this sorted. I opened ports on my modem and my pc firewall to the ports you mentioned and some I saw in my logs, im at a 50/50 with played connected and those still trying to connect. I will have a look later as Im at work and see what my ports are doing.

What do you mean by default hosts? I have set myself as dmz host on my modem?

Statistics: Posted by Dannerz — 08 Aug 2016, 04:48

Re: Can't connect to all players in lobby - Can't play

2016-08-07T22:51:09+02:00

Reading through the logs I have found "rad.msn.com" a couple of times.

I had added that address to the Hosts file (a long time ago, years) to block ads in skype by redirecting it to the localhost like so

Code:: 127.0.0.1 rad.msn.com

Dannerz do you have a default Hosts?

So now I have deleted all additional lines from the Hosts file, not much has changed, still can't connect to some players and still I see fewer ports than players in CurrPorts.
What has changed is that the log instead of showing "rad.msn.com", shows my windows PC name

[EDIT]

I borrowed a laptop, connected it to my home network, installed FAF, downlord's client, FA via steam.

The problem persists.

I should be able to exclude the Desktop PC then. This leaves ISP, router and FAF itself if I am not mistaken.

Statistics: Posted by RedSplinter — 07 Aug 2016, 22:51

Re: Can't connect to all players in lobby - Can't play

2016-08-07T20:41:15+02:00

Hey, thanks for your answer.

When did the problem start for you?

I am beginning to think that every single change I make results in a random outcome, and I am at a loss regarding what other tests I could try.

Disclaimer: I have no experience or advanced knoledge of networking, perhaps it was made painfully clear by what I have written until now. I am throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks

I have tried looking at the traffic via Microsoft Message Analyzer (a packet sniffer, like Wireshark) looking for something obviously wrong and found nothing.

Looking at ports via CurrPorts here is what happens:
- I have forwarded port 7001 (tried both "UDP and TCP", and only "UPD", for the next test only UDP is forwarded)
- Start currports with Filters:

Code:: include:process:FAForever.exe include:process:ForgedAlliance.exe include:process:downlords-faf-client.exe include:process:SupremeCommander.exe

1-[Screenshot 1] I start downlord's client, it's using port 7001 as I've set it and forwarded it (following the guide in the wiki). All three connection status indicators in the client are green.
There are a bunch of ports opened to a remote port 80, http traffic, those should be info for the Match list, like map images and "stuff" (I guess?)
2-[Screenshot 2] and [Screenshot 3] I join the game with the most players present.
FAF and FA open two coupled ports, I think(?) 51067 and 51068
FAF also opens some UDP ports on the private range, I think those correspond 1:1 to players in the lobby

There are only 9 ports opened by FAF (UDP 62178-62186) BUT there 11 total players I need to connect to as you can see in the last screenshot.
No matter how much I wait those ports are never opened and I am forever stuck at "connecting..."

Is that the cause of the problem? Is there a limitation somewhere? Windows? Router? ISP? FAF itself? The proxy server?
What else could be involed?

Spoiler: show

Statistics: Posted by RedSplinter — 07 Aug 2016, 20:41

Re: Can't connect to all players in lobby - Can't play

2016-08-07T03:59:02+02:00

Keep us updated if you find any fix, am too having a similar problem of not being able to connect to everyone in the lobby (can connect to some). Opened all the ports you mentioned but still have nothing. Proxy connection on downlords gives me a orange circle with an exclamation mark.

Statistics: Posted by Dannerz — 07 Aug 2016, 03:59

Re: Can't connect to all players in lobby

2016-08-08T01:37:17+02:00

I'm sorry for the double post but it appears I can't attach more than 3 files.

I'm trying to attach the game.log and downlords-faf-client.log from the [EDIT 2] section of the first post but they are too large (5 MB and 2 MB respectively), should I copy just some part of the file?

[UPDATE]
Since the error I have:
-verified game cache from steam (no files missing)
-deleted all folders relative to the game and faf (from programdata, documents, appdata/roaming)
-reinstalled downlord's client

I have hosted a normale game me+3 AI, cheat on, I have tried most units and buildings, everything works as it should

I would rather not try joining more random lobbies because it has already happened today that someone said "He crashes games, kick him, kick him" and I was swiftly removed from the game (And I "crashed", as if I would do such a thing voluntarily, one single game...)

All the matches before today: no problems, and now I don't want to be labeled and kicked from every lobby (if and when I resolve this damned problem.)

Is there a way to continue testing it without involving other random players??

Again, thank you for your time and help.

[UPDATE 2]

I read that the error seen in the attached pic can be caused by having Surround Sound. I have set it to stereo just to be sure.

Statistics: Posted by RedSplinter — 07 Aug 2016, 00:47

Can't connect to all players in lobby - Can't play

2016-08-08T02:59:08+02:00

Hello,

At this point I have literally no idea what could be causing to problem so I am terribly sorry if some of this information is useless or if I have omitted something important. Please advise.
Also I'm sorry for my bad english, it is not my first language.

[EDIT]
I have just found out about downlords-faf-client.
I read "Constant outbound traffic blocked? Try ..." Is that my problem? I have yet to try a game with the alternative client.
I launched it and it says on the bottom "faf connected" "chat connected" with a green dot. "proxy" instead has an orange circle with an exclamation mark. I have forwarded ports 6112, 6113, 9103, 30350-30351 and now "proxy" has changed to "public connection" and has a green circle.

I tried joining multiple lobbies with the new client. No difference whatsoever. Still cannnot connect to some random 3-5 players in every lobby.
Also, let's say in a lobby 1 I can't connect to hypothetical "playerA", so I leave.
I join lobby 2 and I connect with him no problem there (but I can't connect with two other random persons...)
OR
I rejoin lobby 1 and maybe, maybe I can connect with PlayerA, but then I still can't connect with other random players

[EDIT 2]

Still no progress, I tried changing the port to one I did not forward. -> downlord's lobby now says "proxy connection" with an orange circle with exlamation mark instead of "public connection". BUT first lobby I try to join I instantly connect with everyone, 5 players.
- The game starts, no problem whatsoever
- While i'm building the third extractor EVERYONE except the host goes "silent", f11 shows the host "behind -4" in the tab on the top right of the screen.
- I can't read anyone else but the host in the ingame chat, I leave after one minute

The "unhandled exception" window was open when I exited the game:

Spoiler: show

Code:: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xc0000005) at address 0x009d7b75 attempted to read memory at 0x43dd0125 Program : C:\ProgramData\FAForever\bin\ForgedAlliance.exe Cmd line arguments : /init init_faf.lua /nobugreport /log C:\ProgramData\FAForever\logs\game.log /gpgnet 127.0.0.1:57151 /mean 741.371 /deviation 170.692 /savereplay gpgnet://localhost/5018396/RedKong.SCFAreplay /country IT /numgames 42 Callstack: unavailable. Last 100 lines of log... warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg info: Popup.OnClosed info: Error popping escape handler, stack is empty info: "stack traceback:\ info: ...rever\\gamedata\\lua.nx2\\lua\\ui\\dialogs\\eschandler.lua(48): in function `PopEscapeHandler'\ info: ...er\\gamedata\\lua.nx2\\lua\\ui\\controls\\popups\\popup.lua(80): in function `OnClosed'\ info: ...er\\gamedata\\lua.nx2\\lua\\ui\\controls\\popups\\popup.lua(63): in function `Close'\ info: ...ramdata\\faforever\\gamedata\\lua.nx2\\lua\\ui\\uiutil.lua(860): in function `OnClick'\ info: ...mdata\\faforever\\gamedata\\lua.nx2\\lua\\maui\\button.lua(85): in function <...mdata\\faforever\\gamedata\\lua.nx2\\lua\\maui\\button.lua:78>" warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg warning: SND: XACT3DApply failed. Invalid arg debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/game/gameresult.lua\000' info: GAMERESULT : \000defeat -10 debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/dialogs/score.lua\000' debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/dialogs/hotstats.lua\000' debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/dialogs/myeffecthelpers.lua\000' info: GAMERESULT : \000defeat -10 info: GAMERESULT : \000defeat -10 info: GAMERESULT : \000defeat -10 info: GPGNET: setting nat handler to 0x00000000 info: CNetTCPBuf::Read(): recv() failed: WSAEINTR

Problem description:
In the game lobby I see some players as "Connecting to *playersname...". Thus the game cannot start and I can't play.

Additional Info
- For years, I think, I have played faf without any problem and without any port forwarding. I think upnp in the client is enabled by default and I never touched that, so that must have been active too.
- I had not played FAF for a couple of months (maybe?) before yesterday, when the problem appeared.
- The game (both FA and FAF) has always worked well.
- first two matches yesterday everything worked flawlessly.
- second game ends, the problem appears. I cannot connect to some players in whichever lobby I try.
- FAF has not thrown any errors, nothing about ports or connection, nothing at all.
- the number of players i can't connect to isn't fixed. Varies between 1 and 5(?). It's never ALL players present in the lobby. Sometimes if I leave and return to the lobby I can't connect to different players, and the ones I was connected to before leaving are unreachable.
- sometimes I try to join a lobby and it appears to be stuck at "connecting", I can only click abort.
- other times I connect to all players in lobby, once we are all ready to start I see the error "host connection timed out" or something similar, with options "give up" and "keep trying". "keep trying" has no use, i have to "give up" and leave the lobby.
- while trying random lobbies earlier today for some reason I was able to play one full game with 9 other players, flawlessly. Settings were: Windows Firewall activated (but faf and fa all traffic allowed), router firewall activated and NO port forwarding at all (simple port tester indicated ports 6112, 6113, 9103, 30350, 30351 CLOSED, both UPD and TCP. I did not test other ports).
- Right after that I tried to join another game and once again I could not connect to all players.
- After that I have tried to join yet another lobby, without changing anything. It connects intantly to all players. Once ingame it immediately hangs and I see the attached screenshot. First time seeing that. Nobody answered me in the ingame chat. I left the game after about one minute.

Attempted solutions
- I have reinstalled both FAF and FA, cleared data, cache, settings, logs, mods (only UI mods), maps. These UI mods I have then re-enabled.
- I have restarted the router, unplugged the power for 30 seconds.
- I guess I have tried all sensible permutations of Windows Firewall settings and rules, Router Firewall status and port forwarding.
- If I forward ports 6112, 9103, 30350-30351, or any combination of them, or any other port, they result open according to SimplePortTester, both UDP and TCP, whichever I forward.
- Tried with both upnp enabled and disabled in FAF: no difference. Tried setting a different port in FAF, one that was forwarded and used successfully to host another game (Factorio) and I know it works: again no difference.
- I followed instructions from the wiki title=Connection_issues_and_solutions (which I can't link to in this post and I think is outdated, perhaps?), no difference.
- One thing I noticed: if I forward port 6112 (and use that in the FAF client) this line in forever.log:

connectivity.helper.ConnectivityHelper Connectivity state is STUN

changes to

connectivity.helper.ConnectivityHelper Connectivity state is PUBLIC

this still makes no difference in my ability to connect to some players in the lobby.

- I have checked with both the "netstat -ab" command and the "cports" program, FAF appears to be listening on port 6112, FA on port 6113 once the lobby is launched, and FAF has a lot of other ports around the 50000-50200 range or something similar. I have not forwarded those ports. should I? should I forward every single port to my desktop?

The logs attached here are from the last "game", the one in the screenshot.

Thank you for your time and help.

Statistics: Posted by RedSplinter — 06 Aug 2016, 21:19