Issues with players in different timezone connecting to my game

[jaytayland]

I am running a game and as of late October / early November two of my players, living in different US states, developed issues connecting to my game. I believe it was directly after the launch of FG Unity beta release. They are the only players in my campaign that are in different time zones, CST vice EST where I reside. Beyond that, we are unable to figure out what might be producing these issues.

Here is what I believe is the requested information for help in these issues. I'm not super tech savvy, so I might have provided some information incorrectly. Thanks for the help.

1. Your LAN IP Address
Listed as Internal in FG: 192.168.1.160
2. The first two sets (octects) of your WAN IP as displayed by Fantasy Grounds and as displayed by your Router
192.168
3. Whether you are using Wired or Wireless (and not both)
Wired
4. Confirmation that you have set your Adapter in Network and Sharing Centre to Private
Set to Home network vice Work or Public network
5. Confirmation of what AV you are running and whether you have set any exceptions
AV disabled during games.
6. Post the results of the tracert 8.8.8.8 command (if you have security concerns you can remove this bit once its been responded to)
Tracing route to dns.google [8.8.8.8] over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 2 ms 1 ms 4 ms Fios_Quantum_Gateway.fios-router.home [192.168.1.1]
2 3 ms 3 ms 2 ms dns.google [8.8.8.8]
Trace complete.
7. Confirmation as to what you have setup in your Router if changes have been made
Port 1802 has been open.

[damned]

Welcome jaytayland

2. That is your LAN address - please post WAN details. Please confirm that the Router and FG show the same thing.
4. What does that mean?
6. Please do tracert 9.9.9.9
7. Please post a screenshot

Please confirm that you have more than 2 players, that the other players can connect and that the other players could connect.

[jaytayland]

Thanks damned! Here's what I think your asking for:

2. LAN address: Listed as External within FG 108.18
4. Yes it is set to Private.
6. Please do tracert 9.9.9.9
7. Assuming you were asking for a screenshot of the tracert 9.9.9.9, if not please clarify. I believe I attached it correctly.
30829

I have 6 players within my game. All but 2 are in the same time zone, those two have not been able to connect while the rest have connected since their issues arise.

[Zacchaeus]

Are you or either of these players using AT&T or Comcast as their ISP?

Have they tried connecting with your actual external IP address rather than your alias? And of course they are using the correct alias right?

Also incidentally it is way better to create an exception in your AV, rather than switching it off. Even switched off an AV can have an impact. And what AV do you use? Make sure also that you don't have flood protection set high on your router.

[damned]

Hi jaytayland

I cant see anything glaringly obvious here.
The timezones are not going to have anything to do with it.
This might take some real nitty gritty testing on both your end and the unfortunate players end.
I think you will be better off trying Hamachi for those two players and the rest can continue as they are...

Search for the "tried everything try hamachi" thread and see what you think.

[jaytayland]

Understood damned. Thanks for your attempts. I’ll pass your advice along to the players.

[jaytayland]

Yes the are both AT&T customers using their Spectrum product. How would that impact the issue?

I have been using IP address vice alias.

Will look into the AV exception again.


Are you or either of these players using AT&T or Comcast as their ISP?

Have they tried connecting with your actual external IP address rather than your alias? And of course they are using the correct alias right?

Also incidentally it is way better to create an exception in your AV, rather than switching it off. Even switched off an AV can have an impact. And what AV do you use? Make sure also that you don't have flood protection set high on your router.

[Zacchaeus]

As I understand it AT&T and Comcast have recently included in a firmware update a fairly aggressive flood protection mechanism which the user can't access. Such flood protection will cause issues with FG when it is trying to upload data from the DM. This shouldn't prevent actually being able to connect but it will impact on data transfer.

[Trenloe]

As I understand it AT&T and Comcast have recently ...
AT&T has the flood protection, Comcast have been moving people to IPv6 without informing them.

[Zacchaeus]

AT&T has the flood protection, Comcast have been moving people to IPv6 without informing them.

Ah, right. Thanks for the heads up on that one.

[damned]

As I understand it AT&T and Comcast have recently included in a firmware update a fairly aggressive flood protection mechanism which the user can't access. Such flood protection will cause issues with FG when it is trying to upload data from the DM. This shouldn't prevent actually being able to connect but it will impact on data transfer.

Flood Protection is actually the other way - too many client requests to the GMs computer sees the player connection firewalled.

[Zacchaeus]

Flood Protection is actually the other way - too many client requests to the GMs computer sees the player connection firewalled.

So does that mean that it only impacts if the DM has their flood protection too high?

[damned]

Most residential routers its either on or off.
Its really not a big deal in a residential situation - you are unlikely to become a target of a DDOS attack.
If you do - power off for an hour or two and cone back with a new IP address.