Client connects but receives no data

[Astinus]

Hi, we're trying to get a game going and the clients can connect (from behind a router) but don't t receive any information from me (the server).

They've forwarded port 1802 on their router, and allowed FG in their firewall.

What other reason could there be? They connect, but can't load their characters or do anything. It freezes. They can't even roll dice.

Reinstall?

[joshuha]

So how far do they get, do they even get the character selection screen? Can they function in local character creation mode before even trying to log onto the GM server?

[Astinus]

They get to the character screen, can create a local character. But can't connect to the server.

[Oberoten]

... I stated this in another post?
But found to my surprise that QoS turned on occasionally got me that kind of behaviour as well.

[Astinus]

So in the end we couldn't play with FG, which was disappointing.

Further to the below steps, we also tried a full reinstall. So ports were forwarded, firewall allowed FG, and even after a reinstall, any FG applications behind the router could connect but not go any further than the character selection screen.

Thoughts?

[Foen]

Have you tried using the local network address from behind the router, rather than the pass phrase or WAN address?

Just a thought

Stuart

[joshuha]

Also, I would be willing to help test if you wanted to PM me or IM on on any of the networks in my profile.

[Astinus]

Have you tried using the local network address from behind the router, rather than the pass phrase or WAN address?

Just a thought

Stuart

We had three clients behind the router, but I was hosting with a direct connection to the Internet. It was those three clients who couldn't connect and they tried my WAN, and the alias. No dice. But all three could connect to the Internet. Just not my server.

[Astinus]

Also, I would be willing to help test if you wanted to PM me or IM on on any of the networks in my profile.

Thanks for the offer, joshuha. With work, I'll probably have to wait until this weekend. I'll try and get in touch with you later in the week.

[Foen]

Astinus, you say the internal clients tried the alias and the WAN address: they should try the LAN IP address too - some routers aren't that smart about re-routing internal addresses through NAT.

Stuart

[Astinus]

Astinus, you say the internal clients tried the alias and the WAN address: they should try the LAN IP address too - some routers aren't that smart about re-routing internal addresses through NAT.

Stuart

Sorry, I don't quite understand. When the clients connect, from behind their router, which LAN IP should they use? My server has a direct connection to the internet, so no LAN IP. Thanks, as always, for any suggestions.

[Foen]

If there are multiple PCs behind the router, I am guessing they will share a local area network of some kind, otherwise they wouldn't be able to access the router.

You will have an IP address on that local network, as well as the IP address for the internet. The local one is often shown on the FG2 host screen when you select the campaign you are going to run.

Otherwise, I must have misunderstood the problem (entirely likely!)

Stuart

[Sorontar]

Are you referring to something like 192.168.1.x where x is assigned to each connection to the router Foen?

If so, that would make sense, all you would have to do is find out which one is the host PCs internal IP and the other PCs on the network would connect direct without involving the internet..

[Foen]

I am, but not all LANs use the same address range (another popular range is 10.0.0.x). The router often has built-in DHCP support and issues these addresses to each machine that connects.

Cheers

Stuart

[Astinus]

I think I see what you guys are saying. Thing is, the host isn't on the network. Only the clients are on a network. And it's the clients on the network who can't connect to the host. (The host is on the other side of the world with a direct internet connection).

So everyone behind this router can connect to the host, but can't go further than character creation. Even when they did away with the router, and tried connecting correctly through the modem, the same problem occurred.

Does Fantasy Grounds have log files or anything like that to take a look at what might be going wrong?

[Foen]

Sorry Astinus, I thought the clients were behind the same router as the host.

If you are saying that there is a problem when any of the clients (individually, without the other clients trying) tries to connect, then it sounds like a more general comms issue. I am far from qualified to comment on that, but other folks here may be able to help.

If you are saying that the problem only arises when multiple clients try to connect, then you may have an IP address conflict: that is, the host may not be able to distinguish between the clients.

Sorry I wasn't any help in the end.

Stuart

[Griogre]

Astinus, I would double check your ports are open. Start FG and then go to www.pcflank.com. Select advanced port scanner on the left side of the page and tell it to scan port 1802. Make sure it is open, not stealthed or closed. If the port is open then get someone here to connect to you to verify all your network settings are correct. If that works then we know that the problem is on the client side. It is very rare for clients to have problems connecting to a properly configured host.

[Astinus]

Thanks for your continuing help, Foen and Griogre.

Griogre, I tested port 1802 and it is open. I did have another client connect on the night (from another location - not behind a router) so it does definitely seem to be a problem at the client end. Rare, like you say, but there it is.


If you are saying that the problem only arises when multiple clients try to connect, then you may have an IP address conflict: that is, the host may not be able to distinguish between the clients.

That's very interesting. I'm not sure what the solution to that is. The player was using a pretty typical D Link wireless G router. Maybe I'll get him to turn off his router and try connecting directly through his modem. It didn't work on the night when we tried, but maybe it will work in daylight. :o

[Griogre]

Ok now you know it is on the client end you should have them check their router. First make sure their router has enough local IPs assigned to it so the DHCP can assign each client a unique local IP. The problems they are having could come from more than one person "sharing" a local IP (which is bad).

Wireless is dog slow compared to cables and the farther the computer is from the base the slower the wireless connection is. I would ask your players to make sure their wireless connection is secured so they *know* their neighbors are not using their wireless to download movies and steal all their bandwith and maybe use up all their local IPs. Connecting a couple of computers with cables to the router instead of the wireless and seeing if it makes a differance would be good.