Info: connection losses, high ping and related issues

[Error18512 524]

Old instruction is outdated, please use the new below.

 

Always let the tool run for a couple of minutes and when you are experiencing the issue.

 

There is another usefull tool. Its results are also a good help to find issues. (The ping interval should be set to 5 seconds instead of 15)

 

WinMTR-v092.zip

[Error18512 524]

Testing the connection to the current game server

 

You can test connection either automatically by script (more preferable) or by hand (less preferable)

 

Option A: Using the script (Windows 7 and above)

 

Open your game installation folder and go to the con_tester subdirectory

In this  directory you will find two scripts:

- SC_Active_Srv_nettest.cmd - main script

- PacketLoss_Trapper.cmd - additional script that starts with the main script

 

After executing the main script, it will expect an entry in the game.log with the server IP address. 

This entry only appears if your ship ever departures on the map today

If you did not play a battle yet, there will be no such string. And the script will wait until a battle is started. 

If you played at least one battle, the last server address will be used. 

If there are multiple enties, the last one will be used:

 

Quote

Waiting for DS server record in game.log
play any map to continue or press CtrlC to exit.......

 

 

1. Run tests Instantly via the current (latest) server 

 

'Instantly' - means tests will be performed immediately after running a script, unlike the other script in paragraph 2. (below)

 

Run SC_Active_Srv_nettest.cmd

 

If you run the script while being in battle, the current server will be checked.

If you run the script being in the hangar, the last server you played on will be used.

 

Window will be opened with testing procedure of the current (latest) server :

 

Quote

*********************************************************
0:29:18 2014-12-10 (Wed Dec 2014) RTZ 2 (чшьр) UTC+03:00
LoadBalancer   [RU] 91.230.61.25
Shard                  [RU] 5.153.37.199
Chat                    [RU] 91.230.61.97
Dedicated          [US] 219.18.15.139

 

Tracing route to 219.18.15.139

over a maximum of 30 hops:

  0  1.2.3.4

  1  10.20.6.1

  2  178.18.224.34

  3  80.64.96.1

  4  81.27.252.118

  5  219.18.15.139

 

Computing statistics for 125 seconds...

            Source to Here   This Node/Link

Hop  RTT    Lost/Sent = Pct  Lost/Sent = Pct  Address

  0                                           1.2.3.4

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  1    1ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  10.20.6.1

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  2    1ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  178.18.224.34

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  3   18ms     1/ 100 =  1%     1/ 100 =  1%  80.64.96.1

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  4    8ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  81.27.252.118

                                9/ 100 =  9%   |

  5    9ms     9/ 100 =  9%     0/ 100 =  0%  219.18.15.139

 

Trace complete.

 

 

 

 

Post a screenshot of the results and  attach the game logs.

 

 

 

2. Run the script in monitor mode:  automatically run tests on high packet loss detection.

 

PacketLoss_Trapper.cmd

Use this script when you want to keep track of the deteriorations of the connection.

 

When you run the script, it starts monitoring the game.log for records on the communication with the server.

Use this script when you want to keep track of the link quality to the server. It will immediately run tracert and ping on packet loss above 10% :

 

Quote

Waiting for DS server record in game.log
play any map to continue or press CtrlC to exit...DS record found

Monitoring game.log for packet loss record >10% at 1 seconds intervals

 

Once the deterioration is detected (packet loss > 10%), it starts tracert and modified ping utility to server. Each one in its own window. 

Each line in pings window shows: average delay, packet loss, number of packets sent (the percentage of losses):

 

Quote

 

0:48:39 2014-12-10 (Wed Dec 2014) RTZ 2 (чшьр) UTC+03:00
Pinging current server.
Press Ctrl-C to exit or just close this window

[ 0:48:47] 91.230.61.167: avg:42ms lost:0/8 (0%)
[ 0:48:55] 91.230.61.167: avg:42ms lost:0/8 (0%)
[ 0:49:03] 91.230.61.167: avg:42ms lost:0/8 (0%)

 

In the second window you will see tracert in a loop.

 

Quote

 

0:48:38 2014-12-10 (Wed Dec 2014) RTZ 2 (чшьр) UTC+03:00
Tracing current server.
Log file is: nettest-tracing.15.12.2014.log

[ 0:48:38] Run 1. Collecting tracing data. Press Ctrl-C to abort...
Tracing route to 91.230.61.167 with the maximum number of hops 30

1 2 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.168.1.1
2 11 ms 5 ms 7 ms 187.24.238.1
3 * 2 ms 2 ms 95.54.92.82
4 30 ms 30 ms 29 ms 95.167.92.31
5 43 ms 42 ms 58 ms 81.91.186.66
6 42 ms 42 ms 44 ms 91.230.61.167
Trace completed.

[ 0:48:53] Run 2. Collecting tracing data. Press Ctrl-C to abort...
Tracing route to 91.230.61.167 with the maximum number of hops 30

 

Both utilities will run in a loop.

Let them run for at least a minute to collect enough statistics.

To stop utilities, in each window press Ctrl + C and confirm the completion.

 

If the problem has been identified and is visible, take a screenshot and proceed as stated above

 

The utility detects the switching of the game servers and will determine the correct one for the next test. Therefore, you can play and keep the script running in background. Don't worry, you won't miss any important information. The script keeps a log file of all traces (see below).

 

Every tracert run is logged into the file named   nettest-tracing.<current date>.log

 

The results of the ping utility will not be saved in the log file.

 

This way you can play a lot of battles in a row and view the content of the log file.

 

If a problem is detected, attach the screenshots and the log file. If you do not see a problem in the screenshots (but there is a log file) - only attach the log. Screenshots are only needed for convenience when watching posts on the Forum.

 

 

Option B: Running tests manually (less preferable)

 

please note in text there are also for MAC OSx actions

 

This option should only be used when it is not possible to use the automated windows script (Option B).

 

1. Find the IP address of the current server from the active game.log file located here:

Quote

1. For Win XP: {drive}: \Documents and Settings {username} \My Documents\My My Games\StarConflict\logs\

2. For Win Vista/7: {drive}:/Users/{username} \Documents\My Games\StarConflict\logs\

Linux:  ~/.local/share/starconflict/logs/
MAC OS:  Users\<user>\Library\Application Support\Star Conflict\logs\

 

Navigate to the log folder (direcotry shown above), sort the content by date and open the newest folder.

 

For example: ...My Games\StarConflict\logs\2015.10.09 22.18.55

There may be several directories with the same date, therefore it is required to look for the the time as well.

 

Open the file: game.log

 

Search the game.log for the string: client: connected to

There may be several strings. You need the last one. 

If you did not play a battle (some map) yet, there will be no such string for today's game.log

 

An example of the string:

12:21:54.115 | client: connected to 219.18.15.139|35004, setting up session...

 

Server IP address:   219.18.15.139

 

If you searched while being in battle, then the IP will be shown from the current server.

If you searched immediately after the end of the battle, then the IP will be shown from the last server you played on.

Servers can vary from battle to battle.

 

 

 

2. Checking latencies and packet losses:

 

2.1. WINDOWS

Click run, type cmd.exe and hit Enter .The black window will appear

 

2.1.1. Type the following command into cmd:

 

PathPing -n -4 -w 500 < Server IP address >

                                   ,where < Server IP address > - the IP address found in the log

                                    NOTE: -l 64 .This is an 'el' letter (small 'L'). The letters are case sensitive!
 

For example: PathPing -n -4 -w 500  219.18.15.139

 

2.1.2. As a result you will get something similar to this:

Quote

 

Tracing route to 219.18.15.139

over a maximum of 30 hops:

  0  1.2.3.4

  1  10.20.6.1

  2  178.18.224.34

  3  80.64.96.1

  4  81.27.252.118

  5  219.18.15.139

 

Computing statistics for 125 seconds...

            Source to Here   This Node/Link

Hop  RTT    Lost/Sent = Pct  Lost/Sent = Pct  Address

  0                                           1.2.3.4

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  1    1ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  10.20.6.1

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  2    1ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  178.18.224.34

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  3   18ms     1/ 100 =  1%     1/ 100 =  1%  80.64.96.1

                                0/ 100 =  0%   |

  4    8ms     0/ 100 =  0%     0/ 100 =  0%  81.27.252.118

                                9/ 100 =  9%   |

  5    9ms     9/ 100 =  9%     0/ 100 =  0%  219.18.15.139

 

Trace complete.

 

 

 

2.2. [MAC OSX]

2.2.1. Open Terminal (Applications => Utilities => Terminal)

 

 

2.2.1. Type the following command into Terminal window:

 

 

traceroute -I  < Server IP address >

                                   ,where < Server IP address > - the IP address found in the game.log

                                    -I .This is a big 'i' letter The letters are case sensitive!
 

For example: traceroute -I 219.18.15.139

 

you will see something like this: 

traceroute -I 219.18.15.139
traceroute to node76ar-sx.star-conflict.com (219.18.15.139), 64 hops max, 72 byte packets
 1  192.168.20.1 (192.168.20.1)  0.357 ms  0.205 ms  0.240 ms
 2  192.168.20.5 (192.168.20.5)  1.063 ms  0.811 ms  0.776 ms
 3  vl1434.ar14-24.ndl.um.compunet.net (62.24.5.16)  1.615 ms  1.312 ms  0.920 ms
 4  bundle-ether2-4002.sr35-02.ndl.um.compunet.net (21.82.3.87)  1.659 ms  4.280 ms
 5  miran.spb.cloud-ix.net (31.28.18.22)  45.098 ms  45.261 ms  60.774 ms
 6  host62-80.miran.ru (91.142.80.62)  45.187 ms  45.954 ms  45.230 ms
 7  node50ar-sx.star-conflict.com (219.18.15.139)  43.084 ms  43.006 ms  43.037 ms

 

2.3. Take a screenshot

Sc_NetTest-0.4.2.2.zip

[Error18512 524]

Check the maximum size of the MTU on the connection to the server



Usually this error is caused by a "squeezed" MTU value. Which, in turn, might be caused by your or yours ISP routing equepment. 

Less often - the operating system.

 

right after disconnect, the game.log might  have the record:

client: connection closed. DR_CLIENT_COULD_NOT_CONNECT

To exclude this option as cause of communication problems, check the real maximum unfragmented packet size to the current game server.


Its value should not be less than 604.
Its normal value is 1472 for winfows systems.


You can check the value in two ways.

1. Using windows ping

Use the ping command with the -f -l 1472  parameters (here l - is the English L (el).  case sensitive)

Click "Start" and run cmd.exe

Type:

ping -f -l 1472 <IP address of the dedicated server>

here l - is the lowcase L (el).
Obtain the server address by one of the methods mentioned above
 
For example:

ping -f -l 1472 11.222.333.444

 
If the MTU is "squeezed", you will see the message:

require packet fragmentation, but prohibiting flag is set.
require packet fragmentation, but prohibiting flag is set.
require packet fragmentation, but prohibiting flag is set.
...

 

To define the largest MTU size try pinging with  -l 1432 and down to -l 600.  In almost all cases it should be ok with -l 1432

then add 28 to the found value and that will be you maximum MTU. For example 1432+28 = 1460. Then proceed to the end of this post to know how to set your new-found max.MTU value.
 
2. Advanced method

Use this utility mtupath.exe
 

mtupath.exe <IP address of the dedicated server>

 
The result will look like this:

MTU path scan to 11.222.333.444, ttl=64, limit=48
# 16 processing - best MSS 1472 (estimated MTU 1500) [pPPPPpPppPpppppp]
# 01 nearest minimum MTU on local interface


        #1 MSS IN RANGE     1 <==  1471 ==>  1472
        #2 MSS EXCEEDED  1473 <== 14911 ==> 16384

 
 

 to calculate your maximum MTU value, ADD 28 to rightmost value of the "MSS IN RANGE".  

For the screenshot above it will be: 1472 + 28 = 1500 (windows default)

 

3. What next?

 change you local OS MTU size

1. open cmd.exe

2. enter:

ipconfig

3. use your mouse rigth click to select and copy to clipboard your network interface name. Usually it is "Local Area Connection" for cable and "Wireless Network Connection" for wi-fi. Its possible that you have more then one. Choose the correct  - the one you use for internet access. If in doubt, change every interface you see :). Dont worry, the change is reversable.

 

4. use the netsh commands to set MTU from default 1500 to the new calculated value (see above). Use mice right click to paste your clipboard just in right place. Note the quotation marks around its name.   For the found name Local Area Connection (its possible different in your case):

netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface "Local Area Connection" mtu=1460 store=active

to check with current value, use the 'show' key:

netsh interface ipv4 show subinterface "Local Area Connection"

5. try to connect the game. On fail, try set MTU to 1300, then 1200 ... down to 600. But note: the lower MTU, the more laggy game will be.

 

On success, make the change persistent with store=persistent key:

netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface "Local Area Connection" mtu=1400 store=persistent