Constantly dropping connection to Achaea

Anaria

About one in seven days, I just can't stay connected to Achaea for any length of time. My connection to the mud drops CONSTANTLY. I'll be doing stuff and the connection will just freeze. The weird thing is, the rest of the time, my connection is just fine. 

I'm using Mudlet as my client, and I don't think the client is to blame. When I play Achaea on my old computer using the exact same client with the exact same packages, I don't seem to experience this problem. I'm running Windows 7 on the offending computer, 64 bit. I checked and re-checked and nothing different is running when the connection problems start up.

Anyone have any insight?

Dairon

I had/have the same problem

Daklore

I have had the same problem off and on for close to a year now. Haven't found anything that actually resolves or prevents it. I do, however, believe it to be a problem with mudlet, as I have experienced the problem outside of Achaea. The only commonality at that point is my connection, or mudlet. Since other people also experience the problem, it appears to be something to do with mudlet.


Beats me what it could be, though.

Aesi

Well, something is very obviously interrupting your connection.

Thoughts: (Being an IT tech)

- Go into Device Manager, Network card properties, lock speed to 100MBPS instead of 1GBPS [if you have a 100mbps router sometimes the network card can do weird things]

- Ever had Mcafee on your pc? Even as a trial when you bought it? Run Mcafee Remover: https://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?id=TS101331

- Disable an antivirus you have. Could be an over zealous firewall. Just to test.

- Run a constant ping to something while playing (ping 8.8.8.8 -t and seee if it drops with your mudlet connection)

- Get malwarebytes anti malware and see if theres anything to remove. Spyware/PUPs can cause these issues. https://www.malwarebytes.org/

- also, if you have windows 10, you could be essentially torrenting updates to other people. Check this: http://lifehacker.com/windows-10-uses-your-bandwidth-to-distribute-updates-d-1721091469

Anaria

Aesi said:

Well, something is very obviously interrupting your connection.

Thoughts: (Being an IT tech)

- Go into Device Manager, Network card properties, lock speed to 100MBPS instead of 1GBPS [if you have a 100mbps router sometimes the network card can do weird things]

- Ever had Mcafee on your pc? Even as a trial when you bought it? Run Mcafee Remover: https://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?id=TS101331

- Disable an antivirus you have. Could be an over zealous firewall. Just to test.

- Run a constant ping to something while playing (ping 8.8.8.8 -t and seee if it drops with your mudlet connection)

- Get malwarebytes anti malware and see if theres anything to remove. Spyware/PUPs can cause these issues. https://www.malwarebytes.org/

- also, if you have windows 10, you could be essentially torrenting updates to other people. Check this: http://lifehacker.com/windows-10-uses-your-bandwidth-to-distribute-updates-d-1721091469

Not too sure about the first suggestion. Wouldn't that reduce my connection/download speeds? I do play other games besides Achaea, including other MUDS (and have no connection problems with them).

I DO have Mcafee and I'm unwilling to uninstall the anti-virus I paid for. Can you explain why it would make it virtually impossible to play Achaea but not other muds? 

I have Malwarebyes (free version) and superantispyware. I scan regularly with both. 

It will be a cold day in the Elysian Fields before I run Windows 10. As I said in OP, the problem computer runs Windows 7 64 bit. The other computer which uses the same connection (and doesn't have any anti-virus at all), which also uses the same mudlet I routinely port over from my the main computer, runs Windows XP. I never connection drop on the second computer. 

Even though Achaea was chronically losing connection earlier today, for some reason it refuses to connection drop right now so... I haven't been able to catch it dropping with the ping going. I'll let you know.

Edit: However one thing I do notice... if I play another mud using ZMUD during a connection drop on Achaea using mudlet, the zmud connection drops as well. I'm rarely on two muds at the same time, but, this information may be useful. I experience no connection problems with ZMUD to the other mud normally.

Trevize

Anaria said:

Not too sure about the first suggestion. Wouldn't that reduce my connection/download speeds? I do play other games besides Achaea, including other MUDS (and have no connection problems with them).

I DO have Mcafee and I'm unwilling to uninstall the anti-virus I paid for. Can you explain why it would make it virtually impossible to play Achaea but not other muds? 

I have Malwarebyes (free version) and superantispyware. I scan regularly with both. 

It will be a cold day in the Elysian Fields before I run Windows 10. As I said in OP, the problem computer runs Windows 7 64 bit. The other computer which uses the same connection (and doesn't have any anti-virus at all), which also uses the same mudlet I routinely port over from my the main computer, runs Windows XP. I never connection drop on the second computer. 

Even though Achaea was chronically losing connection earlier today, for some reason it refuses to connection drop right now so... I haven't been able to catch it dropping with the ping going. I'll let you know.

Edit: However one thing I do notice... if I play another mud using ZMUD during a connection drop on Achaea using mudlet, the zmud connection drops as well. I'm rarely on two muds at the same time, but, this information may be useful. I experience no connection problems with ZMUD to the other mud normally.

To add my two cents:

 More people that come to me with computer issues find it resolved with removing McAfee/Norton  than by removing any viruses.

The fact you're not losing connection while pinging is interesting. I once ran into that with a friend - turned out the solution was to send a GMCP command (we used ping) regularly and he never dropped. Given even a short lapse of sending anything and he would drop. Only certain connections though.

Anaria

I realize that there is a prejudice against McAfee and Norton but deleting an antivirus I paid something like $90 bucks for (or whatever it was for a years subscription) just to see if it has any affect is really not a viable option. If there is a specific reason to think McAfee is to blame, then there should be some idea of WHY it is to blame beyond "it just sucks". And then from the 'why' might lead down the path to a solution.

Trevize

Anaria said:

I realize that there is a prejudice against McAfee and Norton but deleting an antivirus I paid something like $90 bucks for (or whatever it was for a years subscription) just to see if it has any affect is really not a viable option. If there is a specific reason to think McAfee is to blame, then there should be some idea of WHY it is to blame beyond "it just sucks". And then from the 'why' might lead down the path to a solution.

The same reason it helps. Blocking stuff.

Also, prejudice would be a notion not based on experience.

Sobriquet

Out of curiosity, is this a wired or wireless connection? I've seen connection issues when running wireless on the same channel as a neighbor. Just a thought. I'd also not disable any AV, although I'd look to add the mudlet folder as a set of scanning exceptions. Also check any of the McAfee logs to see if the firewall element (if installed) is dropping it. Source : Sophos security consultant for 5 years.

Anaria

Wireless connection.

As for McAfee, it lists Mudlet as being an allowed program under the firewall tab. When I ask it for an event history it gives me a "please wait" spinning wheel that never finishes, however on the event overview under security history it shows 0 programs blocked.

Trevize

Sobriquet said:

Out of curiosity, is this a wired or wireless connection? I've seen connection issues when running wireless on the same channel as a neighbor. Just a thought. I'd also not disable any AV, although I'd look to add the mudlet folder as a set of scanning exceptions. Also check any of the McAfee logs to see if the firewall element (if installed) is dropping it. Source : Sophos security consultant for 5 years.

You'll run into more problems with 'close' channels than with identical ones. Channels 1, 6, and 11 should be used. But if you're on 1, you'll run into more issues from people on 2 or 3 than people also on 1.

Every channel is 20mhz wide centered on their 'number' but each 'number' is seperated by 5mhz. But devices are built to be 'considerate' of other devices on the same channel ONLY. Think of it like all devices on the same channel competing for time to talk. And devices on adjacent channels talking over each other.

Trevize

Anaria said:

Aesi said:

Thoughts: (Being an IT tech)

- Go into Device Manager, Network card properties, lock speed to 100MBPS instead of 1GBPS [if you have a 100mbps router sometimes the network card can do weird things]

Not too sure about the first suggestion. Wouldn't that reduce my connection/download speeds? I do play other games besides Achaea, including other MUDS (and have no connection problems with them).

I missed this one first time around. It won't. If your router is 100mbps, then locking the speed to 100mbps won't result in any loss. He's just saying you may need to 'correct' your network card, since it may be trying to use 10x what the router actually can deliver, resulting in weirdness.

Aesi

Also, running wireless, more questions:
(possible sources of interferance):

- 2.4ghz cordless phones? Getting a phone call?
- running your microwave? (this is a thing.)
- lots of wireless networks in your area?

Also, we are not telling you to ditch what you paid for. You can reinstall it with your product key. Sometimes the NDIS (network layer driver) becomes corrupted and does wierd things, that removing it fixes.

- as Trevize said, 100MBPS won't make a difference if you router doesn't support gigabit, and even then on wireless I have high doubts you would get that kind of throughput to your device.

- is your old computer ALSO on wireless?

Lothien

Running my microwave causes Netflix to stop working! It's crazy. Microwaves are real. Also neighbors running microwaves or using cordless phones.

Athelas

I'm having the same disconnection issue and I'm running Linux. So it's not a virus or virus scanner, nor a firewall of any kind.

I'm connecting on port 23, might that be an issue?

Anaria

So after a night of extensive testing, I have found that when I use mudlet on this computer to connect to other muds the same connection drop occurs. This never happens with a ZMUD connection.

The problem must be something to do with mudlet.

But I love mudlet. I can't go back to the misery that was zmud. Not to mention I've got a years worth of triggers, aliases, highlighters and key bindings all programmed in. 

And to answer some of these questions. Yes, I get phone through my internet provider. No, I'm probably not getting a ton of calls at 2:00am. Yes, I live in a fairly rural area, No, my neighbors aren't sharing my wifi (as far as I know). In fact there are no other wifi networks showing up as being in range when I check. Yes, I own a microwave, No, I'm not running it constantly. 

It's worth pointing out that I played Achaea quite happily on this computer for about eight or nine months, using this same client and same modem/router (which is only a year and a half old btw), and had no real problems to speak of. These connection drops started happening only a few months ago and have become chronic, but I can think of nothing that has changed about my system in that time.

Anaria

Using the PING method I have caught the connection loss happening. 

Usually when I ping the IP address of my other home computer, it takes between 1-5 ms per ping. Occasionally however, for no reason I can determine, this rate skyrockets to anywhere from 50-135ms per ping with Request Timed out now and then. Generally however I don't seem to lose connection when constantly pinging but tonight I was. I even got some "General Failures" in addition to the "Request Timed Out". 

These spikes in mila-seconds tend to last for about ten to twenty seconds and then return to the normal rate. Sometimes they happen often, usually they happen infrequently. They do appear to coincide with the connection drops.

Jacen

Sounds like wireless connectivity problems. I see the same behavior on my robots. Wire up to your router and see if the problem persists.

Anaria

Wired connection doesn't work at all. I cannot connect to Achaea or the Achaea web page. Or many other sites. Or other muds. Strangely, I can connect to SOME places. YouTube seems to work with absolutely no problem.

For the sites I cannot connect to, I get the follow message: ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE

Lyr

Are you using a proxy or a firewall? Have you tried port 2003? Or the web client?

Tharvis

chrome : Click 'the tools (customize and control)' on the top of the browser then go to 'options' Click 'Under The Hood' Tab Then click 'Change proxy setting' In network. Click 'LAN setting' below, make sure you are in the 'connection' Tab. Untick 'Use a proxy server for your LAN.