Unresolvable Error

Lambo

The past 4-5 days I've had trouble playing NS2 for unknown reasons, I haven't changed nor updated anything which could remotely affect the game or connection.
I'm frequently having yellow/red plugs during gameplay on public and most competitive team servers, round duration doesn't matter. On all ENSL related servers I can't get past Authentication at all, I'll either just receive a Timeout or Authentication Failed.

It's especially painful when being beaconed or phasing as a marine, red plug lasts for 2-3 seconds once it goes through. Similar thing when spectating, going from one end of the map to the other gives a red plug.

I've tried verifying files & all the common stuff, tried several Steam accounts, called my provider and they've made no changes & confirmed everything working fine on their end. Giving it a quick thought, it's like my bandwidth has just been limited to nothing, but I'm only having issues with ns2.

The error messages I've encountered are the following:
[4090.102] MainThread : Error: M4::WebView::OnDocumentReady: Failed to create Spark JS API. Error: 4"
[2419.012] MainThread : Error: OnPacket: Received an empty Networkpacket"
[2703.682] MainThread : Error: Attempted to load remote options from a file that does not exist.
[2704.934] MainThread : Error: PhysX: Foundation destruction failed due to pending module references.

If I manage to play a round the console is rapidly spammed with the second one.

Build 274
Windows XP 64-bit (build 2600)
[ 0.301] Unbound/Unknown : Error: PhysX: Invalid Cuda context!
Steam initialized
Num displays: 2
Direct3D 9 initialized: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (9.18.13.5012)
Sound Device: Speakers (2- Logitech G35 Headset) 7.1
Record Device: Microphone (2- Logitech G35 Headset)
Mounting mod from C:/Users/Lambo/AppData/Roaming/Natural Selection 2/Workshop/m5f1cf75_1364484257/
Mounting mod from C:/Users/Lambo/AppData/Roaming/Natural Selection 2/Workshop/m812f004_1429360744/
Loading config://ConsoleBindings.json
Loading config://FavoriteServers.json
Loading config://HistoryServers.json
[Elixer (Client)] Loading Utility Scripts v.1.80
[Elixer (Client)] Using Utility Scripts v.1.80
NS2+ Main Menu mods loaded. Build 273.
Main Menu Initialized at Version: 274
Steam Id: 198207866

I can provide the log file but there's nothing of use that I haven't already pasted above.

Thanks in advance.

---

EDIT: Further investigation, I'm limited to being unable to join 2-3 ENSL servers which are hosted in France, must be a coincidence. Yellow/Red plugs are the results of 30-100% Choke in-game, not sure what's causing them because I can be standing still alone in a server and spike up to 100% choke.

GhoulofGSG9

Hi,

please use verbose 3 and net_log 3 in the console before connection to a server to get us some more details about what is going wrong.

Lambo

I've added 2 files with this post, I don't know if it'll work.

logENSL.txt is when trying to join competitive servers.

logPUBLIC.txt is when joining public servers.

Lambo

@IronHorse @GhoulofGSG9
You 2 seem the only ones active from the CDT and this is just getting worse, about to become permanent 20% choke.

bump

EDIT: During Red/yellow plugs/100% Choke:

[491.019] 85.236.100.182 Client: Sending unreliable 5978
[491.052] ClientGame::UpdateWorld : Error: Time was too far after the last snapshot for extrapolation
Client: No snapshots for interpolating controlled entity
[491.061] 85.236.100.182 Client: Processing unreliable 7701
[491.061] 85.236.100.182 Client: Started receiving a new packet of 515 bytes
[491.061] 85.236.100.182 Client: Sending unreliable 5979
[491.062] ClientGame::UpdateWorld : Error: Time was too far after the last snapshot for extrapolation
Client: No snapshots for interpolating controlled entity
[491.071] ClientGame::UpdateWorld : Error: Time was too far after the last snapshot for extrapolation
Client: No snapshots for interpolating controlled entity
[491.080] ClientGame::UpdateWorld : Error: Time was too far after the last snapshot for extrapolation
Client: No snapshots for interpolating controlled entity
[491.083] ClientGame::UpdateWorld : Error: Entity didn't exist in both snapshots
[491.086] ClientGame::UpdateWorld : Error: Entity didn't exist in both snapshots
[491.087] ClientGame::UpdateWorld : Error: Entity didn't exist in both snapshots
[491.092] ClientGame::UpdateWorld : Error: Entity didn't exist in both snapshots
[491.098] 85.236.100.182 Client: Processing acknowledgement 101

GhoulofGSG9

Okay, first of all you have to know that there is currently a bug in the network protocol of spark which causes players with bad connections to stay in a endless "choke/red-plug" state.

Your logs indicate that you run into that situation most of the times as it seems like your connection to the given servers is loosing tons of udp packets.

This might be also a router issue if your ISP says that the connection is fine. Of course you should never really trust your ISP and try to do a udp network test yourself with a friend e.g. via iperf.

Lambo

GhoulofGSG9 wrote: »

Okay, first of all you have to know that there is currently a bug in the network protocol of spark which causes players with bad connections to stay in a endless "choke/red-plug" state.

Your logs indicate that you run into that situation most of the times as it seems like your connection to the given servers is loosing tons of udp packets.

This might be also a router issue if your ISP says that the connection is fine. Of course you should never really trust your ISP and try to do a upd network test yourself with a friend e.g. via iperf.

and how would one do said UDP test?

Nordic

try to do a upd network test yourself with a friend e.g. via iperf.

I just did a quick google search, and this seems to be one tool that would do what you need.
http://openmaniak.com/iperf.php

If that doesn't help, https://search.disconnect.me/searchTerms/serp?search=c219870a-64ea-44d4-bc90-c34819608e27

matso

Are you possibly using WIFI? I see signs in the log that the last smallest packet in a group is arriving before the bigger payload packets .. I think that may be caused by one of the larger packets being resent using the WIFI packet loss protection protocol...

The NS2 unreliable channel treats an out-of-order packet as a complete loss, which means that it is currently very sensitive to bad WIFI connections.

Also, WIFI can be affected by how other WIFI networks around you are being used which could explain why things have gotten worse without any action on your side.

Just speculation, but it would be good to know if you are using WIFI.

Lambo

matso wrote: »

Are you possibly using WIFI? I see signs in the log that the last smallest packet in a group is arriving before the bigger payload packets .. I think that may be caused by one of the larger packets being resent using the WIFI packet loss protection protocol...

The NS2 unreliable channel treats an out-of-order packet as a complete loss, which means that it is currently very sensitive to bad WIFI connections.

Also, WIFI can be affected by how other WIFI networks around you are being used which could explain why things have gotten worse without any action on your side.

Just speculation, but it would be good to know if you are using WIFI.

I'm not using WIFI, my computer is the only one connected with cable, WIFI connections are phones/laptop. I regularly delete unknown WIFI connections e.g when friends come over & connect for a while.

matso

Mmm... good to know, then it might just be that reordering is more common for some reason; NS2 uses UDP packets so routers might feel no need to deliver them in order.

I've upgraded the network protocols to make them more robust, including handling reordering for unreliable packets. Should show up in 275 or 276.

Hopefully it will make a difference.

Lambo

Will do tests & keep you posted once they're out, thanks.

Lambo

@GhoulofGSG9 @matso ;;
Unable to join most servers now, any ETA on the patch?
Don't know if this log will be any different and provide more info, it's the most recent one.
TL;DR Not getting past Authenticating when joining most servers.

babblerbling

If it's that bad, it actually does indicate something is fishy with either your network or your ISPs'.
Do check if your router performed an automatic firmware update recently. Can you test with a different one?

Lambo

babblerbling said:

If it's that bad, it actually does indicate something is fishy with either your network or your ISPs'.
Do check if your router performed an automatic firmware update recently. Can you test with a different one?

I've called the provider & reseted the router to factory settings without any change. Friends are starting to receive the same errors but at a -lower stage-, everything points towards a game issue, it's the only game I'm having troubles with.

IronHorse

@Lamb Sorry for the late reply.

While there is a fix for this in our trello , the patch may not be for a few more weeks still.
Have you ran any line tests? like www.pingtest.net or others?
Run at least 5 consecutive tests, especially when you notice having issues in game.

Also what router model and ISP are you using?
And are the servers you are playing on using modified rates?

DC_Darkling

While it may or may not explain a sudden drop in network performance for ns2, I have a thing you can check network wise which many forget.
The actual utp cables. (especially manual made ones).

Many lesser 'utp' cable is made with not full copper. But either aluminium or copper clad alluminium. Aka, junk. The biggest problem these cables produce is huge loss even over short distances.
Regardless of game issues, its always good thing to make sure your cable is copper.

Lambo

I switched to another ISP & bought a new router from them, everything about it is a boost compared to my previous one. I'm paying for 50mb/s download & 25mb/s upload, however I'm capping at 25mb/s download & 10mb/s upload so it's pointing to a faulty phone line which I aim to replace in the next week(s). Heard others are still having similar things so I doubt the phone line is to fully blame. The problem still persists but much less frequent & doesn't last as long, highlights are on populated pub servers with a lot going on, still happening nonetheless.

www.speedtest.net gives similar results as said above, www.pingtest.net gave me grade B* with 1ms jitter, unable to test packet loss due to java not installed. I'm using a Kasda KW5262 model & my ISP is "Hringdu ehf", ip is "89.17.157.146". I've tried both modified & default rates, both seem to yield similar results.

ayyyyoooo for patch?

DC_Darkling

you may have misunderstood.
My advice is also general and not specific to ns2. As in 'never hurts to check'.

I mean, if they even have fixes in the patch planned for people with your issues, its not 'just' your connection aye?

IronHorse

Thanks @Lamb but the patch that has that specific fix won't be the next patch, so it may still be a few weeks away.

I'd definitely say a 50 % loss in network traffic is disconcerting.
Install java (if only for that test) and run pingtest when you are having issues!
I don't doubt others are having this issue, but if you are having issues in general, like 50% losses then that's another matter entirely and should be investigated.