Issues with connection to VASL tonight (24 March)

[von Marwitz]

Hello crowd,

has anyone experienced issues with connection to the VASL server tonight (24 March)?

I am getting kicked out constantly after a few seconds or 2 mins at most.

Internet connection elsewhere seems ok. I can use Skype, type here etc.

The VASSAL server is busy (677 users for all sorts of games around 10% of which VASL), but I don't really think that this can be a problem traffic-wise.

von Marwitz

 

[Honosbinda]

Trying to connect now, my opponent cannot get in

 

[von Marwitz]

I have no issue connecting and finding myself (in various instances) in the Main Room. But if I stay idle for something like 15 seconds, the connection is invariably lost. When I type something / do something within these short intervals, then seemingly not.

This makes play pretty much impossible.

Pinging one.vassalengine.org works without any interruptions/timeouts.

Ideas anyone?

von Marwitz

 

[zgrose]

My brother gets disconnected from VASSAL if he doesnt send packets at some semi-regular interval. Either type something intermittently or just disconnect and re-connect. Both should work. Doesn’t seem to affect me but /shrug

 

[von Marwitz]

My brother gets disconnected from VASSAL if he doesnt send packets at some semi-regular interval. Either type something intermittently or just disconnect and re-connect. Both should work. Doesn’t seem to affect me but /shrug

Basically, you are right. If you stay idle for too long, you'll get disconnected. I have discovered that over the past few years but the intervals have been quite long.

Tonight, the interval was something between 10 and 20 seconds. Which would mean that I have to constantly manipulate or type something which would screw up the actions of my opponent or at the minimum serve as a severe distraction & nuisance for myself.

I have no idea what determines the interval.

von Marwitz

 

[zgrose]

Me neither, the VASSAL server is black box to me.

 

[TopT]

Me neither, the VASSAL server is black box to me.

I was able to play a few hours uninterrupted but we did used discord. Just throwing that out there.

 

[von Marwitz]

but we did used discord

Discord has nothing to do with the VASSAL server nor the VASL module, so that factor cannot be of any consequence with regard to the problem.

von Marwitz

 

[von Marwitz]

No change this morning. Only 9 people using VASL and 256 all games on the VASSAL server. Can't be the traffic.

If this is going to last, I am going nuts being stuck with the restrictions due to Corona.

von Marwitz

 

[BigAl737]

Is a peer to peer connection an option? It’s been a few years since I’ve done that but I recall it working when the server was intermittent.

 

[von Marwitz]

Is a peer to peer connection an option? It’s been a few years since I’ve done that but I recall it working when the server was intermittent.

ANYTHING would be an option if I can play VASL...

I seem to recall that getting a peer-to-peer connection to work on VASL was kind of tricky. It it a looong time ago since I tried it but back then, I couldn't make it work. As you have already done so, what's the trick?

von Marwitz

 

[von Marwitz]

So I have tried to find some instructions on how to get this running:

Server - Vassal

www.vassalengine.org

(Quite dated, page 27)

http://www.vassalengine.org/mediawiki/images/8/8c/Userguide.pdf

Not done yet...

von Marwitz

 

[BigAl737]

ANYTHING would be an option if I can play VASL...

I seem to recall that getting a peer-to-peer connection to work on VASL was kind of tricky. It it a looong time ago since I tried it but back then, I couldn't make it work. As you have already done so, what's the trick?

von Marwitz

What's the trick?...David Sullivan Maybe he's available here to chime in with any assistance.

 

[zgrose]

Usually opening the correct ports on the two peer's network firewalls is the main issue I've had with the peer-to-peer.

 

[Sparafucil3]

Usually opening the correct ports on the two peer's network firewalls is the main issue I've had with the peer-to-peer.

I think only the server side (the one sharing/inviting) has to do this. I don't think the other side as to. It has been a long time since I did this though. -- jim

 

[zgrose]

I think only the server side (the one sharing/inviting) has to do this. I don't think the other side as to. It has been a long time since I did this though. -- jim

could be. Either way, it’s a non trivial task for a lot of people and can be frustrating even when one has an idea of what to do due to all the extra layers of firewalls present these days that were absent when the feature was coded.

 

[von Marwitz]

As far as I understood it, one has to configure some port-forwarding in your router's firewall and then again configure a rule on your machine's firewall.

If I understood the - dated - instructions, you have to open the firewall of your computer for vassal.exe on port 5050 (which might get you in conflict if you use Yahoo messenger which also uses that port). Then you need to configure that port-forwarding on your router. You have to find out the IP-Address under which your computer can be found from outside your local network- which might be provided if you click on a button after switching the preferred server in the VASL preferences from VASL Legacy server to Peer to Peer.

von Marwitz

 

[bprobst]

A Google search for "what is my IP" will return your device's public IP address.

 

[von Marwitz]

It seems that VASL itself seems to provide the public IP address:



However, it is not the same that a tool gives me:



Maybe VASL checks only once when it is started and does not refresh the information while the router might renew its IP-lease.

Most of the "What is my IP" sites provide an IP6 address. But it seems that VASL can't handle that format.

 

[BigAl737]

It’d be nice to get this connection option working reliably. Doug and I tried troubleshooting yesterday but no dice. Thanks for staying on this. I will too although I am not very smart figuring out connectivity issues through firewalls, ports, and who knows what else routers do to keep me safe. I am willing to give it a go with someone if we happen to be online together.