Multiplayer ping kick issue loading at spawn

[kyraeus]

Hey guys, running into an issue loading up everything at spawn on a game with a friend. I've played with him previously (read: like two days ago) and encountered no issues. Now after he's progressed a bit, we're seeing me attempt to connect, and within seconds getting kicked for 40% packet loss.

I half suspect this is due to him having built massively around his spawn point, because as I log in, it starts loading the chunk around me, things begin to pop in, but it gets cut off and hits the packet loss limit I guess, and lag kicks me.

Is there a fix for this that I'm just not finding? Has anyone in fact addressed this, since I see a lot of posts here and elsewhere from about a year or two ago regarding this? Only thing I've seen suggested a setting for minimum server ping latency, which we changed from 200 to 500, and still see the same issue.

Is there any way to just force the server NOT to kick me for a few seconds till it lets the damn spawn point load in? After which I think we'd be fine.

[steveman0]

Packet loss means you've got a major connection problem. There's no way to override that kick because high packet loss will eventually crash the server. Fix your connection and you'll be good. Typical cause is a bad router or trying to run through a poor wireless connection.

[Huperspace]

the fail here is the UDP protocol used for real time things were packet loss is not important video streaming. (server send packets without knowing if recieved/accepted)
a login causes a spike that is 4 to 10 times higher as the mean bandwith with can cause the packet loss with UDP and the needed bandwidth increase with time/machines/progress
but here should be used TDP protocol. (server send packets knowing connection only time out or disconnection create packet loss)

you need better internet connection /better router to not have packet loss for the time being

[DjArcas]

Is this a dedicated server?

[kyraeus]

*sigh* my question is, why is everyone assuming automatically 'PACKET LOSS = BAD CONNECTION'

Yes, I understand network dynamics and connection protocol. And I'm suggesting that maybe it's the massive loadin at connection that's causing the issue because I can't load the chunks fast enough and it's causing what appears as loss to the game.

thus I ask again the same question. Is there any way to force the game to not kick me for long enough for that initial load in period?

[kyraeus]

And nope, not a dedicated server. Tried both via hamachi (the original method, which worked at one point), and non-hamachi direct ip connection methods.

[kyraeus]

We're going from upper eastern seaboard to around the Texas area, the serving system shows up as approx 80-100 ping standard on the server browser. For the few seconds that it's active before it kicks, it seems like the game is loading the chunks in just fine, but as though it hits a spot either where there's just too much data at once, or in theory it could be a 'machine' or hopper he has active or something gumming up the works.

Either way, it seems like a major issue and possible bar to multiplayer connection.

[steveman0]

Originally posted by kyraeus:

*sigh* my question is, why is everyone assuming automatically 'PACKET LOSS = BAD CONNECTION'

Yes, I understand network dynamics and connection protocol. And I'm suggesting that maybe it's the massive loadin at connection that's causing the issue because I can't load the chunks fast enough and it's causing what appears as loss to the game.

thus I ask again the same question. Is there any way to force the game to not kick me for long enough for that initial load in period?

Well... because a good connection doesn't drop packets :P

But I think the answer you're looking for is that the server needs to adjust the rate. If the flood of segments is overwhelming the connection the solution is to lower the rate so you don't get them as quickly. But really, you should probably fix your connection.

[DjArcas]

If you use a dedicated server, you can fiddle with the Rate parameter, which will drop the peak data sent. You can just run the dedicated server on the same PC as the client, and just connect to 127.0.01. There's no way to mess with the swathe of server command as a listen server, I'm afraid.

Specifically, this issue is when the server sends data to the client, but the client router (!) is overworked or underpowered, and it's local buffer/stack is too small, so just starts discarding data. (!)

[kyraeus]

Thanks for the reply Arcas. Appreciate having a better understanding of where the issue lies and possible fixes. Will bug my hosting player to get the dedicate server up and running to test.

[kyraeus]

Update: Got him to set up the dedicated server on his system, and do connect via direct IP
and port forward his router instead of Hamachi, in case that was causing some sort of filtering or other issues.

While it DID resolve the KICK issue, I no longer get kicked..... Now it simply refuses to load more than a couple of chunks for me. The effect is similar to minecraft not loading chunks when overloaded or heavily modded.

The appearance was that a handful of chunks immediately around me on spawn load, but the rest are completely invisible, and attempting to move out of the loaded chunks gives a warning. Waiting proved useless, as the chunks do not continue to load after time.

[kyraeus]

Going to doublecheck, since I'm not sure exactly what/whether he fiddled with the rate setting or not.

[Siro]

I encountered this a couple times in modded minecraft, although there's no way to ensure it's actually similar. At any rate, the solution there was to not put that many things in one place. The new room mechanic can certainly help if you're on the latest, but give your base more room to breathe.

[steveman0]

What's the hosts upload? Sounds like it may just be a poor connection.

[Elfe]

the player with the issue could try to instantly "teleport 1000 0 0" and logout
then connect again and wait (the area should be fairly empty there)

that might decrease the required amount of data
wasn't there something like a server send rate that could be reduced as well?

[kyraeus]

I haven't gotten to try again yet since figuring this out, but I may have found a semi solution.

I discovered that hamachi had some weird issue for me where it needed to 'attach' my account. I'm pretty sure this was due to me having an ooooold hamachi account before it rebranded to 'Log me in Hamachi'.

The issues I had while connecting WITH hamachi in this state, were similar, but not EXACTLY the same as the ones I had when trying to connect directly via the server host's ISP-granted IP address.

I suspect the distance affected us (PA to TX) when going directly, and the account issue was affecting the hamachi connection when connecting that way.

Going to retry next chance I can get him to bring it online to see if resolving the hamachi issue fixed the connection problems. Just something for anyone else using hamachi to connect to be aware of, check your account with them if you start encountering problems.