Strange disconnects only today [Archive]

Lunababy

11-27-2014, 09:34 AM

UPDATED WITH BETTER INFORMATION

There seems to be a strange case of black-screen "You have been disconnected" issues specific only to p99 including the game servers (red+blue), the wiki, the website, and the forums.

THE PROBLEM

Occasionally and randomly, players will be unable to perform any actions in the game (no outgoing packets are sent, you cannot move/cast/act) but are not in a typical state of disconnection (ie; you can still receive updates from the server, mobs still hit you actively, etc). There is no packet loss and the ingame lag meter will show green 100% until you are terminated with the black screen. The non-game features simply will not load (browser no connection, etc).

This just started last week as of time of this update and has been continuing since. The game is basically unplayable as the disconnects are too frequent and pose too much of a risk.

This issue effects only all p99-related services and other games and websites are working as intended.

THE CULPRIT

So far it seems the only consistency in this ongoing issue is all the victims have Time Warner Cable as its ultimate provider throughout the southeastern US.

Joyelle

11-27-2014, 10:31 AM

This was happening to me last night and also this morning. Getting booted to character select but not completely out of game. When this happens I briefly lose connectivity to project1999.com but not the rest of the internet.

Merrik

11-27-2014, 10:50 AM

happening to me too, it's really annoying. At least I'm not alone though, makes me a bit more comfortable.

Esheon

11-27-2014, 03:06 PM

I don't know if this is the reason, but last night it seemed like anyone who was on Charter cable internet was getting disconnected a few times per hour, while others had no problems.

I had similar issues... some functions not working (spells not landing, chat not posting, unable to click item links and doors, etc) while other things were fine (other players' chat still coming through, combat continuing), usually followed by random drops to character select. Sometimes the game would "catch up", but most of the time it disconnected.

It seemed like the problem was only related to actions *I* took, anything done by an unaffected person still happened correctly.

I also was unable to access project1999.com or the wiki while the issue was happening.

Joyelle

11-27-2014, 03:11 PM

I have Time-Warner Cable.

Merrik

11-27-2014, 04:19 PM

Esheon

11-27-2014, 04:28 PM

I have Time-Warner Cable.

It's possible yours is managed by Charter... They took over about 1.5 million TWC customers back in June. But if not, that might make it a regional concern rather than a provider issue, if you're in the southeast.

Esheon

11-27-2014, 04:30 PM

I do have Charter, but never once during any of my D/C's did my internet actually go down. Streaming netflix wasn't interrupted and my wife playing EQ2 wasn't interrupted...just a short outage to p1999 apparently.

Same here... It was *only* the p99 servers, website, and wiki. Everything else was fine, I was streaming music on my tablet while I was playing.

Merrik

11-27-2014, 04:56 PM

are you using the charter DNS addresses they provide? I know they had some issues back a month or two ago where everything went down if you used their DNS. I think I've got mine set to 8.8.8.8 which saved me from their DNS bullshit whenever it happened.

Forza

11-27-2014, 05:21 PM

This is also happening to me, I've dc'd over 10 times randomly and have died once while pulling due to it. Annoying...

Doil_Boil

11-27-2014, 06:01 PM

Same thing has been happening to me since last night.

Merrik

11-27-2014, 06:09 PM

this is getting stupid...3 times in the last 10 minutes.

Dynir

11-27-2014, 08:05 PM

Also the same here... Time Warner Cable for me.

Lunababy

11-27-2014, 10:14 PM

Brighthouse for me in FL (southeast). Still happening. Frequent failures to load p99 wiki/site as well

Joyelle

11-28-2014, 12:01 AM

No idea if my service was one of the ones divested to Charter, everything I receive is still branded TWC. I am in the Southeast, specifically NC.

Forza

11-28-2014, 01:26 AM

Southeast here, SC, this is driving me insane. Would be nice if a GM would reply

Valerik

11-28-2014, 06:01 AM

Still happening to me as well. I'll try to cast a spell and it will never complete, then it will drop me to character screen. :(

Edit: I am also in Southeastern USA and use TWC.

thegreatyak

11-28-2014, 09:41 AM

This was happening to me last night and is still happening this morning (as described, ping looks fine, but abilities stop working, then disconnected).

I was playing with several friends on Ventrilo. Our Ventrilo stayed up, but those of us on Charter were simultaneously disconnected from EQ (P99 Red).

Can anyone confirm if changing DNS will fix this?

Merrik

11-28-2014, 09:46 AM

nah, my dns was never set to use charter's and I was dropping. Then I tried using charter's as my primary and was dropping. that definitely made no difference.

Nocsucow

11-28-2014, 09:51 AM

doh didnt see this thread .... im having same problem .. i sue charter and live in TN

Valerik

11-28-2014, 10:09 AM

I changed my DNS from Google to Level 3, still having the same issue. I don't think DNS is the problem.

sundell

11-28-2014, 10:59 AM

Just posting to chime in was experiencing the same issue last night on TWC. Hoping the issue resolves after the beta test weekend.

thegreatyak

11-28-2014, 11:00 AM

I changed my DNS from Charter's Auto (whatever that was) to 8.8.8.8

Played for about an hour with no drops after getting them all morning, so I'd like to tentatively say it fixed the problem.

I also have been getting a lot of zone crashes over the last month, when hardly got any before, and I did not get any after changing my DNS, so I'd like to be hopefully optimistic it fixed that problem as well.

An hour of gameplay is hardly enough to be certain, but I don't have any more time to test right now, so I'll just say it seems changing the DNS has fixed my disconnects for now.

Joyelle

11-28-2014, 11:45 AM

changed my DNS, still having the same issue

Forza

11-29-2014, 12:45 AM

This is SO AGGRAVATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happening on velious beta too....

dustysr06

11-29-2014, 12:47 AM

Are you guys using Netgear routers?

There must be something you all have in common..

Lunababy

11-29-2014, 01:03 AM

Are you guys using Netgear routers?

There must be something you all have in common..

it was a sudden change so its nothing on our end

Aadill

11-29-2014, 01:27 AM

Experiencing this problem as well. TWC service, no changes in software or anything.

The site seems to suddenly not work either. Every other webpage is still capable of being loaded/interacted with. Just P99 related stuff.

Alara

11-29-2014, 02:44 AM

I just started playing here about a week ago and it consistently takes me 3-5 minutes to load or zone. Most of the time the game just disconnects and then won't even let me log back in. Also get ''EQ is not responding'' a lot while zoning. The game doesn't lag or anything - it's only while connecting to server or zoning. Not experiencing this problem with the internet, or other games - only EQ. I'm also using the same computer I used when I played here many years ago, and never had that problem back then. Installed Duxa's CPU fix - didn't change anything. I'm at a loss for what to do.

shiznugg

11-29-2014, 12:00 PM

Merrik

11-29-2014, 12:47 PM

game is basically unplayable right now. Can't be depended on to stay connected in a group...can't pvp b/c of getting d/c in the middle of a fight. Sometimes I go 30 minutes without a problem, sometimes it's 30 seconds between getting logged in and getting d/c'd.

Joyelle

11-29-2014, 12:54 PM

Ever since lastnight, I can't log on. I get to the character select screen and when I press enter. The game starts to load up but then says I have been disconnected and asks for login again. Please help

That's because blue is down for mandatory Velious testing and when you try to log in it is just copying your character over to beta server.

See this notice from the front page: http://www.project1999.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1694081&postcount=1

Nocsucow

11-29-2014, 02:45 PM

just had charter reset my IP havent disconnected in over 30 mins now .. i think its fixed

Forza

11-29-2014, 04:16 PM

if it's fixed then come back and confirm that after more than 30m of play, i've been up for hours, 3 at the max i think. then like a previous poster i can DC 2 times in 2 minutes

Nocsucow

11-29-2014, 04:17 PM

its been over 2 1/2 hrs now

Joyelle

11-29-2014, 07:21 PM

Played on beta for several hours today, got disconnected like 3x at random. Issue still happening.

Merrik

11-29-2014, 08:30 PM

I called charter and ask them to reset my IP address. Guy told me that he did and I've crashed twice since having that phone call. whether he did or not, I don't know but he told me he reset it.

Thatt

11-29-2014, 09:45 PM

I've been having the same issue for about 3 days. TWC in NC. Game is basically unplayable, can't fight anything because there's a good chance that I'll DC before it dies. Happened on blue for a couple days before shutdown, happening on beta since.

Forza

11-29-2014, 10:12 PM

Lunababy

11-29-2014, 10:31 PM

Turns out my internal provider is indeed TWC (only with a different, localized name or a company that uses it).

I've updated the OP with more information.

Forza

11-30-2014, 12:13 PM

So i've officially reset my DNS from google's 8.8.8.8 and it still disconnects me. Your end, P1999.

Nocsucow

11-30-2014, 12:44 PM

i havent been disconnecting since charter reset my stuff ,....

Thatt

11-30-2014, 03:59 PM

It's literally every few minutes today. Completely unplayable. Nocsucow.. I just ask TWC to "reset my stuff" ?

Joyelle

11-30-2014, 04:02 PM

Same, 4 disconnects in the last 20 minutes and before that it was happening about once every 5-20 minutes.

Argh

11-30-2014, 06:06 PM

Lunababy

11-30-2014, 08:25 PM

I generally only get peculiar disconnects when using wifi. The issue has stopped entirely once I've switched to ethernet connection.

You can call your ISP and ask them to reset you IP.

You can try running cmd and typing 'ipconfig /relase'.

Some of these might work, but the solution for me was to just directly plug into the router.

I've used a hardline since the beginning of time. Still get the issue.
I also asked my ISP to reset my IP and they just gave me the workaround crap of "d/c your router and wait a long time and it'll change automatically cuz its dynamic hurhurhur". When I explicitly asked them to force reset it, they wouldn't...

Merrik

11-30-2014, 08:27 PM

calling my ISP did nothing, and my current desktop doesn't even have wifi, lol. d/c's have continued throughout the day for me.

Nocsucow

11-30-2014, 08:27 PM

mintmaster

11-30-2014, 09:01 PM

Have been on Charter in Alabama for 15 years now, playing on hardwire ethernet. Been disconnecting every 30 to 60 min for the past week on blue and now on red. No idea when this issue might get resolved

Forza

11-30-2014, 11:42 PM

This is absoluuuuutely driving me insane.

Forza

11-30-2014, 11:42 PM

I normally don't get all pissy at anything on p1999 because it IS free and devs do a lot of work, but normally they also respond to me when I post something's wrong. It's been a while and we still get no response

Aussie

11-30-2014, 11:52 PM

What do you want us to post? It's obviously something todo with TWC, nothing that we have changed.

Aadill

11-30-2014, 11:59 PM

http://i.imgur.com/7e3OnXE.png

Every time I have this disconnect issue it is these hops that are broken.

Forza

12-01-2014, 01:08 AM

http://i.imgur.com/7e3OnXE.png

Every time I have this disconnect issue it is these hops that are broken.

what should i do?

Aadill

12-01-2014, 01:23 AM

No idea, just adding information.

If you do Run -> cmd and type tracert www.project1999.com when your connection is good and when it is bad we can compare and see if there is a commonality, but it'd be something that would only be a shot in the dark, I imagine.

Seems it's just a routing issue which is definitely the ISP end. My issues started just a few days ago but it only seems to happen after midnight.

Derubael

12-01-2014, 03:12 AM

well its acting up again got 1 1/2 days of no resets ... its on the server end because youtube/facebook running fine .. for about 10 to 15 secs you cant use p99forums/wiki/and you crash in game to char select ... its on P99s end

http://i.imgur.com/7e3OnXE.png

Every time I have this disconnect issue it is these hops that are broken.

Unfortunately this isn't something we can fix. It's not a problem on our end - it's a proplem with the way Charter/TWC routs their customers to get to our server.

The internet works by sending your packets through a series of "hops" that go from router to router in succession. Packets try to take the most logical/efficient route to their destination. Sometimes there are "broken links" in the path being taken to the destination - this is bad for game like EQ, which will time out very quickly upon load in (if you break connection for a few seconds, EQ will disconnect you while zoning or entering the world from character select). If one of the "hops" along your packets route is timing out - like we can see in the above screenshot - that's a problem with your provider.

I'm sorry to say I don't have many recommendations. I looked into this problem a while back and found similar issues occurring on other MMORPG's, such as certain WoW servers. It seems charter/TWC is a common culprit. Getting a new IP (and thus *possibly* getting a new route depending on where your new IP gets routed to) may work, as would signing up with a different ISP. If this is too drastic or you don't have any other options, use your phone as a mobile hotspot - EQ uses very little data and doesn't require a very fast connection. Even 3g should suffice.

I wish we could offer more help but it's simply out of our control. I can almost guarantee everyone having consistent connection issues will have a similar traceroute as the one listed above when they have connection issues. Because the problem is along the way to our box, rather than at our box itself, there's nothing we can do =X.

Nocsucow

12-01-2014, 03:17 AM

im using my phone and not crashing

Thatt

12-01-2014, 12:12 PM

Thank you for the response Derubael. It's disheartening, but I'd rather know than not know.

Valerik

12-01-2014, 03:25 PM

Did my own testing when I was having issues:

http://i.imgur.com/NwYYZw9.png

This is normal connectivity, no issues.

http://i.imgur.com/fJvVzGH.png

Had a minor lag issue here, didn't disconnect me, but could not cast or use abilities.

http://i.imgur.com/2QHRTLv.png

Captured this right after getting dropped to character select/disconnect.

Will update with more as I'm able.

Merrik

12-01-2014, 04:15 PM

Lunababy

12-01-2014, 08:11 PM

I already spoke to Charter and explained to them what was happening...the response I got was typical lazy ass tech support saying "it's not our problem, it's theirs" and then the exact same response from the p99 staff. Fucking love it.

But the fix is so simple, just get a new ISP or tether your phone...fucking BRILLIANT.

it is frustrating but these are the only solutions until whatever city the hop is breaking in fixes its power lines or whatever the problem may be.

the only fix is to change the trace so it doesn't go through that way and the only way to do that is with a different IP address and the only way to get a different IP address is through your ISP, a new ISP, or a proxy (aka tether)

Forza

12-02-2014, 03:07 AM

i don't know about anyone else but the issue hasn't persisted today and has finally left me alone. I did unplug my router and plug it back in, lol... It's hard to imagine that had anything to do with it but it could have. Whatever. it works. thank jeebs

Valerik

12-02-2014, 09:01 AM

I'd be interested to know if anyone with a VPN is having these problems.

That might be a good solution seeing as how a VPN subscription costs way less than switching ISPs.

Joyelle

12-02-2014, 09:58 AM

Didn't get one disconnect yesterday while playing beta *finds some wood to knock on*. I didn't unplug my router or anything. Hopefully it's fixed. A few more days will tell.

dustysr06

12-02-2014, 08:25 PM

Didn't get one disconnect yesterday while playing beta *finds some wood to knock on*. I didn't unplug my router or anything. Hopefully it's fixed. A few more days will tell.

If ur ever... hard up, for some wood...to knock on, I could probably help!

pm me :D

Joyelle

12-02-2014, 08:57 PM

If ur ever... hard up, for some wood...to knock on, I could probably help!

pm me :D

@@ lol

Grimjaw

12-03-2014, 01:33 AM

when routes are clearly having issues (like that tracert - problems with gtt, Global Telecom Technology) normally a decent tracert like that is enough to get the ball rolling with your service provider. More than likely they will be escalating the issue to their provider, which again might need to be escalated to another provider (aka upstream providers), until the request reaches the proper company responsible for that part of the network. They will look into it and fix the issue.

Basically whoevers a customer of GTT is going to need to open a ticket with GTT. Could be a customer of a customer of a customer of a customer but it needs to go through that chain

if you want to do it yourself you could try here. Wouldn't hurt to see what they say.

http://www.gtt.net/contact-us/north-america-new-york/

Global Network Operations Center (NOC) Information

If you are experiencing service issues, please contact our Global NOC Service Desk at one of the phone numbers below, or send an email to: inoc@gtt.net.

Aadill

12-04-2014, 10:52 AM

Mine didn't have any issues last night, which is the first time in over a week.

Lunababy

12-05-2014, 04:48 AM

the issue seems to have dissipated

Eldon

12-06-2014, 12:42 AM

Gone for me too. Happy days.

Solon

01-31-2015, 12:10 PM

Bump ^^ -- This has been happening to me like crazy.. Idk what to do =(

Mojo24

01-31-2015, 12:53 PM

Bump ^^ -- This has been happening to me like crazy.. Idk what to do =(

Same, p99 was working fine up until about 2 hours ago. I haven't been able to play more than 5 minutes straight for the past couple hours. Given up for now as everything else is working fine. I stream netflix and youtube and there have no been no disconnects there.

Sirviver

02-01-2015, 02:06 AM

Greetings. I also seem to have caught this 'bug.' I have 100% Connectivity and an average of 60 ms Latency, but for the last two weeks or so, I intermittently will go silently LD. My Net Stat shows perfect this entire time.

If it corrects in 5 seconds, it just acts like it was a DDoS attack.
If it corrects in 15 seconds, I go to black DC screen and am booted to character select.
If it takes longer, I go to black DC screen and am booted to login.

Nothing outside of the game seems to be having any issue. I do notice that when this is happening, I also lose my ability to browse this website. My voice chats in Skype and Vent are not interrupted. I am hoping for a solution soon. I have played since 2011, and have never seen this.

And oh yea, my ISP is Charter.