[Responded] Shroud of the Avatar Crashing my Home network :(

1. Reproduction Rate: 100%

1. Blocker? Oh yeah
2. Details: See below
   
3. Steps to Reproduce: Run shroud on my computer
4. User Specs: Windows 10... and, here you go: http://www.thecaverns.net/Wordpress...nd-star-citizen-a-major-game-rig-here-you-go/

In addition to whats on that article with the components, there has been a second video card added (let me know if you need model, etc). As well as a few more monitors added since then. I think that's all.

Ok, first off if you looked at the build - you'll know that its not a hardware resource issue. From a testing/power standpoint ive tested that I can run 6 instances of Shroud, logged in, all max settings, at the same time. It starts to lag a bit at 6.

Heres what is happening. There is a SLIGHT variation difference between standalone and the steam version.

Standalone - When I run it, after an amount of time that varies slightly, (between 4-20 minutes), my network access goes down on the rest of the computer. EVERYTHING. Cant access the two NAS in the home network, or other network devices (and that of course includes the internet).

The computer is telling me the network is down.. Yet (and this is the only reason I ever suspected sota as culprit to even test it after all else failed), Sota continues to run just fine. I can continue to play while my computer tells me i have no network, and nothing else on it works.

The Steam version
What it does differently is it actually goes down with the network, when the network foes down. I am guessing Steam detects it, and that causes SotA to close.. where as the stand alone client doesn't have Steam do that, and it just continues to run without a hitch (without internet access in Multi player mode


Within a few minutes of exiting SotA, or even faster if i just End Task it... my home network returns. every time.

Ill save you the wall of the past 24 hours of testing i have done to get to this point, including help from multiple people on my Facebook friends list. One thing that was an indicator, is my network was fine for the first few hours this morning while i read emails..didnt go down until i launched sota. But I didnt recognize that connection until a few hours ago.. hindsight.

Needless to say, at this time i can only Play sota, if i play standalone and am willing to give up all other network access. As long as I dont go in game, I have no issues at all with my network.

This started yesterday shortly after the latest patch.

P.S. - I have reproduced the fact it brings the network down, and ending SotA brings it up, three times in a row. I wanted to be REALLY sure before I posted this report.

P.P.S. - I can have the Sota Launcher running, and I can have the game screen up at the main menu. The network does not go down until I "resume" or "Start on world map". At that point, start the count-down time for network crash.

 

@Sir Stile Teckel
Everything you are saying so far is pinpointing towards a network issue or data overload somewhere. You are seeing the symptoms of it while running SoTA, thus the game connection. It may seem like Sota is causing it, but I think you are just only seeing the issue when SoTA is running. A correlation, but not causation type of situation. Working on emails and playing a video game are two very different data scenarios I suspect there are other applications out there that could also take down your network.

I don't know what steps you have completed on the network side, but I have no doubt you have attempted many things for a fix....you are using wireless, what kind of router, etc. Are there any other devices connected? I'd try to simplify it, starting big, then working down from there. First start with a hard wired connection bypassing the router, narrowing down the possibilities from there. Then it is easier to explore router possibilities, or wireless possibilities, or perhaps any kind of data overload, or have there been any other changes such as other devices using the network as of late? Start big, work smaller, see what works and what doesn't. I think it will help you find the area we need to explore further.

I would also check with your internet service provider and inform them you are having internet issues with certain applications. Even if everything comes back fine, it will help narrow down things further.
It also is worth trying to do a full uninstall and reinstall; it is a pain but I find it to be worth doing if an issue pops up after a patch.

I admit I am not a network engineer, so hopefully others will also chime in with their input

 

Is there a "smart" router that is doing a QOS thing to give SotA the maximum bandwidth while lowering everything else? Or a program on your computer doing that like LAN Optimizer?

 

Hello,

five internet switches have been replaced out in the home network with a 100% known working switch, one at a time.

IP Addresses have all been verified that there are no conflict. Ip address was changed just in case.

all cat 5e cables, through the extensive network were replaced one at a time.

computer rebooted many times.

dns flushed, let go, renewed.

every device on the network has been removed from the network, and only the pc with sota tried being ran.

NIC, replaced with a known working unit. Drivers verified. Windows updates current.

No new software, or software updates that I was not using prior to the patch when this started.

Wifi is not an issue, as my computer is hardwired running to a modem/router combo unit (2wire by at&t). Wifi is disabled on it, and it handles my entire hard wired networrk. It then has a top of the line $300.00 asus wifi router hooked up to it, in "bridge mode", and has ethernet disabled on it, with only wifi enabled. it then handles all wifi connections... and it is only used for mobile devices. EVERYTHING in my home is hard wired on a 1gbps connection. This separates the common issues people have, but was mainly done as AT&T 2wires wifi sucks. Also I do a lot of internal data transfer to NAS devices and wnat the speed.

All my ip addresses are allocated to a specific device by the router, so do not change.


Id add, im a certified as an IT professional (admittedly, I dont do it for a living so I get rusty and have to freshen up now and then). As for calling my provider, wont happen. Ever. Every time i have ever done so, I spend 4 hours explaining to the technicans how my system runs.. they cant handle it, they have to walk away and tell me they cant service me. Im running a commercial level network in my home. I have the experience and skills that I know how to do so - they dont, as they know how to hook up a modem (as long ass its a 2 wire), run a cable, and plug it in... unless I get lucky and get a college kid... then we usually talk gaming for about 4 hours, have a beer, he hooks me up with some free quipment, apologizes he couldnt fix the issue and leaves and clocks out for the day..... my friends and family makes jokes, that me having college kids come to my home to fix things is how i make friends.

I did have a power surge about 3 days before the patch, but the connection issues started 3 days after.. regardless thats why i tested and exchanged every component. I have an extensive home network and as my livelihood depnds on it, I have working backup units soley for testing purposes. I have 5 sizes of cat5e cables i keep in original packaging that have never been used for anything but testing, same with a switch.

I have consulted with 3 professional networking people at this point. My best friend is the sole guy for 500 computers at a large corporation and helped me set up a lot of my netowk.


All three of them are saying my problem is a different things.. ive tested everything all three of them told me to test. None of them can seem to offer any more troubleshooting.


I 100% agree, that Sota is not causing it, rather it has a conflict with something else and so an association is created. But the bottom line is i can run other games, stream movies, stream you tube videos, run speed tests, etc.. I have a 100% home working network.. until i launch sota. So *shrugs* what can I do? I have no bad hardware, i have nothing i can find causing issues.. and as long as sota doesnt run.. everything else does.


and "email" being very different from a game, is correct. I run 4 monitors, all 27" or larger, I run photoshop, stream HD movies the entire time non stop, I run multiple websites, ebay listings, facebook groups, blog sites and more..Im currently spending close to $5000.00 a year on "Software services". I also do own other games . I make my living at home, sitting in front of a computer 18 hours a day. Except when i vend conventions. Heck, my downloading my offsite backups each month, is over a 150 gigs of transfers. Im running 27 Terabyts on my home network (yes, 27 terabyts.. 2/3 is redunancy, im backup anal). We stream tv 24 hours a day practically (between my wife and i, its never off.. I own NO services, everything is file stream).

I also upload and process approximately 500-1000 photographs a day for ebay auctions... Trust me, I know sota is different from email - but its not touching what i do. Thats why i build computer rigs with hex core processors and 32+ gigs of ram. Yeah its overkill, but i dont like to do it but more then every few years.

with all that running, I get 18mbs down and 4 mps up on speed tests while its all running.. right now.

id also add again, this started almost immediately after the last patch.


I also know enough to know sota isnt "the cause".. but whatever changed about it, made it incompatible on my network, so I felt I should report it.


im not really looking for help... the only person taht could help me at this point would be a daily practicing network specialist, doing a home service call at about 250.00 an hour, because they are the best.

I just wanted to report it, as its conflicting with something I have.. and if its doing it for me, it could do it for others. sooo.. *shrugs*


I can still log in to handle business transactions.. and i just wont "play" anymore until it resolves itself. I cant spend the time on it, because i have to make enough money today to pay tomorrow bills.. and i already lost two days income on it.


AGain, I cant be clear enough im not placing the blame on sota.. however Sota has become incompatiable with my home network, and I thought you should know about that.... as I cant find any flaws in my home network, and while i fulyl admit i may be missing something.. 3 other professionals have not been able to tell me what im missing..'

im at a completely loss at this point, and i cant afford to hire someone good enough to come work on it. so i just wanted to report my findings that there is a "correlation" and let you know about it.. If you feel its irrelevant, please dont hold me in ill regard for that, as the intention was good.. Just delete the post and move on . I do appreicate the reply.

If i find the specific conlfit/problem, or if a patch resolves it, etc.. Ill let you know what i found.


Thank you

 

WOW. Thats a lot of stuff said.

 

Yeah

I have problems with judging how much information I should supply in regards to something like this, and tend to provide to much. It's something i always struggle with.

 

I usually say "I've been in IT over 20 years, I know what I'm doing."

 

Same here (almost 3 decades now), and what i usualy do with problems like @Sir Stile Teckel currently has is temporarily eleminating/disabling things step after step.
Basically what Undone just wrote above is exactly what i would have done.

@Sir Stile Teckel, you need to figure out what is causing it, if you keep everything running, including your internal home network you probably never will find & fix your networking/connection issues.