Constant Map Server Disconnects

[Jake Bloom]

I can confirm that this appears to be true. I am having issues connecting to Kings Row from MacOS Sierra and Windows 10 but if I enable my Nord VPN then I have no connection issues. 
Thanks for the tip.  

[WanderingAries]

Normally I'd say avoid VPNs for online gaming, but the game doesn't need all that much bandwidth.

[WanderingAries]

And yes, most people don't realize WHY they call it the World Wide Web. The reason some sites go down isn't their own servers so much as a cluster of nodes (routing internet traffic) having issues along the path of travel for the data between you and them.

[Chris24601]

Yeah... low bandwidth is a plus in this case. Also, I have confirmed via CoH's netgraph function that I have no reduction in my ping from using the New Jersey VPN exit. I suspect whatever route it's taking now is overall cleaner than whatever the default route was so despite the apparent detour from Indiana to New Jersey to Canada, its not actually taking any longer than before to send/receive packets.

[WanderingAries]

I'm not sure the destination IP, but using the Ping function would help people see that this is so.

[jcmcg128]

So I am sorry, but I was away for a couple of months and the game was working fine, now it map servers me in about 10 min or less I see people talking about VPN and changing channels but has some one laid out a step by step plan on how to fix this that I am missing?

 

Edited January 13, 2020 by jcmcg128

[PeterDutcherJr]

I'm using Windscribe now. I downloaded the windows version, installed it and confirmed email. It gives 10 gigs of use, and over a couple days I used maybe 45 mb, so it should last a month.

 

Installation was easy. I just have to remember to launch it before I load the game.

 

I chose a Canada East server in its drop down menu, and it did solve the issue. I hate using a VPN, because my connection is a little slower than normal, but it's better than no game.

 

Spectrum sucks.

[WanderingAries]

4 hours ago, PeterDutcherJr said:

Installation was easy. I just have to remember to launch it before I load the game.

And most importantly CLOSE it before you do general browsing or allow system updates. I'd recommend setting your connection to metered or find a toggle method for the setting as Win10 and some apps will download in the background.

[RikOz]

I also use Windscribe, and I almost never turn it off. No problems so far.

[Chris24601]

On 1/12/2020 at 10:10 PM, jcmcg128 said:

So I am sorry, but I was away for a couple of months and the game was working fine, now it map servers me in about 10 min or less I see people talking about VPN and changing channels but has some one laid out a step by step plan on how to fix this that I am missing?

The short solution is; find a VPN service whose price and features fit your needs. Install and run it with your location set to a place that would change the route your internet to reach Toronto in Canada.

 

What that route is will vary with your physical location (see below for where my testing and research suggests the problem points are).

 

How you use the VPN will vary with the service you choose (and this really isn’t the place to be pitching paid third-party software), but the big names are usually designed to be extremely easy to use. Mine is literally just a drop down menu of locations (with a recommended closest location first) and a big button you click on to turn it on/off.

 

The mechanics of the fix is that you’re diverting the route the internet’s general routing system thinks is best (shortest number of bounces typically) to a different route that avoids the trouble spots. This works because the internet first calculates the shortest route to the VPN location and THEN calculates the route from there to the Homecoming servers.

 

The precise route that will work for you depends on where you’re located relative to the Homecoming servers. As best I can determine, the problem is somewhere in the Midwest, possibly where the Internet hops from the US to Canada (having now looked at some maps of national/international internet traffic a route through Chicago is likely; rather than Detroit as I was initially thinking... which explains why my bounce to New Jersey doesn’t noticeably affect my ping; both are about equally out of the way in terms of reaching the Homecoming servers).

 

Because of these two things though, there’s not a “one-size-fits-all” fix to the problem. I use New Jersey as my VPN location and it works for Ft. Wayne, IN.

 

But if the problem is Chicago and you’re in Wisconsin, the route to New Jersey probably goes through Chicago anyway and may not help, but VPN location of Seattle or Vancouver might cross back to Toronto using all Canadian lines.

 

On the other hand. If the issue is on the Canada side of Chicago to Toronto route then New Jersey would work fine from Wisconsin, but Vancouver might hit the problem and not be a fix at all.

 

The big problem is that the problem isn’t on your computer or Homecoming’s end; it’s someone else’s network in the middle. That means we can only really learn where the precise problem is by analyzing who is having the problems and their locations. Other than that the route is all guesswork.

[starro]

I live in a household with someone who wants to be technical and hook everything up to the internet.  I HATE google home, Hate google speakers and Hate google light switches. Since they arrived my internet is all disconnects and slow waits.  Just 5 devices on the network killed my Netflix, work VPN disconnected and frequent disconnects to COH between zones.   I get d/c going from atlas to steel canyon or I am taking minutes to zone.   I have the largest bandwidth my provider could offer as well.  Look at the items in your immediate area and get them off your wifi and unplugged just for testing purposes.

 

When all these crap devices are off my wi-fi and I am home alone I can actually function on the internet.

[PeterDutcherJr]

For those using Spectrum Internet, I fixed my connection issue (so far) and no longer need to use a VPN.

 

I use a Spectrum provided router, and cannot afford buying my own router. So here's what I did:

 

• I logged into my router through it's address (192.168.1.1) in a browser. There are only around 3-4 standard addresses used on Spectrum routers, so this is a publicly used address. I imagine that means you must be using your home internet to access it. Username and password are both 'Admin'.
• Click 'Advanced'. On the left menu, click 'Admin', then click 'System'.
• Under ' Miscellaneous ', it will have a drop down for 'Time Zone'.
  I live in Florida, which is Eastern Time Zone. Spectrum had mine set to Denver, Colorado, which is Mountain Time. I believe this was where my issue was. I clicked the drop down and scrolled down to 'American/New York', then clicked apply.
• It reset my internet connection, however, just to be safe, I clicked 'Reboot', which is also under 'Admin'.
   
• On a side note, if you wish to change your router channel, you can do this my clicking 'Network' on the top left menu, then 'Wireless', then 'Radio' (on the resulting page). The channel is found under Radio Setting as ' Control Channel'
  After some research, I discovered channel 11 was the best choice, switched it and applied. It switched my to Channel 11, and my Internet speed is now stable.

 

 

[WanderingAries]

4 hours ago, duane said:

I live in a household with someone who wants to be technical and hook everything up to the internet.  I HATE google home, Hate google speakers and Hate google light switches. Since they arrived my internet is all disconnects and slow waits.  Just 5 devices on the network killed my Netflix, work VPN disconnected and frequent disconnects to COH between zones.   I get d/c going from atlas to steel canyon or I am taking minutes to zone.   I have the largest bandwidth my provider could offer as well.  Look at the items in your immediate area and get them off your wifi and unplugged just for testing purposes.

 

When all these crap devices are off my wi-fi and I am home alone I can actually function on the internet.

Sounds like your environment could use a Mesh network system then if you have that many devices. Your router's likely being overloaded with traffic.

[WanderingAries]

3 hours ago, PeterDutcherJr said:

For those using Spectrum Internet, I fixed my connection issue (so far) and no longer need to use a VPN.

 

I use a Spectrum provided router, and cannot afford buying my own router. So here's what I did:

 

• I logged into my router through it's address (192.168.1.1) in a browser. There are only around 3-4 standard addresses used on Spectrum routers, so this is a publicly used address. I imagine that means you must be using your home internet to access it. Username and password are both 'Admin'.
• Click 'Advanced'. On the left menu, click 'Admin', then click 'System'.
• Under ' Miscellaneous ', it will have a drop down for 'Time Zone'.
  I live in Florida, which is Eastern Time Zone. Spectrum had mine set to Denver, Colorado, which is Mountain Time. I believe this was where my issue was. I clicked the drop down and scrolled down to 'American/New York', then clicked apply.
• It reset my internet connection, however, just to be safe, I clicked 'Reboot', which is also under 'Admin'.
   
• On a side note, if you wish to change your router channel, you can do this my clicking 'Network' on the top left menu, then 'Wireless', then 'Radio' (on the resulting page). The channel is found under Radio Setting as ' Control Channel'
  After some research, I discovered channel 11 was the best choice, switched it and applied. It switched my to Channel 11, and my Internet speed is now stable.

 

 

You got lucky that they hadn't changed the credentials on that device. Most the time they want it so only They can manage it from their end. While I still had their equipment, I had to call just to make changes on mine. In the first couple years living down here (and setting up my Own equip) I had to change my channel like 4 times because the neighbors would end up adding new equipment or changing existing (same dif), so the channels would get too cluttered. I eventually went to tri-band and ran into Other problems like some devices not liking the automatic transition of channels. The Rokus like a certain 5Ghz channel while the mobile devices prefer another. Lots of tweaking and we're only upto a couple dozen devices now.

[starro]

18 hours ago, WanderingAries said:

Sounds like your environment could use a Mesh network system then if you have that many devices. Your router's likely being overloaded with traffic.

I would LOVE that.  Our house is built like a bunker as it is.   I have changed cell phone providers just so I can use a phone on the first floor.

[WanderingAries]

3 hours ago, duane said:

I would LOVE that.  Our house is built like a bunker as it is.   I have changed cell phone providers just so I can use a phone on the first floor.

If not mesh, then powerline networking floor to floor mixed with routers.

[jcmcg128]

On 1/14/2020 at 3:09 PM, PeterDutcherJr said:

For those using Spectrum Internet, I fixed my connection issue (so far) and no longer need to use a VPN.

 

I use a Spectrum provided router, and cannot afford buying my own router. So here's what I did:

 

• I logged into my router through it's address (192.168.1.1) in a browser. There are only around 3-4 standard addresses used on Spectrum routers, so this is a publicly used address. I imagine that means you must be using your home internet to access it. Username and password are both 'Admin'.
• Click 'Advanced'. On the left menu, click 'Admin', then click 'System'.
• Under ' Miscellaneous ', it will have a drop down for 'Time Zone'.
  I live in Florida, which is Eastern Time Zone. Spectrum had mine set to Denver, Colorado, which is Mountain Time. I believe this was where my issue was. I clicked the drop down and scrolled down to 'American/New York', then clicked apply.
• It reset my internet connection, however, just to be safe, I clicked 'Reboot', which is also under 'Admin'.
   
• On a side note, if you wish to change your router channel, you can do this my clicking 'Network' on the top left menu, then 'Wireless', then 'Radio' (on the resulting page). The channel is found under Radio Setting as ' Control Channel'
  After some research, I discovered channel 11 was the best choice, switched it and applied. It switched my to Channel 11, and my Internet speed is now stable.

 

 

Dude your a life saver, did this, since i have spectrum too, and it worked right off the bat.  I didn't really buy the who VPN thing that their selling.  your the best.

[jcmcg128]

On 1/14/2020 at 12:14 PM, Chris24601 said:

The short solution is; find a VPN service whose price and features fit your needs. Install and run it with your location set to a place that would change the route your internet to reach Toronto in Canada.

 

What that route is will vary with your physical location (see below for where my testing and research suggests the problem points are).

 

How you use the VPN will vary with the service you choose (and this really isn’t the place to be pitching paid third-party software), but the big names are usually designed to be extremely easy to use. Mine is literally just a drop down menu of locations (with a recommended closest location first) and a big button you click on to turn it on/off.

 

The mechanics of the fix is that you’re diverting the route the internet’s general routing system thinks is best (shortest number of bounces typically) to a different route that avoids the trouble spots. This works because the internet first calculates the shortest route to the VPN location and THEN calculates the route from there to the Homecoming servers.

 

The precise route that will work for you depends on where you’re located relative to the Homecoming servers. As best I can determine, the problem is somewhere in the Midwest, possibly where the Internet hops from the US to Canada (having now looked at some maps of national/international internet traffic a route through Chicago is likely; rather than Detroit as I was initially thinking... which explains why my bounce to New Jersey doesn’t noticeably affect my ping; both are about equally out of the way in terms of reaching the Homecoming servers).

 

Because of these two things though, there’s not a “one-size-fits-all” fix to the problem. I use New Jersey as my VPN location and it works for Ft. Wayne, IN.

 

But if the problem is Chicago and you’re in Wisconsin, the route to New Jersey probably goes through Chicago anyway and may not help, but VPN location of Seattle or Vancouver might cross back to Toronto using all Canadian lines.

 

On the other hand. If the issue is on the Canada side of Chicago to Toronto route then New Jersey would work fine from Wisconsin, but Vancouver might hit the problem and not be a fix at all.

 

The big problem is that the problem isn’t on your computer or Homecoming’s end; it’s someone else’s network in the middle. That means we can only really learn where the precise problem is by analyzing who is having the problems and their locations. Other than that the route is all guesswork.

Sorry but this sound like people are looking at the problem the wrong way.  I did the fix that PeterDutcherJr had said and I am working fine again.  So by just changing my time zone it work.  But thanks for the assistance. 

[Chris24601]

Glad that worked for you.

 

I’m not on Spectrum and still had the problem; which only developed months after I began playing and years after the router was installed.

 

The company that provided my router (Frontier) also doesn’t include any advanced settings (and it’s password was not set to “admin” but the address and password are printed on the router label so the user can access it); you can set the network name and wifi password for the router. That’s all Frontier will let the end user control via router access.

 

I am also in the same time zone as the VPN exit point (both are EST) I’m using so it’s not some time zone miss-match causing my problem either.

 

So I’m glad you found a solution for your Spectrum issues, but to pretend it’s the one true universal fix when it’s not doesn’t help others who don’t have Spectrum internet (Spectrum isn’t even available in my area) but still have the problem.

Edited January 16, 2020 by Chris24601