Black screen of connection problems - dev attention please

[LOMS]

Hi, developers.

It appears that mentioned problem has more and more victims.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=13826
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=14577
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13814
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13740
+ old, misplaced threads and threads with bad naming.
+Dozens of players who do not make additional threads about this (at least in this forum).

I know about 6-7 russian players (including myself) has bumped with this problem before. Thus, first I thought - this connection problem is related to upcoming Great Russian Firewall and site blocking. But since people from across the world keep coming with same problems, I can see that's something different.

This problem can be avoided by several ways:
1. Use tunneling proxy (like "Private Tunnel", "Secure Tunnel" or any other).
2. Change router (if you're lucky - salem will work).
3. Change internet provider.

Don't want to frustrate you, but many players (espesially new ones) would rather quit Salem then will pay for tunneling services or change hardware/providers.

So, back to problem. Story time.
When I bumped with it first time, I thought my cheap router is dying... you know how it happens. So, I took my 7-year old router and plugged it instead.
Then (about a month has passed) other player reported me about the problem. He bumped with the problem SUDDENLY. I mean, he was pretty active player, and one day he couldn't login.

When I tried to solve his problem, we discovered Private Tunnel and feature with different routers. Unfortunately, his router, which could handle Salem, wasn't 100% working (He dropped whole internect connection after 10-30 minutes of work) and his other 2 routers were good for anything but Salem. He couldn't change provider or buy another router. He dropped the game. You may knew him as Xsardi.

Today I bought new router, because my old router(I mentioned it above) is really old. And you know what? I can play anything, but Salem
And by "anything" I mean anything, even Haven and Hearth.
Important note - when me and Xsardi were trying to solve his problem, he couldn't play H&H aswell. Though, it's not 100%, it was months ago.

So, we're talking about the problem, right? There is 2 possibilities.
1. Loftar got sneaky fix for his H&H server and hadn't share it with you (I belive Salem server is based on H&H server, like it's client do).
2. You have an unique protocol flaw on your side.

In case 2, I can try help you to fix this problem. Since I can cause problem on purpose, can use wireshark and even modify your game client (yep, programmer here), you will get a decent help at diagnostics and, hopefully, solving the problem.
Contact me if you want.

[Kandarim]

to be fair, the devs give attention to most of the threads here.
Given that this issue is solved by using a tunnelling service, there isn't a whole lot I think the devs can do: it most likely isn't their side of the deal but rather your internet provider's side.

Also, most of the threads you linked are so extremely vague that i'm not entirely sure they're related.

[Mah-Dry-Bread]

I don't think it's fair to say the threads are veague. With the other thread that LOMS and I are on, we've narrowed it down to exactly how to fix it. I did all of the advice a moderator said in the thread and it didn't fix anything with me detailing everything I did, until LOMS recommended a proxy. Although that proxy doesn't work very well with my computer, when it does work, I can play. For whatever reason, changing my IP address fixes the issue. I think that narrows it down quite a bit as we finally know that the issue doesn't have to do with a bad install of Java or other things like that.

[Kandarim]

If I had to hazard a guess, it's not the change of IP address that does the trick but the fact that you are disguising your internet traffic (probably routing the TCP parts this client uses through port 80 of the proxy).

[Mah-Dry-Bread]

I don't know much about the inner workings of these internet things. The most I understand is port forwarding thanks to my Warcraft 3 days. All I know is that I have the ports forwarded that the moderator suggested and I've tried it with my firewall off to be sure, but no luck. I do wonder if my ISP is possibly the issue, although I've never heard of Rogers doing anything like that. Usually Rogers is pretty solid when it comes to things like this. Can't rule it out though, if you guys are saying that could be a cause, I'll take your word for it.

[LOMS]

If I had to hazard a guess, it's not the change of IP address that does the trick but the fact that you are disguising your internet traffic (probably routing the TCP parts this client uses through port 80 of the proxy).

Forget about port 80, it causes different black screen problem with "Loading..." in the middle.

But if you want to dig deeper with me, here you go, take a shovel:
1. Client makes a secure authorization through port 1871. Protocol - TCP. No problems here, unless auth server is crashed or you have too bad internet connection. Or you're banned
2. After authorization has passed, your client starts to communicate with server throuh port 1870 UDP (! IMPORTANT !). After that you're going on character choose screen... or you not, if you're... you know, "happy" witness of Black Screen.
3. If it's OK, and you can choose your character, you're going to play salem. While you playing (Port 1870 UDP) your client will download missing game assets from web storage (Port 80 TCP) like music, textures, models... well, cloth elements, buildings, tiles etc. That goes through port 80 and can (and will be) cause "Loading..." screen. If you're using slow internet connection and haven't launched Salem before, your loading screen can take minutes to load all assets around your character. But after you see an object/tile texture or heard a music track once, you will not download it again (unless it's version is changed on server or you will clear ".salem" folder manually).

Let's talk about differences in UDP and TCP protocols.

TCP protocol work like a polite conversation between people.
- Hi
- Hello
- Do you want to hear my story?
- Of course!
- Ok, once upon a time...
- Copy that.
- ... in the middle of a thick forest...

etc.

But UDP is different. It's like when a person, you even don't know, come to you and start telling you about all his problems, and he doesn't give a crap if you're listening him or not.
UDP expects that you're listening, while TCP asks you.

Howerer, that's why UDP is faster in some ways. Less safe, but faster.

[MagicManICT]

Always check with your ISP when you suspect issues with network. It can't hurt. I can't know if any ISP will give free tech support on network connection issues or what kind of fees they have, however, many ISPs will at least do basic diagnostic tests and provide some feedback as to what may be the issue. However, if the issue is software related on you computer, they may not be able to test those things without sending a tech out or you bringing your computer in, and that's usually where the fees start.

[LOMS]

Always check with your ISP when you suspect issues with network. It can't hurt. I can't know if any ISP will give free tech support on network connection issues or what kind of fees they have, however, many ISPs will at least do basic diagnostic tests and provide some feedback as to what may be the issue. However, if the issue is software related on you computer, they may not be able to test those things without sending a tech out or you bringing your computer in, and that's usually where the fees start.

This statement could be useful, but too many people across the world, with different ISPs, has the problem and I doubt they have problems with anything but Salem. And there is no problem with H&H (Salem's direct ancestor). Thus, I claim this server side issue.

[Mah-Dry-Bread]

If it helps, I've never had a connection issue with Haven & Hearth and I've played it off and on for about two years using two different routers as well as switching ISP's during that time.

[Kandarim]

i'm well aware of the connection behaviour of the client, thank you very much for the lecture.
I fail to see how that explanation is relevant here, though. What is your point ?