PBEM Server Communications Error

[mroyer]

During my very first turn of my very first PBEM game, I encountered the following server communication error. I continued and it seems like it completed the turn, but I'm not certain if there is an issue or whether I've screwed up something as a user, somehow. Anyone else get this error. (I am using v1.10.03 beta).

Thanks for any thoughts,
-Mark R.

[mroyer]

A bit more info.
(1) I can connect and start a PBEM game on the server
(2) I can connect and join a PBEM game started by my partner on the server.
(3) My opponent can connect, start or join, and successfully end his turn on the server.
If I join his finished-turn game, I see his completed turn. If I then execute and end a turn I get the communication error again.

To summarize:
It seems everything is working except that I, and only I, can't end a turn.

-Mark R.

[mroyer]

So.... now I'm completely at a loss - I've uninstalled and installed a pristine v1.10.03 beta and still get the error.

Next is probably dropping back to the last official release v1.10

-Mark R.

[mroyer]

My opponent and I have dropped back to a pristine v1.10 install - no mods what-so-ever - and still I'm getting the communication error.

I'm out of ideas to try - can't imagine what is going wrong - could my ISP (comcast) be blocking something? Do I need to set up some WiFi/internet port number? I'm feeling like the basic connection is good because I can see other challenges (see figure below), my opponent accepted my challenge, it seems to saves the game to the server properly (at least as nearly as I can tell) - it just won't end the turn without the connection error -5.

The issue appears to be ONLY related to me (not my opponent) finishing a turn.

-Mark R.

(P.S. I'm using Windows 10 on a Surface Pro with docking station and two monitors.)

[mroyer]

Okay - more info.
I installed on a different computer (an Alien desktop - a Dell product) running Windows 10 and get the same connection error -5 when ending a turn.

-Mark R.

[mroyer]

Finally, on the off chance I somehow had corrupted install files, I uninstalled again, downloaded new install files from the Matrix member site and reinstalled pristine. Still same connection error.

I was looking forward to playing this game PBEM, but I guess it's just not to be.

-Mark R.

[Taxman66]

At a guess, it may be some sort of setting with your ISN, or between you and your ISN. I'm guessing based on the fact that it isn't working across different computers

[mroyer]

ORIGINAL: Taxman66

At a guess, it may be some sort of setting with your ISN, or between you and your ISN.

Yeah, that's where my thinking keeps going - but were that really the issue I'd expect more severe problems than just not being able to terminate a turn. Besides ending a term, I seem otherwise connected fine - for example. I can see other game offers, I can save a game, or load a game from my opponent (including one he has completed a turn).

Really weird. Maybe the anti net-neutrality giants are targeting the multi-billion dollar war-gaming industry first.... [:D]

-Mark R.

[Hubert Cater]

Hi mroyer, sorry to hear about the trouble and it is a strange one indeed... let me look into it further but this will be difficult to trace as this is the first and only report of its kind that I know of where you can consistently not be able to end your turn via PBEM++.

[mroyer]

Thanks for looking into it Hubert.

Give me some clues what a -5 communication error is related to so I can try to think through whether I'm causing it somehow.

-Mark R.

[Hubert Cater]

Hi Mark,

The -5 error is related to an HTTP POST command, essentially when the game is attempting to send the latest turn update to the PBEM++ server. However what is odd is that you've mentioned you can save your PBEM++ turn in progress, yet it fails when you complete your turn and the game is then automatically sending the turn to the server.

Hubert

[mroyer]

Okay, I'll think about that and hunt around my router/cable modem settings for anything odd in that arena.

It is true, and VERY repeatable (like 100% of the time) that I can save a file, but not finish a turn. I too find that very peculiar. I wonder what's different about finishing a turn.

-Mark R.

[mroyer]

I cannot get around this error no matter what I try. I've tried turning off my firewall, shutting down WiFi to use hardwired LAN, rebooting router and cable modem, changing security settings in the router and so on - yet the issue persists.

Next, I need to find some sort of hotspot outside my home so I can eliminate my ISP and access point altogether.

-Mark R.

[Taxman66]

Do both computers you tried on have the same antivirus software? Have you tried disabling it?

[mroyer]

That's a good thought taxman - I'm not sure - I'll dig into that next.
-Mark R.

[mroyer]

Dorked around with Windows Defender settings/on/off without success.

I wonder if the PBEM files on the server got corrupted early on somehow and that's causing a problem that I keep running into...

-Mark Royer

[mroyer]

Today I created a new account at Matrix and purchased the SC3 game again under the new name, royerma. I installed on a separate computer and was able to play PBEM between my two pseudonyms, mroyer and royerma, without problem.

So, does that suggest my earlier connection error -5 is on my opponent's side?

-Mark R.

[HannoMeier]

I just started my first PBEM game with a friend and got the same -5 error while saving the game. We are both using the latest official patch.
When I shutdown KAspersky, I got the same error message.

Hanno

[mroyer]

ORIGINAL: Hanno Meier
got the same -5 error while saving the game.

I'm not alone!!!

[mroyer]

Hanno, Lets try to play a couple dummy turns against each other - I posted a vanilla 1939 Storm over Europe challenge with password "Hanno".

-Mark R.