Disconnect problems traced to DNS issues

[nwbridge31]

For months, I have been trying to track down disconnect issues when playing automated tournaments. I'm sure many of you have experienced the following

 

1) Game play doesn't update on your screen

2) Connection quality meter shows "no bars"

3) Then you get disconnected from the tournament

4) Sometimes, if you are quick, you can close out the Bridgebase Flash window within the browswer, relogin, and then play once the quality meter shows "no bars"

 

I've noticed many of the following problems:

1) When trying to "log back in" I get stuck in "resolving host..." mode

2) Sometimes I've seen the connection to the ad server go down before I get disconnected

 

It seems pretty clear that the DNS request (Domain Name System) resolution is getting lost/failing. If the DNS query isn't resolved before the tournament player time out - you are disconnected from Bridgebase.

 

Now, before you say, "oh its a home network, wireless, router, issue", I experience the same problem connected directly via Ethernet to my cable modem. In other words, NO HOME NETWORK/WIRELESS IS INVOLVED. You might also say that it is firewall settings (same result when firewall disabled), browser (same result across different browsers AND different adobe flash plug ins), computer (different computers)...

 

As another experiment, I changed my DNS server from Wave Broadband to Google public DNS server (8.8.8.8). Unfortunately, I get the same result (resolving host errors).

 

I live in Olympic Peninsula of Washington with Wave Broadband as a service provider. It may be possible that they are "losing" the DNS queries. Regardless, it does appear that Bridgebase software operating environment creates numerous DNS queries/requests as most/all other programs do not have the disconnect problem.

 

Has anyone else seen similar problems? Do you have any suggestions.

[TylerE]

I don't think so. DNS has nothing to do with _maintaining_ a connection.

[johnu]

If you've tried several routers that you know are working, then try switching modems and see if that helps. Try some different cables between router and computer and router and incoming line. Also, call Wave and have them test your line if you haven't already done so. There may be something wrong in a local switching station, or your house wiring may be flaky.

[ochinko]

It looks like you lose your internet connection, and that is why you get disconnected from the BBO.

 

When that happens, the DNS entry in your local resolver in the router has expired, so when you try to reconnect, the OS tries to resolve the name again, but fails.

 

As TylerE said, you only need the DNS on connecting, so it can't be at fault. And you discovered that yourself when you changed the DNS server settings to Google.

 

Take a look at the LEDs on the cable modem before and after you get disconnected, and talk to your ISP. They monitor the connection on a lower level, and know when you are disconnected. Once they establish that happens, they should be able to get to the root cause, and possibly fix it. If they can't or won't, change your ISP.

[barmar]

I don't think so. DNS has nothing to do with _maintaining_ a connection.

Exactly. DNS failures are simply another symptom of a poor connection. If you're having trouble communicating with the BBO server and also your ISP's DNS, that's a very good indication that the problem is at your end, or maybe a more general problem with your ISP's infrastructure. But it's not very specific to BBO.

[nwbridge31]

Just to follow up on what I learned since my post - the transmit power of my modem was determined to be out-of-spec (as established by the cable provider). The appropriate attenuation pad was never installed in our wiring topology. The result: upstream messages could get corrupted. The corruption caused the loss of the connection and, when I tried to log back in, the failed DNS messages.

[54Fighting]

nwbridge31

It is June 2017, and for the last two months, I've been getting disconnected from bbo very frequently. On main or relaxed boards.

I've done all the suggestions listed below and no improvement.

I swear the problem lies in the advertising on bbo. Firefox shows the 'behind the scene' desktop activity, and it is wild. My PC is continuously working to maintain advertising. Reading, redirecting, waiting, connecting..... When I have a robot rented, and for some days after, the advertising disappears, and I don't get disconnected.

Could it be an adobe flash problem?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

 

 

For months, I have been trying to track down disconnect issues when playing automated tournaments. I'm sure many of you have experienced the following

 

1) Game play doesn't update on your screen

2) Connection quality meter shows "no bars"

3) Then you get disconnected from the tournament

4) Sometimes, if you are quick, you can close out the Bridgebase Flash window within the browswer, relogin, and then play once the quality meter shows "no bars"

 

I've noticed many of the following problems:

1) When trying to "log back in" I get stuck in "resolving host..." mode

2) Sometimes I've seen the connection to the ad server go down before I get disconnected

 

It seems pretty clear that the DNS request (Domain Name System) resolution is getting lost/failing. If the DNS query isn't resolved before the tournament player time out - you are disconnected from Bridgebase.

 

Now, before you say, "oh its a home network, wireless, router, issue", I experience the same problem connected directly via Ethernet to my cable modem. In other words, NO HOME NETWORK/WIRELESS IS INVOLVED. You might also say that it is firewall settings (same result when firewall disabled), browser (same result across different browsers AND different adobe flash plug ins), computer (different computers)...

 

As another experiment, I changed my DNS server from Wave Broadband to Google public DNS server (8.8.8.8). Unfortunately, I get the same result (resolving host errors).

 

I live in Olympic Peninsula of Washington with Wave Broadband as a service provider. It may be possible that they are "losing" the DNS queries. Regardless, it does appear that Bridgebase software operating environment creates numerous DNS queries/requests as most/all other programs do not have the disconnect problem.

 

Has anyone else seen similar problems? Do you have any suggestions.

[silvr bull]

Soon after I relocated my computer closer to my router, I had very bad BBO connection problems. There is more about that here (http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/76274-bbo-connection-problems/), but the short solution was to connect my computer by cable instead of WiFi. At 8' apart, my WiFi signal was so strong that it overwhelmed my laptop computer's receiver and that resulted in garbage in the signal. For anyone who is close to their router and has connection problems, my first advice is to try moving the computer to a greater distance away from the router.

[barmar]

For anyone who is close to their router and has connection problems, my first advice is to try moving the computer to a greater distance away from the router.

That's very weird. Moving closer should improve the signal, not degrade it.

[JHAhroni]

I live in Bothell and I have the same issues. I get disconnected an average of 3 times a game. I have reset and reconfigured everything on my computer. We have Ziply ISP. Since so many people have this problem I think it is a Bridge Base issue and I wish they would fix it. I don't have this problem with any other website.

 

For months, I have been trying to track down disconnect issues when playing automated tournaments. I'm sure many of you have experienced the following

 

1) Game play doesn't update on your screen

2) Connection quality meter shows "no bars"

3) Then you get disconnected from the tournament

4) Sometimes, if you are quick, you can close out the Bridgebase Flash window within the browswer, relogin, and then play once the quality meter shows "no bars"

 

I've noticed many of the following problems:

1) When trying to "log back in" I get stuck in "resolving host..." mode

2) Sometimes I've seen the connection to the ad server go down before I get disconnected

 

It seems pretty clear that the DNS request (Domain Name System) resolution is getting lost/failing. If the DNS query isn't resolved before the tournament player time out - you are disconnected from Bridgebase.

 

Now, before you say, "oh its a home network, wireless, router, issue", I experience the same problem connected directly via Ethernet to my cable modem. In other words, NO HOME NETWORK/WIRELESS IS INVOLVED. You might also say that it is firewall settings (same result when firewall disabled), browser (same result across different browsers AND different adobe flash plug ins), computer (different computers)...

 

As another experiment, I changed my DNS server from Wave Broadband to Google public DNS server (8.8.8.8). Unfortunately, I get the same result (resolving host errors).

 

I live in Olympic Peninsula of Washington with Wave Broadband as a service provider. It may be possible that they are "losing" the DNS queries. Regardless, it does appear that Bridgebase software operating environment creates numerous DNS queries/requests as most/all other programs do not have the disconnect problem.

 

Has anyone else seen similar problems? Do you have any suggestions.

[pescetom]

I suggest you start by opening a new thread with a title such as 'BBO disconnect problems using wifi' or similar, because this necro has little sense: it is clear that there is no current problem traced to DNS issues, if there ever was.

 

FWIW I am convinced that BBO is unduly vulnerable to domestic wifi signal problems, although BBO has consistently denied it, arguing that they would have thousands of complaints (about 1 in 5 of my club had such problems, so yes I would expect many).